Seasonal and casual workers are an important part of many farms, particularly during busy periods such as harvest, seeding, planting and picking. But even if someone has worked on farms before, you should never assume they understand the hazards, procedures or safety expectations on your property.
A seasonal worker induction should give workers the information they need to work safely on your farm, understand the hazards they may encounter and know what to do if something goes wrong.
The best approach is to use a consistent induction process that can be adjusted to the worker's role and reused whenever seasonal staff join your team.
A farm safety induction for seasonal workers should cover the information they need to safely perform their specific role and understand your farm's requirements.
Depending on the work they will be doing, this can include:
The induction should be tailored to the work the seasonal worker will actually perform. For example, a worker picking fruit may need information about machinery exclusion zones and chemical hazards but may not need an induction on operating farm machinery.
Seasonal workers may be experienced, but they are new to your workplace.
Every farm has different hazards, equipment, procedures and emergency arrangements. A worker who has performed the same job elsewhere may not know where your first aid kit is, which areas are restricted or how to report a hazard on your property.
A proper induction makes these expectations clear before work begins.
It also gives workers an opportunity to ask questions and understand their responsibilities for their own safety and the safety of others.
As part of the induction, walk workers through the areas and hazards relevant to their role.
Depending on the farm, this may include:
Don't rely on workers knowing what is dangerous simply because a hazard seems obvious to you.
If seasonal workers have limited English, don't rely solely on written instructions.
Use practical demonstrations, photographs, signs, diagrams or short videos to show workers how tasks should be completed safely.
The goal is to make sure workers understand the safety requirements, not simply that they have received the information.
You should also check that workers understand:
Yes. Returning workers should still be reminded of your farm's current safety requirements.
Farm activities, equipment, hazards and procedures can change between seasons. A worker who has worked on your property before may remember how things were done previously but still needs to understand what has changed.
Using the same induction process each season makes it easier to provide consistent information to returning workers and new starters.
The busiest time of year is usually when you have the least amount of time available.
Creating a standard seasonal worker induction can make the process faster and more consistent. Instead of starting from scratch each time, you can reuse your core induction and add information specific to the worker's role.
A digital induction can make this even easier by allowing workers to complete their induction before they start work and giving managers a record that the induction has been completed.
With Safe Ag Systems, farms can create and reuse induction templates, assign them to workers and contractors, and complete inductions through the App. Seasonal workers can receive the same clear safety information each time they join the team.
Topics: Safety Management System
Do seasonal workers need a safety induction?
Yes. Seasonal workers should receive an induction that explains the safety requirements, hazards and procedures relevant to the farm and their role. Previous experience on another farm should not be treated as a substitute for a site-specific induction.
What should be covered in a farm induction?
A farm induction should cover site-specific hazards, safety rules, PPE, emergency procedures, first aid, relevant machinery and equipment, safe work procedures and how to report hazards and incidents.
Do returning seasonal workers need another induction?
Returning workers should be reminded of your current safety requirements and any changes to hazards, equipment, procedures or farm activities.
How can farms manage inductions for large numbers of seasonal workers?
Farms can create a standard seasonal worker induction and reuse it for new starters. Digital induction systems can make this easier by allowing multiple workers to complete inductions and providing a record of completion.
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