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APPLYING SAFETY MEASURES IN

FARM OPERATIONS
Quarter 1
Module 1: Determine Areas of Concern
for Safety Measures

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APPLYING SAFETY MEASURES IN FARM OPERATIONS
Quarter 1
Module 1: Determine Areas of Concern for Safety Measures

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Regional Director: Gilbert T. Sadsad

Assistant Regional Director: Jessie L. Amin

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 Development Team of the Module

Writers: Ronnel F. Dela Torre

Editors:
Reviewers: DR. NIXON SA OLFINDO,EPS / DARCY GUY Y. MAÑEBO, EPS
Illustrator: Ronnel F. Dela Torre
Layout Artist: Ronnel F. Dela Torre

Applying Safety measures in Farm Operations-Grade 11

Quarter 1 – Module 1: Determine areas of concern for safety measures

I. Introduction:

This module shall develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes in

applying safety measures in farm operation. It specifically discus the
different areas of concern for safety measures. And you will identify work
task, time and place for safety measure in line with the farm operation. It
also discuss the preparation of tools materials and outfit in line with the job
requirements.

II. Objectives
  Identify work tasks in line with farm operations.
 Determine place and time for safety measures in
line with farm operations.
 Prepare appropriate tools, materials, and outfits
in line with job requirements

III. Vocabulary List

Farm operation- a condition or activity which occurs on a farm in

connection with the production of farm products

Safety measures- the state of being "safe" he condition of being

protected from harm or other non-desirable outcomes. Safety can also
refer to the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an
acceptable level of risk.

Work task- an activity related to the completion of a person’s work or

job.

Farm outfit- a set of clothes worn for a particular farm activity.

IV. Pre-Test

______1. It is a condition or activity which occurs on a farm in connection with the

production of farm products.
a. Farm output c. Risk
b. Farm operation d. Safety measure
______2. It refers to the condition of being protected from harm or other non-
desirable outcomes.
a. Farm output c. Risk

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 b. Farm operation d. Safety measure
______3. Any situation, activity, procedure, equipment and substances that could
harm someone.
a. Accident c. Hazard
b. Exposure d. Risk
______4. It is an illness occurs when someone is expose to chemical or biological
substance, a physical agent, or other stressors that can harm individual.
a. Accident c. Hazard
b. Exposure d. Occupational illness
______5. Which of the following farm activities is the most hazardous task being
perform by the farmers?
a. Extreme weather condition c. Lifting of moving heavy objects
b. Machine or tractor operation d. Working alone in an isolated
places

V. Learning Activities
Activity # 1
You are going to identify the different farm operation activity.
Determine the time and place where accident takes place and determine also
the safety measure to control a workplace hazard. Grouping

Farm operation activity Safety measures

Did You Know:

Farming is much more complex than many people realize. Although

farmers might once have had only some work experience and a high school
diploma. Farmers might raise crops, livestock, poultry, fish and shellfish,
or produce dairy products, ornamental plants or nursery products. Some
farmers raise both crops and livestock or produce food for their animals on
the farm. Each type of farming requires specialized skills and knowledge.

What is Agricultural workers?

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 Agricultural workers maintain crops and tend to livestock. They
perform physical labor and operate machinery under the supervision
of farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers.

Duties of an Agricultural worker

There are different duties of agricultural workers these are the following:

1. Inspect and harvest crop by hand.

2. Irrigate farm soil and maintain ditches or pipes and pumps.
3. Operate and service farm machinery and tools
4. Spray fertilizer or pesticide solutions to control insects, fungi, and
weeds.
5. Move shrubs, plants, and trees with wheelbarrows or tractors.
6. Feed livestock and clean and disinfect their pens, cages, yards, and
hutches.
7. Examine animals to detect symptoms of illnesses or injuries and
administer vaccines to protect animals from diseases.
8. Use brands, tags, or tattoos to mark livestock in order to identify
ownership and grade.
9. Herd livestock to pastures for grazing or to scales, trucks, or other
enclosures.
10. Keep records on the production, maintenance and repair.

Crop, nursery, and greenhouse farmworkers and laborers- perform

numerous tasks related to growing and harvesting grains, fruits,
vegetables, nuts, and other crops.
a. They plant, seed, prune, irrigate, and harvest crops, and pack and
load them for shipment.
b. Farmworkers also apply pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers to
crops.
c. They repair fences and some farm equipment.

