§ Colin BurgonTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what monitoring takes place to ensure the health and safety of seasonal fruit pickers. [175443]
§ Jane Kennedy[holding answer 24 May 2004]: Seasonal fruit pickers may be exposed to a range of hazards at fruit and vegetable production and packing sites including: transport; machinery; manual handling; noise; slips, trips and falls; and dermatitis. These hazards are common to full and part time workers, including casual or seasonal workers. Health and safety law applies equally to all employees.
Inspectors from HSE's Field Operations Directorate monitor health and safety in agriculture in line with HSE's Agriculture Sector Strategic Programme. Informed by local knowledge and intelligence this is discharged in practice by a range of inspection activities including planned, targeted preventive (proactive) inspection, health and safety blitzes, projects targeted at specific sectors or topics, and the investigation of reported accidents and complaints.