Nursery Worker

Job description

Crops/Commodities:
nursery stock.
Perform manual labor to plant, cultivate and trim containerized plants, trees, shrubs, and grasses. Using order forms or according to supervisors instructions, workers will select, harvest, prepare and load plants for shipping. Use hand tools including hammers, trimmers, power shears, pruning shears, shears, three-step stool, rakes, staplers, and assorted hand tools to perform nursery activities. Insert stakes and string for spacing. Plant, transplant, pot, prune, shape, count and check plants, shrubs, and trees manually in the field or greenhouse. Stack, rack, move, space, and jam nursery commodities. Label pots or hang labels on plants. Inform supervisors of the presence of insects, disease, or quality concerns. Must assure accurate identification and count of plants when pulling orders to load onto delivery trucks. Accurately complete checklist when pulling orders. Jam plants, gently spread cloth over plants and anchor edges of cloth to implement freeze protection. Work with other workers to cover greenhouses. Count and check pots, plants, and materials. Inspect orders on carts and shrink wrap carts. Load and unload nursery commodities, tools, and materials. Workers must use extreme care while handling plants so no harm is caused to the plants. Water plants and spread fertilizers. Stock supermarket (shipping dock) with plants. Build cannon and cc racks and assist in construction of nursery buildings and repair nursery facilities. Operate company equipment including but not limited to forklifts. Apply pesticides and herbicides to plants. Clean and maintain grounds and facilities including weeding, picking up trash, cleaning bathrooms and sweeping floors. Using the employer’s vehicles, licensed drivers may transport workers and be offered additional hours.

Workers must operate all equipment properly and in a manner that protects operator, others, the employer’s products and property. Failure to comply with safety requirements and operating instructions may result in disciplinary action up to and including immediate termination.

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. Assist with farm building/field maintenance and repairs. Build/repair fences.

Must wear assigned personal protective equipment when required. Must report for work daily wearing work clothing and boots or other durable foot wear. Workers wearing clothing inappropriate for work will not be permitted to start work.

Outdoor work required when plants are wet, or during light rain, snow, moderate winds, direct sun, high humidity and extreme temperatures. Temperatures in fields during working hours may vary. 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. Work is done outdoors for long periods of time and requires prolonged periods of standing and/or walking, repetitive movements, and frequent bending and/or stooping. Workers must be able to handle, lift, and carry heavy or bulky objects (product, containers) in accordance with the specified lifting requirements.

Employer requires all newly-hired employees to take and pass an employer-paid drug test before starting work. Drug test not required for prospective applicants prior to hiring decision. All testing is conducted uniformly after an initial job offer has been extended and accepted by the new hire. Workers testing positive will be immediately terminated and paid for all hours worked between the first date of employment and the date of termination, if any.

Special Requirements

This job requires a minimum of 1 month of verifiable agricultural experience working in a nursery handling both manual and mechanized tasks. Applicants must be able to furnish verifiable job reference(s) or comparable third party documentation from recent employer(s) establishing acceptable prior experience. Saturday work required. Must be able to lift/carry 60 lbs. Employer-paid pre-employment and post-hire drug testing required.