Safety

All employees must observe Company safety rules and general good safety practices in order to accomplish the Company’s goal of achieving a safe work place. Because of this, Hampshire Farms has placed safety as one of the Company’s highest priorities at all times. The appropriate policies and procedures have been implemented to maintain this commitment to safety.

All personal injuries, traffic accidents, and equipment damage must be report directly to your supervisor or manager immediately. An Injury Report or an Accident Report must be completed and submitted to Human Resources as soon as possible following an injury or accident, but no later than 48 hours after the occurrence. It is the employee’s responsibility to provide all information required for the accident. Failure to report accidents or injuries in a timely manner will result in disciplinary action.

If you feel that you have encountered something that is or could potentially be a safety problem, please report any unsafe condition to your supervisor or manager as soon as possible. Suggestions regarding the improvement of safety at Hampshire Farms are always welcomed.

Right to Know

As part of our policy that every employee is entitled to work under the safest conditions possible, we have incorporated a procedure to make sure every employee is aware of the safety and health hazards associated with the chemical products used in our facility. Our hazardous chemicals safety procedure is intended to ensure that:

All hazardous chemicals are properly identified and labeled before entering the workplace.

Material safety data sheets for hazardous chemicals are maintained in each department and are readily available to the employees working with those chemicals.
Employees working with hazardous chemicals are properly instructed about the hazards of those chemicals, how to work safely with them, and what special equipment, if any is required. Employees should immediately contact their supervisor if they have any questions regarding the safe handling of any chemicals.

Safety Rules

The following is a list of safety rules and is not considered to be all-inclusive:

Walk at all times, do not run through the greenhouse, office or store location.
Good housekeeping practices must be maintained at all times. Standards shall be established and audited by the Department Manager or Supervisor for that area. Employees are responsible for leaving their work area in a clean and organized manner.
Rags or clothing that have become oil soaked must not be kept in drawers or cabinets as they may start a fire by spontaneous combustion. Put them in approved containers.
Employees must use discretion in regard to jewelry. Rings, bracelets, wristwatches, necklaces, etc. may potentially get caught in moving machinery causing severe injury. If, in the opinion of the supervisor, any employee’s safety is being jeopardized by such jewelry, the employee will be asked to remove it.
All persons with long hair, relative to the job assignment, must either tie it back and out of harm’s way or wear protective netting or approved head covering in order to prevent entanglement in moving machinery. Management has sole discretion as to the definition of long hair and the approval of compliance used to ensure safety.
Machine guarding is a very important part of our continuing safety program. If you are assigned to a machine with appropriate guarding, removal, altering or tampering with these guards is cause for severe disciplinary action. By the same token, if you are assigned to a machine that you feel is not adequately guarded, you may refuse to operate that machine by reporting the condition to either your Department Manager or Supervisor.
Regardless of the severity, all injuries, traffic accidents and equipment damage must be reported to your Department Manager or Supervisor immediately.
Any machine must not be oiled, adjusted, repaired or cleaned while it is running. This work should only be performed by designated employees and the machines must be shut down for cleaning or repairs.
All hand tools must be kept in a safe operating condition. Do not use any broken, deformed or defective tools.
Lift trucks may not be operated by anyone except a licensed operator.
Other types of mechanical carts, personnel carriers, walk along skid handlers, etc., do not require a license. However, such equipment should only be used upon authorization from a Supervisor or Department Manager.
Immediately report any suspected hazard(s) to your Supervisor, Department Manager and/or Personnel department.
Employees are urged to exercise extreme caution while lifting or carrying heavy objects. Whenever possible, use a hand-held truck to move heavy objects. Never combine loads in an attempt to save time. Separate them and carry one at a time. Use proper lifting techniques. Ask for help.
The Company will not tolerate a disregard for safety. Any employee who puts the safety of themselves, or their co-workers, in jeopardy will suffer strict disciplinary consequences.
Eye and/or ear protection must be worn in designated areas, unless otherwise determined at the instruction and discretion of Management.
Do not handle or work with any chemicals unless you have been properly instructed and have read a material safety data sheet.
Be cautious when using ladders. Never attempt to climb plant carts to remove product from upper shelves.
Be aware of what is going on around you. At stores associates are constantly moving things with pallet jacks, fork lifts and order pickers. Always observe caution tapes. Be aware that product can fall from overhead bins when being stocked from the other side. Observe ALL safety rules.
Use caution when moving product on pallet jacks. Always wear approved footwear to prevent injuries.
Extension cords are allowed for temporary use only (not to exceed 24 hrs.)
Fire safety standards must be followed, including keeping exits open and accessible, keeping flue space clear, etc.
All hazardous waste products generated must be properly disposed of.
Follow spill procedure on all spills (Secure area, notify manager).
Remove any standing water after watering plants and use wet floor signs when necessary.

Safety Disciplinary Policy at Store Locations

Hampshire Farms and our clients have an important obligation to provide a safe shopping and working environment for all customer and associates. Listed below are examples of unsafe behaviors, which undermine that obligation and will result in disciplinary action, up to and including immediate termination of employment.

Hampshire Farms employees are allowed to utilize manually operated pallet jacks and manually operated ladders. NO motorized equipment is to be utilized by Hampshire Farms employees.

Unsafe behaviors will be result in the following:
1. Final written warning and retraining for first violation.
1. Termination for a second violation, even if unrelated to first violation.

Unsafe behaviors include, but are not limited to:
- Failure to follow spotter and banner barricade standards during store business hours.
- Failure to use provided safety equipment:
  - Fall protection when operating electric ladder or working in racking above 6 feet.
  - Engaging the lock step when using 6, 9 and 13 stepladders.

Unsafe behaviors requiring termination for first violation:
- Overriding, removing or disabling safety devices, included but not limited to:
- Failure to use provided safety equipment:
  - Lift equipment seatbelts, horns, strobes or alarms (except where authorized by management/local ordinance)
  - Saw/Machinery guards, timers
  - Compactor/baler control guards

The above list is not all-inclusive. Other conduct by associates that recklessly endangers them, other people or property, may result in disciplinary action, up to and including immediate termination without prior counseling.

Hampshire Farms employees terminated for violating these or other safety standards will not be eligible for rehire. It is the employee’s responsibility to seek clarification on any of these issues or standards.