For this project we work with agricultural industry partners to discover and share practical pesticide safety measures for handheld application equipment. We are finding solutions in greenhouses, nurseries, and forest services industries.
Marijuana is now medically legal in 38 states and recreationally legal in 11 states, including Washington, Oregon and Alaska. Due to the drug's illegal history, there is a lack of scientific study on the occupational hazards for this workforce. A recent report identified 23 potentially hazardous exposures, and with the rapid growth of the cannabis industry, there is now a large worker population with potential exposures.
This pilot, seeks to characterize the burden of heat-related illness in Washington State agriculture, potential risk factors for heat-related illness, and methods for quantifying the physiological effects of heat exposures on agricultural workers.
This project was created in response to concerns voiced by farmworker health and social service providers about the occupational health risks of women agricultural workers, as well as increased media and legal attention regarding sexual harassment in the agricultural workplace. The hidden nature of this issue profoundly impacts women’s ability to work safely in agriculture. The agricultural industry also shares its concern about the lack of culturally-appropriate educational resources available to address this problem.
Handheld pesticide application takes place in farming and forestry work, and unintentional exposures can be common. Few evidence-based and practical solutions have been developed and shared across these industries.
Project Overview
PNASH works with farmers, educators, and researchers across the Northwest to test and develop solutions originally developed by growers and workers for themselves. We have expanded from our original airblast application systems, to now include handheld and greenhouse applications. Each solution is assessed for the goals:
Worker’s compensation claims data show dairy workers have a higher injury rate than workers in other industries. Industry specific risks include acute injuries from animal assaults, slips and falls on wet surfaces, and chronic injuries from repetitive stress. For many hired diary workers, Spanish is their primary language.
Project Overview
Dairy workers are commonly exposed to microbes and allergens on the job. However, little is known about whether these exposures provide health benefits or contribute to an increased risk of illness. The ‘hygiene hypothesis,’ suggests that exposure to microbes on farms may have immune benefits.
Project Overview
