Data indicate that migrant and seasonal farmworkers harvesting apples in New York suffer from back and neck strain, falls, and eye injuries. This combined with focus group evidence suggesting a poor understanding by both workers and employers of the notion of preventable injury has led to the development of an innovative orchard safety training program for employers and workers. This program is an adaptation of a model currently in use by Cornell researchers with dairy farms, which emphasizes motivating and empowering farm owners to be safety trainers and to incorporate safety promotion into their regular work practices. Growers learn about the curriculum and how to train, and are provided technical assistance with the training and assessing the safety of the farm environment. There has been an overwhelming response by NY orchard owners, nearly four times the targeted number have expressed interest. Five major topic areas for training have been identified, and training materials developed as a prototype to be modified and adapted with worker and employer feedback. The results of an evaluation of participation levels, principles learned, attitudes toward safety promotion, and behavioral and environmental changes are described.
Learning Objectives: 1. Participants will be able to list 5 major topic areas for safety training. 2. Participants will be able to describe 3 main behavioral changes. 3. Participants will be able to apply the safety training program model in their own program development
Keywords: Prevention, Occupational Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.