Heavy Labor Harvesters (celery)

Job description

The following is a job description for heavy labor harvesters working in celery.

A member of a heavy labor harvest crew working in celery must be able to perform all the responsibilities and general job specifications outlined below:

The employee must work as a member of a celery heavy labor harvest crew performing the following tasks in the harvesting of celery under the direction of a foreperson or supervisor. Employees shall work under close supervision of a crew leader and receive specific instructions on required tasks and results expected. Employees perform routine tasks that require a limited exercise of judgment to eventually build harvesting skills and efficiencies. Specifically, an employee:

• Harvests produce by walking in assigned furrows, on top of growing beds behind or in front of a harvesting machine platform or harvesting cart, selecting size and quality of the produce to be harvested as specified by the supervisor; Bends and grasps selected produce and cuts it from its roots and or stalks using a harvesting knife; Trims the product according to specifications of supervisor; Discards produce that does not meet specified quality standards; and inserts trimmed produce meeting quality specifications into specified packaging or containers and/or places the freshly harvested produce on the table for taping/clipping by the clipper and packing by packer in the field.

• Must not place produce on the table which does not meet the specifications set forth by the supervisor for the crop being harvested, nor leave un-harvested produce which meets such specifications.

Packers will secure empty containers from designated racks, insert whatever lining might be required, proceed to fill the container with product as directed by a supervisor, and place the container on a conveyor belt or on the furrow, as required to be sealed and ready for palletizing, loading, and shipment to the cooler.

• Can work as a Button Operator on any of the harvest machines; Responsible for establishing the speed of the harvest machine at the direction of the Foreperson, lifting or lowering the wings of the harvester, as required, and operating the control panel that allows the Button Operator to perform the above functions and in addition control the carousel speed, water supply and a kill switch to inactivate the harvest machine in an emergency.

The Button Operator may also be used as a safety monitor to assist the Machine Operator to ensure safety when the machines are turning in the fields to begin a new pass and may assist the Machine Operator in opening and closing machines.

• Moves cartons weighing from 32-66 pounds, as required.

• Cleans-up fields, which may consist of picking up trash, discarding cartons, and any other weed or debris, etc., which will be removed from the field just before, during and after harvest. The worker will not use a short handled hoe and any weeding is in compliance with California law.

• Stands on harvest machine platform, closes cartons, takes packed cartons off conveyor belt and seals the finished carton with tape or special locking lids. Moves sealed cartons (approximately 32-66 pounds) to the side for loading on pallets.

• Does NOT touch conveyors or chains.

• Lifts and carries carton box bundles (15 boxes/bundle, approximately 32 lbs.; export 20 boxes/bundle, approximately 66 lbs.) from side of harvest platform to box forming area; Removes strapping; Unfolds carton and forms into a box to be packed; Places stickers on cartons indicating quantity to be packed in cartons; Places made-up boxes on wings of harvest platform to be available for packers.

• Lifts and carries pallets (approximately 42 lbs (T&A Pallet) - 56 lbs (Chep Pallet) from supply on side of harvesting machine and arranges the pallets on harvest platform; Takes closed cartons and arranges on pallets according to specifications of supervisor.

Special Requirements

General Specifications:

Employee must stand, sit, crouch, bend, reach, lift and carry items weighing up to 66 pounds in the course of performing required activities. Employees must listen to, understand, and follow instructions of Company row bosses, forepersons, supervisors and managers.

Employees are expected to assist in maintaining work areas and Company property in a neat and clean condition by not littering or in any deliberate way defacing Company property.

Rest and meal periods must be taken in the assigned area(s) for food safety reasons unless an off-site rest or meal period is elected by the employee.

Work is performed in open fields and may involve exposure to mud, dust, wind, heat, cold, and other natural elements. Temperatures can range from 30 degrees Fahrenheit to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit during the period of employment. Employees should come prepared with appropriate clean clothing and footwear for the environmental and working conditions described.