Agricultural equipment operators - use a variety of farm equipment to

plow and sow seeds, as well as maintain and harvest crops.
a. They may use tractors, fertilizer spreaders, balers, combines,
threshers, and trucks.
b. These workers also operate machines such as conveyor belts, loading
machines, separators, cleaners, and dryers.
c. Workers may make adjustments and minor repairs to equipment.

Different Farm Activity

 Land preparation- covers a wide range of practices form zero-tillage

or minimum tillage which maximize soil disturbances. It typically
involves plowing to till or dig-up, mix, and overturn the soil,
harrowing to break the soil clods into smaller mass and incorporate
plant residue and leveling thee field.

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  Planting-are practiced in crop farming. Planting may be done by hand
or on some sites by machine. Therefore, the two methods of planting
can also be described as direct planting and indirect planting. For
transplanting, it is indirect because the seeds are not immediately
sown on the field. Instead, these seeds are first used to raise seedlings
in pots or in any temporary place and only when they reach the right
age are they out planted. The actual field planting may be
accomplished either manually or by mechanical means.
 Irrigation- helps to grow agricultural crops, maintain landscapes,
and revegetate disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of less
than average rainfall. There are several methods of irrigation. They vary
in how the water is supplied to the plants. The goal is to apply the
water to the plants as uniformly as possible, so that each plant has the
amount of water it needs, neither too much nor too little.
 Fertilizer application- is carried out in such a way to replenish the
soil nutrient levels removed during the growth and to optimally
maintain physiological health of the plant. Farmer apply fertilizer
either directly onto the plant or to the soil.
 Harvesting-is the act of removing a crop from where it was growing
and moving it to a more secure location for processing, consumption,
or storage. Before the crop can be harvested, the grower must be sure
that there is a demand for the crop and that the price is sufficient to
make harvesting the crop profitable.

Hazard, Risk and Exposure in the Farm

Agricultural crop production deal with a lot of activities to be done in
the different workplace. While performing these activities we expose
ourselves and farm laborer to a lot of risk. Hazard in a workplace is a major
cause of accident, injury, harm or even death to a worker who perform such
different task. These hazards should be a major concern of all who are
involved in a certain job or work.
It is important to distinguish hazard, risk and exposure when
undertaking risk management.
 Hazard is the potential for harm, or adverse effect on an employee’s
heath. Anything which may cause injury or ill health anyone at or
near a workplace is a hazard.
 Risk is the likelihood that a hazard will cause injury or ill health to
anyone at or near a workplace. Risk level increases with the severity of
the hazard duration and frequency of exposure.
 Exposure occurs when a person comes into contact with a hazard.
Types of hazard
Hazards are classified into six different types:
 Physical Hazard- includes floors, stairs, work platforms, steps,
ladders, fire, falling objects, slippery surfaces, manual handling

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 (lifting, pushing, pulling), excessively loud and prolonged noise,
vibration, heat and cold, radiation, poor lighting, ventilation, air
quality.
 Chemical- includes chemical substances such as acid or poisons and
those that could lead fire or explosion, like pesticides, herbicides,
cleaning agents, dusts and fumes from various processes such as
welding
 Psychosocial environment - includes workplace stressors arising
from a variety of sources.
 Biological - includes bacteria, viruses, mold, mildew, insects, vermin,
animals
 Mechanical and/or electrical - includes electricity, machinery,
equipment, pressure vessels, dangerous goods, fork lifts, cranes,
hoists.
 Ergonomic hazards are a result of physical factors that can result in
musculoskeletal injuries. For example, a poor workstation setup in an
office, poor posture and manual handling.

Farm emergency procedures regarding safety working environment

1. Identify the potential emergencies. The emergencies that may occur on a
crop production farm could include fire, flood, typhoon, machinery
entrapment, electrical shock, snake or spider bite, chemical exposure, farm
injuries, farm illness and farm accidents.
2. Provide emergency facilities appropriate for the sorts of emergencies that
might occur on the farm (e.g. deluge showers, eye washes, firefighting
equipment, first aid kits).
3. Make sure that the correct equipment is available to contain and handle
any chemical or other dangerous materials spills that might happen.
4. Visitors need to be aware regarding emergency procedure and their
responsibilities to minimize the risk of personal injury in the event of
emergency.
5. Instruct everyone working on the farm in the emergency response
procedures.
6. Everyone should know the location of fire alarms, fire extinguishers and
first aid kits; how and where to contact emergency services; and where to
safely assemble in the event of an emergency.
7. Know the emergency services; and where to safely assemble in the event
of an emergency.

