Cleaning, Storing and Waste Management
A. Protect Tools From the Elements
Blades such as electric hedge trimmer blades, hoe, shovel, and other metal surfaces can be sprayed with
lubricant oil. Spray the blades then turn them on to make sure oil works into all areas. All electrical and
petrol gardening equipment need to be covered with a blanket or sheet if kept in the shed. This will
prevent dust and dirt getting to them.
B. General cleaning procedures:
The farmer and/or farm workers responsible for cleaning must adhere as much as possible to the
following procedures:
•Be properly trained on the cleaning procedures.
•Develop a cleaning program and schedule according to the recommended frequency and the cleaning
program should be monitored to ensure its effectiveness.
•Cleaning must not take place while fresh vegetables are been harvested, packed, handled, and stored.
•Water that is used for cleaning must be safe.
•The cleaning of equipment, tools, and containers must take place in a designated area away from field
and the storage of agricultural inputs and fresh vegetables.
•When using cleaning and disinfection chemicals, the farmer and/or farm workers must become familiar
with the instruction use of these products.
•Strictly adhere to all precautionary statements and mixing instructions.
•Protect equipment‘s, tools, containers and fresh vegetables when working with any chemicals.
C. Cleaning re-usable containers:
The farmer and/or farm workers responsible for cleaning re-usable containers must adhere as much as
possible to the following procedures:
•Remove as much as possible plant debris, soil, and residues of any kind, use a brush or appropriate tool
when necessary.
•Inspect containers for physical damage which might injure, spoil, and contaminate fresh vegetables, if
found, repair them.
•Inspect containers for any missed plant debris, soi,l and residues, if found, re-clean.
•If cleaning and/or disinfection chemicals are used, follow label instructions for mixing.
•Rinse containers with clean water.
•When possible, containers should be placed in the full sun for rapid drying.
•Store re-usable containers properly to avoid contamination.
D. Cleaning equipments, tools and garbage cans:
The farmer and/or farm workers responsible for cleaning the equipment (e.g. tables, racks, plastic sheet,
etc.), tools (e.g. secateurs, knifes, brushes, etc.) and garbage cans must adhere as much as possible to
the following procedures:
•Remove as much as possible plant debris, soil, and residues of any kind. Use a brush or another
appropriate tool when necessary.
•Inspect equipment for physical damage which might injure, spoil and contaminate fresh vegetables.
•Inspect equipments, tools, and garbage cans for any missed plant debris, soil, and residues, if found,
clean again.
•If cleaning and/or disinfection chemicals are used, follow label instructions for mixing.
•As required, apply cleaning materials such as detergent and/or disinfection chemicals, and ensure that
no spots are missed.
•Rinse with safe water, if there are parts of the equipment that cannot be rinsed with water, use a clean
wet towel and follow the same procedures for cleaning.
•Ensure that small equipments and tools do not touch the ground floor after the cleaning procedures.
•When possible, place in the full sun for rapid drying.
•Store equipment and tools properly to avoid contamination.
E. Cleaning areas for handling and storing fresh produce:
The farmer and farm workers responsible for cleaning these areas must adhere as much as possible to
the following procedures:
•Unplug any electrical equipment and if possible, cover with plastic electrical motors, electrical boxes,
connections, light fixtures, etc. Do not use packaging materials for this task.
•Remove trash and any accumulated plant debris from the floors.
•Using low pressure water for, Rinse the entire ceiling infrastructure and light fixtures to remove any
dust and soil build up.
¤ Rinse walls, windows and doors from the top downward Rinse the entire floor surface to remove
any soil build up.
¤Be careful not to splash water onto equipment.
•If necessary, scrub areas with brush and cleaning materials such as detergent, and ensure that no spots
are missed.
•After scrubbing areas with cleaning materials, rinse surface areas as described previously wash out
drains; be careful not to splash water onto equipment.
•If cleaning and/or disinfection chemicals are used, follow label instructions for mixing.
F.Cleaning hygienic facilities
The farmer and/or farm workers responsible for cleaning hygienic facilities must adhere as much as
possible to the following procedures:
•Pick up trash from the floors and put in a trash can.
•By using the proper detergent, clean toilets, sinks, and any other fixtures.
•Using low pressure water, rinse the entire floor surface to remove any soil build up.
