General Farm Workers

Job description

General Farm Workers to perform the following duties:

Commodities to harvest and pack in the fields: Strawberries

The following harvesting duties that will be done on the ground or with the assistance of a Harvest Pro Machine for the strawberry crops:

The worker effectively cuts or picks product of the correct quality, size, and weight for the correct packs. Effectively pack or package by hand a wide variety of produce in the correct packs.

• Continual visual examination of product to determine if product is right for harvesting.
• Use hands and arms to handle product.
• Place commodity into appropriate packing box.
• Place completed packed product onto moving equipment such as conveyors.
• Mark cartons by using marking tools.
• Examine and inspect containers, packaging material, and product to ensure that packing specifications are met.
• Harvest product by using sharp picking/harvest knives, standing, and kneeling on ground to pick fruit.
• Continual bending to reach product.
• Walk throughout shift on uneven ground and in leafy rows with debris.

Strawberry Harvester (Ground/Harvest Pro Machine): This position works under close supervision of the harvest crew leader. This position safely and efficiently harvests strawberry crop either by ground or with the assistance of a Harvest Pro machine. This position may perform other general labor work. This is a non-managerial position and works under the close supervision of the crew leader.

Essential Job Duties:

• Harvests fresh, juice and / or freezer depending on grower requests.
• Properly grades and sorts strawberries according to size and quality.
• Packages suitable fruit in required packaging container and box.
• Inspects strawberry fruit for signs of disease and insect manifestation.
• Cleaning of plants by disregarding inferior strawberries onto row floor.
• Reports all safety problems, incidents, and injuries to foreman immediately.
• Complies with all Company Policies, including observing appropriate lunch and rest periods.

Qualifications:

• Must be willing to work overtime as needed
• Able to keep up at a reasonable pace with the rest of the crew
• Able to read safety signs
• Able to perform work up to company standards

Physical Requirements:

• The employee is constantly required to stand, walk, reach, use hands/fingers to handle or feel, hear and see.
• The employee is constantly required to push, pull, lift and carry from 1 1b up to 25 lbs., with occasional lifting and carrying up to 50 lbs.
• Occasional reaching above shoulder with frequent reaching below shoulder level.
• The employee is in constant bending and twisting of the waist, with frequent squatting.

Working environment:

• The employee is constantly required to work in outside atmospheric weather conditions, uneven ground, and noise, vibration, around hazards such as moving machine parts, equipment, wet rows, wind and dust.
• The employee is occasionally required to work under cold temperatures just above freezing and heat.
• The work may entail exposure to plant pollens, insects, snakes, rodents, noxious plants and or plant materials that have been treated with insect and/or disease control sprays. The Company will comply with all worker protection standards and restrictions applicable to pesticides and other chemicals. Workers are also required to comply with all applicable worker protection standards as communicated by forepersons, supervisors, and managers.

See Addendum C.

Special Requirements

Minimum Job Qualifications: Three months experience in berry or vegetable harvest is required. 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. Workers should come prepared with appropriate clothing and footwear for the environmental and working conditions described. No smoking, alcohol, firearms in the field or residential housing. Ability to communicate in English or Spanish is required for training and safety purposes. (i.e. Workers must listen to, understand and follow instructions of Employer supervisors and managers.)

See Addendum C.