Course Description
The free course on Best Crop Protection Practices provides a comprehensive introduction to essential principles through engaging activities. It emphasizes the importance of integrating occupational risk assessment and prevention into business management to mitigate detrimental practices that can lead to demoralization, reduced productivity, and non-compliance. A key focus is on conducting an occupational risk analysis, which serves as the foundation for establishing a robust health and safety policy.
Participants will learn about direct and indirect exposure to toxic substances, highlighting the necessity of identifying contamination sources and exposure circumstances to quantify risks effectively. The course will cover various methods for measuring operator exposure to plant protection products, including the use of patches, respirators, and biomonitoring techniques. Additionally, it will address the hazards associated with handling these products, detailing different toxicity levels such as acute, sub-acute, sub-chronic, chronic, and carcinogenic effects.
The advanced level of the course stresses the importance of preventing exposure to harmful substances when handling plant protection products. It outlines necessary precautions, including the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and adherence to safety information provided on product packaging. Proper storage practices are emphasized, including considerations for location, hygiene, ventilation, and layout, which are crucial for minimizing risks. Small-scale producers are reminded of their obligation to follow safety rules, regardless of stock size. Transportation of these products also requires careful attention to packaging, labeling, and environmental conditions.
Finally, the course equips trainees with fundamental first aid knowledge, covering initial care for accidents, preventive measures, and the organization of first aid responses. It includes information on recognizing symptoms of pesticide poisoning and appropriate actions to take in cases of acute poisoning or electric shock, ensuring that participants are prepared for emergencies in the field.
