Growers, processors, and packers must ensure proper hygiene practices to ensure food safety in agricultural business. Employees may introduce, carry, and spread bacteria, viruses, parasites, and other contaminations from the farm produce, thus the need for personal hygiene.
There are various sources of human contamination in your agricultural outlet including footwear, sores and injuries, hands, clothing, and so on. This post explains why staff hygiene is essential in running your agricultural business.
Legal Requirement
According to the Health and Safety at work Act 2015, agricultural ventures, employees, and employers have to practice appropriate safety and health principles at work. This minimizes the spread of harmful viruses and bacteria to anyone within the workplace and protects them from imminent sickness. Legal provisions require employees to precise personal and workplace hygiene.
Providing the requirements and expectations to your work personnel is an essential step in letting everyone understands the perks of staff hygiene. An agriculture recruitment agency will help in acquiring certified personnel who meet health and safety legal regulations.
Healthier Staff
Worker absenteeism costs agricultural business up to USD 1000 annually according to a 2017 workplace survey by the Southern Cross wellness.
The survey adds that 40 percent of the staff is working while sick. Prioritizing staff hygiene ensures your workforce remains productive and healthier. It also averts employee absence due to illness. Hygienic employees wash their hands and bodies regularly and efficiently, inhibiting the spread of pathogens. Motivate your staff to practice hygienic practices by providing hand sanitizers and hand wash. This will significantly help in improving your brand image.
Avert Spread of Harmful Viruses and Bacteria
Workers who adhere to proper personal hygiene reduce the spread of infectious viruses and bacteria common in shared workplace items like laptops, and office documents. A hygienic staff is aware that various workstations are major breeding spots for bacteria and germs. Hotspots like desks and shared farm tools boost the mobility of harmful microorganisms, and hygienic employees will wash their hands after touching these places to curb pathogen movement.
Unhygienic growers or processors carry disease-causing bacteria and avail it to other oblivious personnel in the facility. They may also transfer highly contagious and fatal infections to co-workers.
Reduce Adverse Side-Effects of Agricultural Chemicals
An agriculture business comprises of herbicides, pesticides and other chemicals. Pesticide residues on crops and plant products may lead to skin rashes when employees come in contact with specific plants. Unhygienic workers may develop skin issues because of failure to observe personal hygiene, such as washing hands.
Hygienic personnel understands that agricultural business operations involve the application of chemicals. They will wear appropriate protective gear and cleanse their bodies after work using a lot of soap and water. They will also wash their workplace attire separately from other clothes.
Reduce Workplace Injuries and Accidents
A hygienic labor team ensures the workplace always remains clutter-free, thus minimizing the probability of employee injuries. Slippery and dusty floors are guilty of causing falls and trips. A hygienic team will conduct routine workplace cleaning and placemats in accident-prone spots.
Improves the Credibility of Your Agricultural Facility
Employees interact with your suppliers, clients, potential partners, and investors. They are the first people that other entities consult for help. An unclean worker will drain their confidence in your firm.
Your staff cleanliness directly exposes your firm’s core principles, so ensure your stakeholders have something positive to say about your enterprise. An unclean employee can transfer disease-causing microorganisms to your customers, creating more holes in your organization’s image.
Appropriate Training on First Aid Processes
Hygienic employees understand and have training on the importance of proper glove utility during the harvesting and packing of agricultural items. They can also offer first aids for minor office injuries such as abrasions and cuts that can cause vegetable and fruit contamination. They know the first aid kit’s location in your business.
Hygiene-disciplined workers know the necessary health and safety practices of working in an agricultural company. They will not eat, drink, or smoke within the facility. They also keep neat, short hair and avoid wearing jewelry since they are sources’ of contamination. These employees understand the appropriate food practices. Use for agricultural recruitment firms for hygienic and clean staff.
