Agriculture is one of the most hazardous industries in both developing and developed countries. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), agricultural workers run twice the risk of dying on the job compared to workers in other sectors.

The ILO says agricultural mortality rates have remained consistently high in recent years with millions being seriously injured in agricultural machinery accidents or poisoned by pesticides and other agrochemicals.

It highlights that due to widespread under-reporting of deaths, injuries and occupational diseases, the reality of farmworker health and safety could be far worse than presented by official statistics.

In 2001, the ILO officially recognised the dangerous nature of agricultural work in its Safety and Health in Agriculture Convention (No. 184), while its global campaign, World Day for Safety and Health at Work, is observed annually on 28 April to promote the right to safe, healthy, and decent work for employees.

In South Africa, farmworkers are protected by the Occupational Health and Safety Act No. 85 of 1993 which aims to “provide for the health and safety of persons at work and for the health and safety of persons in connection with the use of plant and machinery”.

Additionally, the Department of Employment and Labour’s Inspection and Enforcement Services conducts farm inspections to assess compliance with labour and health and safety laws.

Dangers at work

The physical and environmental dangers of agricultural work abound. And with many farmworkers working and living on the land, this also puts their families at risk. Hazards include:

• Transportation – fatalities and injuries whether on-farm or while being transported to farms;
• Exposure to chemicals (pesticides, fertilisers, and toxic gases, such as from manure);
• Tractor accidents – a major cause of deaths and injuries on farms;
• Accidents and injuries while operating machinery, using tools or driving motorised vehicles – fatigue due to the physical demands of the work is a contributor;
• Electrocution;
• Injury or illness due to working with livestock, such as needlestick injuries and zoonotic diseases (transmitted from animal to human and vice versa);
• Suffocation in grain bins or silos;
• Falls from heights or machinery;
• Exposure to the sun or extreme weather;
• Defective machinery or tools;
• In malaria areas, the risk of contracting this potentially life-threatening disease.

For the purpose of this article, we highlight a few of these dangers.

Transportation

Concerns around safety, dignity, and legal compliance are pivotal to addressing the transportation of farmworkers. Not only are they at risk at work when driving motorised vehicles on farms themselves, but workers who travel to farms or are transported there, as well as those being moved around on the land, are also at risk.

Transporting workers on the back of bakkies and trucks has been common practice. However, this raises the issue of the right to dignified transport for farmworkers.

Unroadworthy vehicles, vehicles not properly enclosed or driven by unlicensed drivers, and transportation on vehicles not meant for passenger transport also put workers at severe risk. This has been evident in many fatal accidents in recent years. Transporting workers in unsafe vehicles is in violation of the National Road Traffic Act.

Informal transport arrangements are another concern. Due to the remote location of some farms and many workers living in rural communities, they are forced to organise their own means of getting to work. This can lead to overcrowding, unsafe vehicles, and increased costs for them.

“Transporting workers on or off farm carries many risks that need to be managed sensibly and effectively. This will protect you the employer, your workers and your business and brings many benefits such as a reduction in injuries and financial costs from them, improved productivity and morale,” says the Sustainability Initiative of South Africa’s (SIZA) guide to the law and best practise for farmworker transport.

From making farmers aware of where various laws apply to pragmatic approaches such as developing a transport plan and assessing risks to essential documentation, this valuable resource outlines steps farmers can take to achieve safe transportation.

Sometimes, a bit of initiative and creative thinking can also go a long way. A few years ago, farmers in the Western Cape demonstrated how clever vehicle modifications, such as roll-bar canopies and removable seats on trucks, can ensure the safe transportation of farmworkers.

Agrochemicals

The widespread use of agrochemicals, while crucial for agricultural productivity, presents ongoing challenges to worker safety and environmental sustainability, necessitating careful management and adherence to responsible practices.

Exposure to agrochemicals, particularly pesticides, poses significant health risks, both acute and chronic. These include respiratory and gastrointestinal problems, immune system damage and cancer. To mitigate such dangers, strict regulatory measures govern their use.

The Occupational Health and Safety Act details how chemicals must be used in the workplace, while the pesticide industry is regulated by the Fertilizers, Farm Feeds, Seeds and Remedies Act, which was amended in 2023 to include stricter controls.

As such, farmers must ensure that all agrochemicals they use are registered under this Act. Since the list of approved products is frequently updated, it is the farmer’s responsibility to stay informed and comply with the latest regulations.

Farm employees working with dangerous chemicals must undergo extensive and regular training on safe handling practices, such as not eating, drinking, or smoking while working with the products, and washing hands thoroughly after use.

It is also important that workers are literate to read and understand product labels and pictograms. A training programme should also include first-aid procedures for chemical exposure and spills, as well as the correct use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

PPE is mandatory, and farmers have to provide the appropriate gear suited to the specific task and the agrochemical being used. This includes gloves, masks, goggles, and protective clothing in the correct sizes, all of which must meet safety standards.

According to CropLife South Africa, which has published a helpful guide about responsible pesticide use for operators, ongoing PPE inspection is crucial.

“If carefully performed, inspections will identify damaged or malfunctioning PPE before it is used. Wearing poorly maintained or malfunctioning PPE could be very dangerous as it gives the workers a false sense of security.”

Beyond PPE, farmers should monitor workers for signs of chemical exposure and provide access to medical care when necessary. Regular medical assessments are also required, the cost of which falls on the farmer.

Malaria

Many farmworkers in malaria areas are exposed to the risk of this mosquito-borne disease. While preventable and treatable, if left unchecked, it can be fatal. Malaria causes fever, vomiting, and diarrhoea, and in severe cases, seizures, coma, and death.

In South Africa, malaria transmission occurs from September to May primarily in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and KwaZulu-Natal. To mitigate this risk, integrating malaria awareness and prevention into farm health and safety programmes is essential.

Farmers can help protect their workers by educating them on malaria prevention strategies, such as wearing long sleeves and pants to minimise mosquito bites, eliminating stagnant water sources like buckets where mosquitoes breed, and providing mosquito repellents.

In addition to these preventative measures, malaria testing could be incorporated on farms. Locally manufactured, cost-effective, finger-prick malaria rapid test kits are available online that detect malaria parasites in the blood.

An example of this approach was the initiative led by the South African Fruit Exporters (SAFE) in Limpopo, where workers were systematically tested for malaria as part of a broader campaign to safeguard their health.

“Testing our workers may not have a huge impact on the reduction of malaria in total, but we hope that the example we set will encourage other employers and farm owners to take the health of their workers seriously,” said Dries van Rooyen, general manager of farming operations at SAFE.

Health and safety on farms covers a broad spectrum of risks and concerns. Ultimately, ensuring a safe work environment is a shared responsibility between farmers and their employees.

Through careful planning and implementation, proactively identifying hazards, complying with legal requirements, and applying training received, farmworkers and their families can be protected, accidents and injuries can be mitigated, and on-farm safety improved and sustained.