Hazardous Chemicals on Farms

Description

Course Overview

Course 3 of the SIZA-Aligned Farm OHS & Occupational Hygiene Training Series.

Protect agricultural workers and promote safer chemical handling practices with our Hazardous Chemicals on Farms course, designed to help South African farming operations identify, assess and manage risks associated with hazardous chemical substances.

Offered by SA Farming College, this practical course introduces the principles of chemical risk management, focusing on the safe storage, handling, mixing, application and disposal of chemicals commonly used in agricultural environments.

Farming operations regularly make use of crop-protection products, fertilisers, fuels, solvents, disinfectants and cleaning chemicals. Without appropriate management and protective measures, these substances may pose significant risks to workers’ health, workplace safety and the surrounding environment.

This course explores the requirements of South Africa’s Hazardous Chemical Agents Regulations and their relationship with SIZA-aligned health and safety practices.

Through practical agricultural examples, learners develop an understanding of chemical exposure risks, hazard communication, workplace controls, emergency preparedness and the importance of maintaining proper chemical safety documentation.

Course Highlights

• Practical, agriculture-focused chemical safety training
• SIZA-aligned chemical risk management guidance
• Real-world farming and chemical-handling examples
• Chemical labelling and Safety Data Sheet (SDS) interpretation
• Chemical storage, mixing, handling and application safety
• Exposure prevention, emergency preparedness and workplace controls
• Online video lessons and knowledge assessment
• Self-paced learning through SA Farming College

What You Will Learn

Upon completion of this course, learners should be able to:

• Understand the fundamental principles of hazardous chemical management in agricultural workplaces.
• Recognise the responsibilities associated with South Africa’s Hazardous Chemical Agents Regulations.
• Identify common hazardous chemicals used on farms and their potential health and safety risks.
• Understand chemical exposure pathways, including inhalation, skin contact, eye contact and ingestion.
• Recognise chemical hazard labels, warning symbols and the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals.
• Understand how Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) support safe chemical management.
• Identify appropriate storage, segregation and handling requirements for hazardous substances.
• Recognise risks associated with chemical mixing, loading, spraying and equipment cleaning.
• Apply practical measures to minimise harmful chemical exposure.
• Understand the importance of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and other workplace controls.
• Recognise chemical exposure symptoms and understand basic emergency response procedures.
• Identify circumstances where specialist occupational hygiene assessments or medical surveillance may be required.
• Understand the importance of chemical inventories, inspections, training records and corrective-action planning.

Course Content

Module 1: Chemical Risk Management

Understand the principles of identifying, assessing and controlling hazardous chemical substances used in agricultural operations.

Topics include:

• Introduction to hazardous chemical agents
• Hazardous Chemical Agents Regulations and agricultural applications
• Common farm chemicals, including pesticides, fertilisers, fuels and solvents
• Understanding chemical hazards, risks and exposure pathways
• Globally Harmonized System (GHS) classification and labelling
• Chemical warning pictograms and hazard statements
• Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) and their practical use
• Chemical inventories and workplace risk assessments
• Applying the hierarchy of controls to chemical exposure risks
• Recognising when specialist exposure assessment is required

Module 2: Chemical Store Controls

Learn how to establish and maintain safer chemical storage arrangements to reduce workplace exposure, contamination and emergency risks.

Topics include:

• Safe storage of hazardous agricultural chemicals
• Chemical segregation and compatibility
• Secure storage and restricted access
• Proper chemical labelling and container identification
• Safe handling of decanted and transferred chemicals
• Chemical inventory and SDS management
• Storage ventilation, containment and spill prevention
• Chemical store inspections and maintenance
• Emergency equipment, spill kits and eyewash arrangements
• Recording and correcting chemical storage deficiencies

Module 3: Mixing, Loading and Application

Explore the occupational health and safety risks associated with handling and applying agricultural chemicals.

Topics include:

• Chemical exposure during mixing and loading activities
• Safe handling of concentrated agricultural chemicals
• Chemical label and SDS requirements before use
• Selecting appropriate protective equipment and workplace controls
• Reducing splashing, aerosol formation and chemical drift
• Safe operation and inspection of chemical application equipment
• Managing access to chemical application areas
• Worker training and task-specific competency
• Cleaning and decontamination of equipment and protective clothing
• Preventing secondary exposure and take-home contamination
• Developing practical chemical-handling procedures

Module 4: Health Effects, Medical Surveillance and Emergencies

Understand how hazardous chemical exposure can affect workers’ health and the importance of effective emergency preparedness.

Topics include:

• Acute and chronic chemical exposure
• Common symptoms and potential health effects of hazardous substances
• Chemical burns, poisoning and respiratory exposure
• Skin and eye contact with hazardous chemicals
• Understanding occupational exposure risks
• Risk-based medical surveillance and occupational health assessments
• Chemical spill and accidental exposure procedures
• First-response actions and emergency communication
• Access to Safety Data Sheets and emergency contact information
• Incident reporting, investigation and corrective actions
• Preventing future chemical exposure incidents

Who Should Enrol?

This course is particularly suitable for:

• Farm owners and agricultural business operators
• Farm managers and production managers
• Chemical store managers and supervisors
• Agricultural spray operators and chemical handlers
• Health and safety representatives
• Farm supervisors and team leaders
• Human resources and compliance personnel
• Individuals responsible for agricultural chemical safety and workplace risk management

Course Information

• Course Type: Short Course
• Study Mode: Self-Paced Online Learning
• Recommended Duration: 1 Day
• Industry: Agriculture and Farming
• Focus: Hazardous Chemical Management and Occupational Health & Safety
• Assessment: Online Knowledge Quiz
• Certificate: SA Farming College Certificate, subject to successful completion requirements
• Applicable Frameworks: South African occupational health and safety legislation, Hazardous Chemical Agents Regulations and SIZA-aligned health and safety practices

Why Choose This Course?

Hazardous chemicals play an important role in modern agricultural operations, but improper handling, storage or application can result in serious workplace injuries, occupational illness and environmental contamination.

Understanding chemical hazards and implementing appropriate preventative measures is essential for protecting agricultural workers and maintaining safer farming operations.

This course provides a practical, agriculture-focused approach to chemical safety, helping learners understand exposure risks, identify appropriate workplace controls and support effective chemical management procedures.

Whether you supervise spray operations, manage agricultural chemical stores or oversee health and safety responsibilities on a farm, this training provides valuable knowledge to support safer chemical-handling practices.

Take the next step towards safer chemical management and healthier agricultural workplaces with SA Farming College.

Important: This course provides educational training aligned with relevant SIZA health and safety principles. It is not an official SIZA qualification, audit or certification and does not replace applicable legislation, specialist chemical-handling authorisations, professional occupational hygiene assessments or medical advice.