Evaluation of Plant Protection Machines Used in Tokat Province in Point of Product Safety

Abstract

Agriculture is considered one of the three most dangerous sectors, along with the mining and construction sectors. The two main causes of occupational health and safety problems in the sector are agricultural machinery accidents and exposure to chemicals used in the sector. Plant protection machines, which are used extensively in plant protection applications in agricultural production, have a special importance concerning both basic problems since they are used in chemical application. Within the framework of occupational safety studies, experts adopt the concept of safe machinery / system and then education in order to ensure occupational health and safety. In this case, it can be said that the machines and systems used by employees must meet the accepted health and safety requirements. Product safety requirements of plant protection machines commonly used in plant protection applications in agriculture have been determined within the scope of the regulations and standards in force in our country. In this study, it is aimed to evaluate the plant protection machines used in Tokat in terms of product safety. Surveys were conducted through face-to-face interviews with farmers using plant protection machines in Zile, Artova, Erbaa and Niksar districts representing Tokat province and the plant protection machines they used were examined. According to the results of the research, farmers do not have enough information about the safe use of plant protection machines and there are safety problems in the machines they use. The machines are not adjustment and maintained regularly. There is no protection in 78% of the shafts used between the plant protection machine and the tractor. There is no clean water tank in about half of the machines. The maximum operating pressures are not written on the pressure hoses and are not in a housing. Necessary measures should be taken to ensure that the machines meet the health and safety requirements for product safety.