9.5 Safety

First aid

Planting is often carried out in remote areas with limited access to medical help. All foremen should undergo instruction in first aid. At each worksite a first aid box should be available, containing adhesive plaster, bandages, sterile compresses, triangular bandages, safety pins, a pair of scissors, forceps, a disinfectant and a short first-aid guide written in the local language.

Minor open wounds should be dressed with adhesive plaster to prevent infection. Triangular bandages are used to support injured limbs or to dress other parts of the body.

In the case of a larger open wound which bleeds heavily, the wound should be covered by sterile compresses. A pressure cushion should be placed on top (a roll of bandage, a small piece of bark or wood, or a small, smooth stone). This should be tightly fixed with a roll of bandage or a triangular bandage, and the injured part of the body should be raised high.

Broken limbs should be fixed by means of splints.

Transporting severely injured persons to the roadside must be done with the greatest of care. Stretchers for transport can be made from wooden poles (or long tool handles) and plastic sacks or jackets.

First aid

First aid box

Adhesive plaster

Triangular bandages

Dressing open wounds

Raise injured part high

Fix broken limbs by means of splints

Stretchers for transport made from sacks or jackets

Using chemicals

If chemicals (insecticides, pesticides or herbicides) or chemically treated plants are being used, they must be handled with care and used correctly to avoid injury to people or the environment. The workers must be made aware of the risk of poisoning. Protective clothing (mask, apron, rubber gloves and boots) should be supplied to all people handling and applying chemicals and the following basic rules must be observed.

- Bare skin should never come into contact with the chemicals.

- Do not eat, drink or smoke when applying pesticides.

- Always spray in the direction in which the wind is blowing.

- Change gloves often and wash gloves every day.

- Clean sprayer and containers after work; wash hands and face with soap.

- Do not spray chemicals close to lakes or rivers.

- The packaging in which the pesticides came should be destroyed and under no circumstances should it be used for other purposes.

- Store chemicals out of the reach of children and animals.

- Symptoms of poisoning are: dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, watering of the eyes and tiredness. If one of the symptoms occurs, immediately stop working and rush to the doctor.

- If medical attention is needed, show the doctor the label of the pesticide package.

Using chemicals

Protective clothing

No eating, drinking or smoking

Spray in wind direction

Cleanliness

Destroy packages

Store safely

In case of accident, show the doctor the label