Farms and agricultural businesses are very distinct workplaces for a number of different reasons, one of which being the nature of the workforce that tends to be the main production workers on a farm.
Many farms are family owned or family managed, and as such often all members of the family, and sometimes extended members of the family, will be involved in all stages of the business.
Young Workers
Extensive legislation has been brought in in most countries to prevent exploitation of child labour, but the nature of farming and agriculture means that young children and teenagers are often involved in the work of the farm.
No one sees this as exploitation partly because it is often a tradition and partly because family members tend to love to be involved in the work they are doing.
It does however raise a number of safety concerns because often children and young adults are exposed to or expected to work in situations which present hazards and risks that they are not emotionally and physically ready to deal with.
Most families will take great care to ensure that their family members are kept safe and looked after, but often situations will arise where perhaps teenagers will take the initiative in areas they shouldn’t and expose themselves to a greater degree of risk.
This can often apply to operating machinery that they would not normally be allowed to use, or an unexpected exposure to some type of chemical.
Anyone operating any type of machinery on a farm should be aware of the risk that young children can appear and disappear very quickly, and need to be conscious of the fact that they could be present in the area where the machinery is being operated, and present a potential hazard.
Older Workers
Although the word older is deemed slightly discriminatory nowadays, in terms of farming and agriculture older members of the workforce are normally deemed to be highly respected and valued because of their experience and expertise in the work they are doing.
There is however a risk, especially with family members, that after a certain age, which can vary quite widely, they cease to be at their peak in terms of physical abilities, which can put them more at risk in certain situations.
In addition, the older someone gets, the slower their reaction times may become, which means that in certain dangerous situations they may be more at risk themselves, or less capable of helping someone else in the event of an emergency.
In a number of industries where certain levels of physical and mental health are required, there will be some type of ongoing physical exam or assessment to make sure that the individual is still capable of meeting the requirements of the job.
In farming and agriculture this rarely happens – and because often family members are involved, it can become more difficult for any type of management to require older or more senior members to reduce their workload or cease working altogether.
In some businesses and industries it is possible to move workers around to lighter duties if their circumstances change, either because of age or infirmity. In agriculture and farms this is more difficult and although it can be possible in certain situations, it rarely happens
Farm Operators
Whilst many farms, particularly smaller ones, are family owned or run this is not always the case. Some farms are huge industrial projects and other farms are run more as a hobby or lifestyle business.
Where the farm is not family run, there needs to be a proper management structure in place that can oversee all types of employment. This can relate to teenagers and young children, older workers, casual workers, contractors and seasonal staff to make sure that they are treated in as fair a manner as possible.