High risk factor

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The following factors may increase risk of injury or illness for farm workers:
1. Age-injury rate are highest among those 15 and younger and adults
over 65 years old. Because no mandatory retirement age exists for
farmers, many continue to perform some tasks even though they are
unable to execute them safely.
 One in nine farmers aged 65 and older have been involved in a
tractor rollover.
 Those aged 65 and older account for half of all farming deaths

2. Lack of medical care- since most of the farmers live in the rural area,
hospitals and EMS are often a far distance away from the farm.
Response time could be upwards of an hour before the injured
receives medical care.
3. Machinery
The most commonly utilized pieces of equipment around the
farm are tractors, trucks, wagons, mowers, spreaders, grinders,
blowers, augers, shredders, balers, rakes and combines. No matter
how different they are if they used improperly and carelessly it can be
fatal.

FARM WORKS THAT INVOLVE USING CHEMICALS AND HAZARDOUS

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

1. Land Preparations using Tractor

 Victims fall off or are thrown from the tractor
 Run over by either the tractor or an implement being towed, or both.
 Overturn
Safety reminders:
 Tractors are not passenger vehicles.
 Use seat belts when driving tractors.
 ROPS will protect the operator from serious injuries.
Causes of run over accidents
 Sudden stops
 Driving over holes, stumps and debris, or a sharp turn
How to prevent runover
 Never allow riders on tractors.
 Discuss with family members and farm workers the potential risks of
riding tractor.
 It's also helpful to post 'no riders' decals on all tractors to remind
others about the policy.

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  Use or provide other vehicles that allow passengers, such as trucks or
cars, when transportation is needed to fields or remote work sites.

2. Spraying Chemicals
Many different chemicals are used on a farm including pesticides.
These chemicals are used to fertilize and control pests such as insects,
weeds, mollusk, etc. Most of these chemicals are applied by spraying
Examples of chemical hazards:
 Spraying in a strong wind and the spray drifting over a dam or the
farm house.
 Washing spray equipment and the water running into open drains,
collecting in puddles, or running into stockyards or dams.
 Containers or chemicals left lying around. Empty containers lying in a
heap.

Some ways you can reduce the risk of hazards from chemicals are:
 Use personal protective equipment such as respirators, waterproof
clothes, rubber gloves and waterproof footwear.
 Make sure chemicals are safely stored and cupboards locked.
 Never spray chemicals on days when there is a high wind.
 Know first aid procedures.
 Keep a list of all hazardous substances used on the farm.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Personal protective equipment (PPE) can reduce the number and

severity of farm work related injuries and illnesses. Personal protective
equipment not only helps protect people but also improves productivity and
profits. Farmers and ranchers can share in these benefits by using the
appropriate protective equipment for themselves, family members and
employees when the job and its potential hazards call for it.

List of Farm PPE:

 Helmet/hard hat-protect your head with a hard hat when performing

construction work, trimming trees, repairing machinery, and doing
other jobs with head injury risks.

 Use a sun safety hat (one with a wide brim and neck protection) to
assist in the prevention of skin cancer.

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  Goggle- Protect your vision with appropriate safety eyewear (safety
glasses, goggles, face-shields) when applying pesticides, fertilizers,
working in the shop, or in heavy dust conditions.

 Earmuffs/Plugs- protect you hearing when operating noisy equipment

such as grain dryers, feed grinder, old tractors and chainsaws.

 Mask/ respirators-protect your lungs with the correct respiratory

equipment when working in dusty or moldy conditions, spray
painting, applying chemicals and manure storage places.

VI. Practice Tasks

Show that you have learned something by doing this activity.

Activity # 2
After you determine the different farm task, hazard and safety precautions. This time you are
going to identify the different hazard you encounter on your day-to-day activities. Also, identify the
measure that you do to control the risk to be involve to that particular hazard. Write your answer on a
sheet of paper and discuss it to the group. Fill out the table below.

Hazard Safety Precaution

1. Using of Spade Proper handling

Activity # 3 Spot the Difference

In this activity you are going to identify which individual wearing a proper use of PPE in
applying pesticides. Assess the images and tell if there is a difference and list down the different PPE
you’ve seen in the picture.

