The CDC recommends that farm owners and operators develop sanitation protocols and procedures for daily cleaning and sanitation of worksites, including shared spaces, tools, equipment, and vehicles used by farmworkers, following CDC guidance on cleaning methods.
Sanitation protocols should include:
- The use of disinfectant products that meet the EPA’s criteria for use against COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2).
- Following the manufacturer’s contact time recommendations to make sure disinfectant solutions remain on surfaces for the recommended time.
- Targeted and more frequent cleaning and disinfecting of high-touch areas of shared spaces (e.g. time clocks, bathroom fixtures, break room tables and chairs, handles) between each use, as well as daily.
- Targeted and more frequent cleaning of shared tools and equipment (e.g. handheld hoes, rakes, crates, milking equipment (including electronic components), gates, saddles, harnesses) between each use, if possible, as well as daily.
- Disposal of all cleaning material and PPE in compliance with OSHA standards to prevent further spread of COVID-19.
Owners/Operators should provide:
- Training on PPE required when performing disinfection (e.g. gloves, face shield, protective coveralls) and the manufacturer’s directions for use of the cleaning or sanitizing solutions in languages understood by the farmworkers.
- Disposable disinfectant wipes or other appropriate disinfectant supplies, and required PPE to use these safely, so that commonly touched surfaces can be wiped down.
This article is based on the Worker Occupational Safety and Health Training and Education Program (WOSHTEP) administered by the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation in the California Department of Industrial Relations through interagency agreements with the Labor Occupational Health Program at the University of California, Berkeley; the Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety at the University of California, Davis; and the Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program at the University of California, Los Angeles.