Now, before the start of the growing season, is a great time to inventory and stock up on necessary PPE supplies for the upcoming years activities. Here are a couple of reminders ahead of the coming season:

  1. Inspect respirators and replace old respirator cartridges. Respirator cartridges have a usable life span of approximately 6 months. Confirm your respirators are outfitted with the appropriate cartridge for your needs and are in good condition. Its a great idea to have extra respirators and filter cartridges on hand to maintain worker safety and efficiency. Should an issue occur with a respirator throughput can screech to a halt while the proper materials are sourced, get ahead of this issue by keeping extra supplies stocked and accessible.
  2. Gloves, gloves, gloves! Nitrile or latex gloves are the bread and butter of any pesticide handling or application activities. Make sure you have a sufficient amount for the upcoming season by overstocking. Using PPE while working with grease and machine oils is also recommended to protect oneself from unintentional exposure to harmful materials. Find a style that works well with your employees and keep more than the bare minimum on hand. Running out of gloves in season can result in efficiency losses and unsafe conditions.
  3. Eye protection is critical for pesticide application and many types of vineyard work. Everyone who works in agriculture has experienced disruptions in work activities from eye injury, whether exposure to chemicals or foreign body, nothing is worse than having to derail management activities to administer first aid. Get ahead of this and keep ample eye protection like safety glasses, face shields, or full face respirators on hand and in places accessible during work activities.
  4. Ear Protection is an often disregarded but critical component of your PPE supply stock. Many vineyard and winery activities require the use of equipment and tools that can damage hearing with acute or chronic exposure. Ear plugs and ear muffs are inexpensive, have them on hand and encourage your employees to protect their hearing by using them.
  5. Keep PPE and first aid supplies in central and decentralized locations. Having extra supplies where they are needed can increase efficiency and safety. Its a great idea to keep extra gloves in the tractor and extra eye and ear protection in the farm truck or UTV. Make room for extra supplies in places like this and encourage employees to use them at every opportunity.