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 Picture 1

VII. Post Test

Matching Type:

Read the question carefully. Write the letter of the correct answer on a sheet of paper.

_____1. An individual who perform numerous task related to growing and

harvesting grains, fruits, vegetables and other crops.
a. Equipment laborer c. Farm technician
b. Farmworkers d. Nursery worker
_____2. These workers operate machines such as conveyor belts, loading
machines, separators, cleaners, and dryers.
a. Equipment laborer c. Farm technician
b. Farmworkers d. Nursery worker
_____3. It is potential for harm on an employee’s health that may cause an
accident, injury and illness.
a. Accident c. Hazard
b. Exposure d. Risk
_____4. This is a likelihood that a hazard will cause defending only on the
level, severity of the hazard duration and frequency of exposure.
a. Accident c. Hazard
b. Exposure d. Risk
_____5. It occurs when a person comes into contact with a particular hazard.
a. Accident c. Hazard
b. Exposure d. Risk
_____6. What particular equipment is used to protect farm workers to reduce
the number and severity of work related injuries?
a. Earmuffs c. Hard hat
b. Goggle d. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

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_____7. What type of PPE is use when working in a dusty conditions,
spraying paint and applying chemicals?
a. Earmuffs c. Hard hat
b. Goggle d. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
_____8. Which of the following is not a ways to reduce the risk of hazards
from chemical?
a. Identify the chemical substance c. Spraying against the
direction of the wind.
b. Never spray chemicals on windy days. d. Use PPE
_____9. Which of the following tools is used to protect your vision when
applying pesticides and fertilizer?
a. Earmuffs c. Hard hat
b. Goggle d. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
_____10. Which of the following is not a farm emergency procedure for safety
working environment?
a. Disregard signs and symbols for safety
b. Everyone should know the location of fire alarm, extinguisher and
first aid kit
c. Instruct everyone regarding emergency response
c. Visitors need to be aware regarding emergency procedure.

VIII. Assignment/Additional Activities

Activity # 3 Spot the hazard

This time you are going to assess the risk and make the change to control hazard in a
workplace. Tractor is a good example because it is very dangerous farm task. Given the picture below
you are going to identify the hazard, assess the risk and safety measures.

1. 2. 3.

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4. 5.

Table:

Spot Hazard Assess the Risk Safety Measure

1
2
3
4
5

IX. Answer Key

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Pre-Test

Matching Type

1. c. Farm operation

2. d. Safety Measure
3. c. Hazard
4. d. Occupational illness
5. b. Machine or tractor operation

Post-Test

Matching Type
1. b. Farmworkers
2. a. Equipment operation
3. c. Hazard
4. d. Risk
5. b. Exposure
6. d. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
7. c. Mask/Respirators
8. c. Spraying against the direction of the wind.
9. b. Goggle
10. a. Disregard signs and symbols for safety

References:

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safety

https://www.igi-global.com/dictionary/work-task/32746

Greenwood, Beth, Duties and Responsibilities of Farmers, June 29, 2018

https://work.chron.com/duties-responsibilities-farmers-19369.html

Robyn, Farm Injury Resource Center, High Risk Factors on a Farm, November, 10, 2016,
http://farminjuryresource.com/2016/11/10/201611high-risk-factors-on-a-farm/#:~:text=Farming
%20equipment%20and%20chemical%20exposure,herbicides%2C%20fertilizers%20and
%20veterinary%20chemicals.&text=Even%20though%20chemicals%20are%20dangerous,highest
%20risk%20factor%20to%20farmers.

https://gltnhs-tle.weebly.com/lesson-46.html
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5aa690d0a9e0283d7347db9c/t/
5ae229f7562fa736d9d89598/1524771325314/Farm-Safety-Program.pdf

https://www.hsa.ie/eng/Publications_and_Forms/Publications/Agriculture_and_Forestry/
Farm_Safety_Code_of_Practice_Risk_Assessment_Document.pdf

http://www.knowledgebank.irri.org/step-by-step-production/pre-planting/land-
preparation#:~:text=Land%20preparation%20is%20important%20to,field%20is%20ready%20for
%20planting.&text=It%20typically%20involves%20(1)%20plowing,(3)%20leveling%20the%20field.

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