CS-Lancntar Farming, Saturday, May 1,1993 Pesticide Safety Training Targets Hispanic UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre Co.) —Pennsylvania's mushroom growers lead die nation in produc tion, accounting for 47 percent of the country’s agaricus or “white button” mushrooms and capturing 37 percent of the nation’s fresh Anderson Tractor Opens Store -( ) Inc. recently opened up a store here, featuring a variety of equipment, including Belarus and Zetor tractors and Inger soM lawn and garden tractors. The new 3,000 square foot store is located at 5368 South Main St., Shrewsbury, PA 17361, (717) 235-0213. Sales man ager at the store is Albert Stong. Pictured at the new location above, front, from left, are Albert Stong, sales; “D.J.” Anderson, sales; and Mark Shel don, sales and servicer In back is Doug Anderson, owner. For more information, contact Doug Anderson, (410) 592-7422. HERNIA? No hernia is unrepairable, even after sev eral previous failed attempts. We special ize in outpatient hernia repairs, and most patients are able to return to full work with in several days. PLEASE CALL COLLECT OR WRITE FOR MORE INFORMATION MID ATLANTIC SURGICAL SERVICES 217 Harrisburg Ave., Suite 201 Lancaster, PA 17603 (717) 295-5454 MOST INSURANCE ACCEPTED market sales and 69 percent of the processing sales. Many mushroom house work ers are Hispanic, which can make it difficult for employers to com municate job-related safety infor mation. But new educational tools JONES-DAIRY W and J ’"SSm™ PRINGLE '% K&K McNEAJL FARM SERVICE DAIRY SALES AUTOMATION FEED STORE AGRI SERVICE SERVICE Medford, NJ Oxford, PA Hagerstown. MD Greenville, PA Carlisle, PA Towanda, PA 609-267-0198 717-529-2569 301-416-7340 412-588-7950 717-249-1195 717-364-5460 developed by Penn State's Col lege of Agricultural Sciences will help the state’s mushroom grow ers protect Hispanic employees from pesticide exposure on the job. “HAZfacts; Pesticide Safety for Mushroom Workers” provides Spanish-speaking workers with “right-to-know” information about poison signs and symptoms, personal protection equipment, safety signs, emergency treatment and personal hygiene. The pack age includes a videotape in Span ish with English subtitles and a flip chart with both Spanish and English text and clear illustrations. “HAZfacts supports the mushroom industry’s efforts to provide a safe workplace,” said Dr. Ted Alter, regional director for the southeast region of Penn State Cooperative Extension. “Growers will be required to train workers starting a year from now, but they have begun the process well in advance, HAZfacts will make the training more effective.” Sam Steel, former project asso ciate in agricultural and biological engineering, developed the con tent of the HAZfacts program before taking a position with the National Safety Council. He drew on his experience as an extension agent in Chester County, teaching Hispanic workers about pesticides. “I wanted to help mushroom Ever Wonder Why More and More Dairymen are Choosing BOU-MATK Equipment? • The most technically advanced state-of-the-art equipment in the industry • Continual training and education keep sales and service personnel on the cutting-edge of your business. • Strong dealerships committed to the future of the dairy industry. • Confidence / Peace-of-mind Whether its the installation of a new pipeline or the complete renovation of a parlor, BOU-MATIC has the planning and installation experience to do the job. • Installed By Tri-State Farm Automation We Would Be Pleased To Show You Some Of Our Recent Installations growers comply with the Environ mental Protection Agency’s new Worker Protection Standard,” he said. “Starting in April 1994, it requires mushroom workers to be instructed within six days of being hired about pesticide safety in a language they understand. Over 1,500 mushroom workers in the state are Hispanic, so language differences can be an obstacle to effective training. The workers also have varying levels of litera cy. which complicates teaching them about pesticide safety.” To overcome language and lit eracy barriers, Steel and commu nication specialists in the college consulted closely with mushroom workers to make sure the training materials could reach all employ ees. The actors in the video are mushroom workers who were taped at their workplace, and Steel said their involvement makes the package more realistic. “If we were shooting a scene and an actor didn’t understand what we were trying to explain, he’d tell us,” said Steel. “We lc\ ummmimmi Lancaster Farming Carries DHIA Reports Cadi Menthl Workers would explain the idea to him, and then he would help us put it in words the workers would use. This process tailored the HAZ facts package to the needs of the audience.” The project was sponsored by the Mushroom Ombudsman Prog ram, a group of more than 20 mushroom growers in southeast ern Pennsylvania. “HAZfacts makes pesticide safety easily understandable,” said James Angelucci, the program’s chair man. “It will help our employees know how to minimize the risk of pesticide exposure and what to do in an emergency.” Rafael Ramos, a consultant to producers and farm workers for the program, trans lated the video script and flip chart text into Spanish. For more information about “HAZfacts: Pesticide Safety for Mushroom Workers,” contact Ag Information-Services, The Penn sylvania State University. 119 Agricultural Administration Building, University Park, PA 16802, (814) 865-6309. hMUMATICI Ant In ftrwjwf Innovation
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