A new safety-training course designed specifically for safety professionals is now being offered by AgSafe, in cooperation with California State University, Fresno’s Center for Agricultural Business (CAB) and two other universities.

The course is called the California Agricultural Safety Certificate Program. It includes 20 hours of training on issues ranging from safety laws and regulations to creating an injury and illness prevention program. The program is designed for agricultural as well as ag-related business operations.

"A lot of people now find themselves in the position of safety coordinator or safety training officer for a company or farming operation, and they may not have received any specialized training," said Kimberly Naffziger, AgSafe director. "This training will enable them to do their job better." Her hope is to see the course become a standard by which individuals in the job-search market can cite their proficiency in safety training, she added.

The course is offered in five modules, with each module including four hours of training. The modules will be offered at different times in varying locations. Specific module topics are 1) Introduction to Safety Laws and Regulations: emphasizing California safety order 3203, the Injury and Illness Prevention Program; 2) Foundations for Occupational Health and Safety: principles that guide agricultural safety practices, and workers’ compensation issues; 3) Agricultural Workplace Injury and Illness Prevention: hazard identification, safety incident investigation and job injury management; 4) Effective Health and Safety Training: effective techniques for organizing and delivering health and safety training; and 5) Practical Application Workshop: exercises designed to apply the information provided in modules 1 through 4.

Initial training sessions were offered at the annual AgSafe Conference held Jan. 27 and 28 in Visalia, Naffziger said. More than 70 and 60 persons attended module 1 and 2 sessions, respectively. Additional modules will be presented May 5 in Salinas, California (see article below); in June in the Ventura, area; and in July in northern California.

Faculty and other professionals from the University of California, Davis and California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo also participated in the design of the safety course curriculum.

For more information about the upcoming training modules to be offered, including cost and specific module presentation dates, call (559) 278-4404.

 

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CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE - CATI
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