Improving Health and Safety
NZW is assisting Horticulture New Zealand with an ACC funded project looking at ways to improve health and safety across horticulture and viticulture.
The following items are particularly important:
- Guard all moving parts: ensure any potentially dangerous moving mechanical parts are guarded.
- Earth electrical equipment: ensure all electrical equipment is properly earthed and protected from moisture.
- Barriers: fence around storage ponds to keep humans and animals away.
- Non-slip surfaces: because work must sometimes be done inside barriers, consider using non-slip surfaces next to storage ponds to minimise the likelihood of workers falling in.
- Stabilise pontoons: FDE pumps and/or stirring equipment are occasionally installed on a pontoon floating in the storage pond. If a pontoon is used, ensure it is stable and has suitable devices to prevent it from flipping over.
- Emergency escape: install equipment in liquid storage units to aid in the rescue of a person who has fallen in, eg rope, ladder or floating inner tubes.
- Ventilation: avoid over-exposure to hazardous gases potentially present in FDE (eg carbon dioxide, ammonia, hydrogen sulphide, methane, carbon monoxide) by providing good ventilation around all areas of the FDE system.
- Training: provide training for system owners and operators that includes instructions on how to operate and maintain the FDE system safely.
