Sod Farm Worker

Job description

Crops/Commodities:
Sod.
This job requires a minimum of 1 month of agricultural experience working in a sod farm handling both manual and mechanized tasks. Workers must be able to perform manual and mechanized tasks with accuracy and efficiency. Work in fields. Prepares soil/growth medium. Hauls and spread topsoil, fertilizer, peat moss, lime and other soil conditions on sod grass and turf areas. Dig, rake, and screen soil. Sow grass seed and plants sod plugs. Unrolls and place sod. Cut, roll and stack sod. Mow, cut, and weed fields. Perform ditching, shoveling, hoeing, hauling, ground preparation, and other manual tasks. Bending, stooping and kneeling required. Use hand tools including but not limited to hoes, shovels, shears, clippers, loppers, and saws. Lift, carry, and load/unload products or supplies. Use power equipment including but not limited to: tractors, planters, mowers, plows, sprayers, cultivators, power shears, chain saws, high lifts, fork lifts, skid loaders. Must operate agricultural equipment safely, with or without direction.

Work is done in the field for long periods of time. Workers may assist in handling product weighing up to 75 pounds and lifting to a height of 5 feet. Workers must work on their feet in bent positions for long periods of time. Work requires repetitive movements and extensive walking. Work required in fields when plants are wet with dew and rain, and may be required during light rain, snow, moderate winds, direct sun, high humidity and extreme temperatures. Temperatures in fields during working hours can range from 10 to over 100 degrees F. Workers may be required to work during occasional showers not severe enough to stop field operations. Allergies to ragweed, goldenrod, honey bees, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, or related chemicals may affect a worker’s ability to perform the job. Workers should be able to do the work required with or without reasonable accommodations.

Workers may not report for work while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Except for moderate alcohol consumption in company housing during non-working hours, the possession or use of illegal drugs or alcohol on company premises is prohibited and will be cause for termination. Use, possession, transfer, offer, sale or manufacture of marijuana and/or controlled substances strictly prohibited. All work sites are alcohol and drug free work places. Employees must not report for work, enter the employers’ property or perform service while under the influence of or having used alcohol, marijuana, illegal controlled substances, or any other substance that may in any way adversely affect their alertness, coordination, reaction or safety.

Employer-paid post-hire random, upon suspicion, and post-accident drug testing required.

Persons seeking employment in this position must be available for the entire period requested by the employer. Applicants must be able to furnish verbal or written statement establishing relevant prior work experience. All workers will be subject to a trial period of up to five days during which the employer will evaluate workers' performance of required tasks. Employer reserves the right to terminate a worker if the employer reasonably finds worker's performance during the trial period to be unacceptable.

Employer reserves the right to discharge an obviously unqualified worker, malingerer or recalcitrant worker who is physically able but is unwilling to perform the work necessary for the employer to grow a premium quality product, or for any other lawful reason. .

The employer may discipline the worker, including brief suspension of work activities/employment for a set period determined by the supervisor or termination of employment as described in the Work Rules.

Special Requirements

This job requires a minimum of 1 month of agricultural experience working on a sod farm handling both manual and mechanized tasks. Workers must be able to perform manual and mechanized tasks with accuracy and efficiency. Saturday work required. Must be able to lift/carry 75 lbs. Employer-paid post-hire drug testing required.