•If cleaning and/or disinfection chemicals are used, follow label instructions for mixing.
•As required, apply cleaning materials or disinfection chemicals to entire floor surface area, scrub areas
with brush if needed, and ensure that no spots are missed.
•Rinse floor and drains.
•Remove excess water and allow drying out at room temperature.
•Ensure that hygienic facilities have enough toilet paper, soap, and disposable towel.
G.Technique in storing chemicals
Chemicals are used on farms for a variety of purposes. The safe management of chemicals requires
access to information and responsible action. Manufacturers, suppliers, and users of farm chemicals all
have an important role to play. Chemical substances present different types of risks to people‘s health,
safety, and the environment. For this reason there are different laws controlling them. The purpose of
these laws is to ensure that chemicals are used safely and efficiently so that risks to human health, the
environment and damage to property are minimized.
H. Safe Management of chemicals involves:
•correct labeling and packaging;
•provision of material safety data sheets (MSDS);
•safe transport, storage, use, and disposal of substances.
I.Labeling and Packaging of Chemicals
Chemicals must be supplied in packages that are correctly labeled and suitable for the substance.
Information provided on the label will depend on the type of substance and the risks associated with it.
Items to look for are:
Signal words such as ‗CAUTION‘, ‗POISON‘ or ‗DANGEROUS POISON‘, used for scheduled poisons – a
signal word alerts users to the possibility of poisoning if the substance is swallowed, inhaled or absorbed
through the skin
The Dangerous Goods (ADG) diamond, if there is an immediate risk to health or safety e.g. flammable
liquids.
Risk phrases describing the type of health effects e.g. ‗irritating the skin‘, and safety phrases stating
precautions for safe handling, storage, spills, disposal and fire e.g. ‗keep away from combustible
material‘
J. Ensure that containers remain labeled
Farmers must ensure that the original labels remain on containers of substances. If a substance is poured
into a second container such as a spray tank then that container must be labeled with the product name
and appropriate risk and safety phrases. These can generally be copied from the parent container.
Labeling is not necessary if a substance is used immediately and its container is thoroughly cleaned.
There are good reasons for ensuring that proper containers and appropriate labels are used, including:
•Using food containers to store poisons can result in poisoning due to accidental swallowing.
•Insurance companies may question liability if something goes wrong and an unlabeled container has
been the cause of an incident.
•Produce cannot be exported if maximum residue limits are exceeded labels provide advice on
permitted use and withholding periods for agricultural and veterinary chemicals.
K. Material Safety Data Sheets
Material safety data sheets (MSDS) must be produced by the manufacturer or importer of hazardous
substance.
The MSDS is not just a piece of paper. It provides important and useful advice about what is in the
product, its health effects, safe use and handling, storage, disposal, first aid and emergency operation.
Farmers must obtain the MSDS from their supplier and keep them in a register where they are available
to people who could be exposed to the hazardous substance.
The register is a collection of the MSDS and other information which can be kept in a folder, filing
cabinet or other practical system.
The register can be kept in the house, workplace or the chemical store, as long as it remains accessible
to emergency service personnel and any employees who may be exposed to hazardous substances.
L. Storage and Transport of Chemicals
Safe storage of farm chemicals is needed to protect them from the elements, restrict access to them,
prevent contamination of the environment, food, or livestock, and ensure separation from other
incompatible chemicals. Arrangements must be in place to contain any spillage of the chemical.
After considering the potential risk to people‘s health or to the environment, a farmer might decide that
a locked shed with a roof and concrete floor, which is bounded to contain any spills, is the best way to
provide safe storage.
Remember, you should never store oxidizing agents with fuels. That is – never store substances labeled
yellow diamond with a red diamond.
Safe transport of farm chemicals depends on what the substance is, how much there is, where it is to be
transported and what else is to be transported with it. In general, small quantities (less than 250 liters)
can be transported on vehicle provided that the container is properly secured and safe from spillage.
M.Disposal of Farm Chemicals
Empty farm chemical containers and unwanted chemicals need to be disposed of properly. Prior to
disposal of empty containers, wash the container out three times and use the rinse water to dilute
further batches of the chemical to working strength.
To wash a container you do not need to fill it each time. If you only have six liters of water, it is more
efficient to use three washes of two liters each, than it is to rinse once with the full six liters.
