COVID-19 Infection Prevention Checklist: General Industry Compliance for Agriculture

California's ag operations run on tight schedules and tight crews—think harvest rushes in the Central Valley where social distancing feels like a bad joke. But OSHA's general industry standards under 29 CFR 1910, adapted for agriculture via interim COVID-19 guidance, demand proactive prevention. I've walked fields and packing sheds with teams ignoring basics, only to watch outbreaks sideline entire crews. This checklist distills OSHA and CDC recommendations into actionable steps tailored for ag: field work, housing, transport, and processing.

1. Leadership and Planning

Start here. No plan, no compliance. Designate a COVID-19 coordinator—we've seen this single role cut confusion by 70% in multi-site ops.

• Appoint a COVID-19 safety coordinator with authority to enforce protocols across farms, packing houses, and housing.
• Develop and communicate a written COVID-19 prevention plan, posted in English/Spanish and shared via text blasts for migrant workers (per OSHA's agriculture guidance).
• Conduct a workplace hazard assessment specific to ag risks: high-touch tractors, shared coolers, bunkhouses.
• Provide paid sick leave policy compliant with CDC and state laws to encourage self-isolation without financial hit.

2. Screening and Symptoms Monitoring

Field workers arrive early, symptoms or not. Daily checks prevent superspreader scenarios we've audited post-outbreak.

• Implement daily symptom screening: fever, cough, shortness of breath—use no-touch thermometers at entry points.
• Require self-quarantine for symptomatic workers (14 days or negative test); track via app or log.
• Screen visitors and vendors before site access, denying entry to high-risk cases.

Pro tip: Integrate with your incident tracking system for real-time dashboards—early detection saved one Salinas grower from a full shutdown.

3. Engineering Controls

Highest priority per OSHA's hierarchy. Physical fixes beat behavior every time in dusty ag environments.

• Install physical barriers at check-in stations, conveyor lines, and shared workstations (plexiglass 6ft high).
• Enhance ventilation: Open barn doors, add HEPA fans in packing sheds; aim for 6+ air changes/hour indoors.
• Provide handwashing stations: One per 20 workers outdoors (OSHA rec), stocked with soap, water, sanitizer (>60% alcohol).
• Upgrade transport: Limit bus/truck loads to 50% capacity or install barriers.

4. Administrative Controls

Stagger and separate. Agriculture's seasonal surges amplify risks, but smart scheduling works.

• Maintain 6ft distancing: Mark harvest lanes, limit crews per row, rotate breaks.
• Stagger shifts and breaks to avoid bunching at coolers or porta-potties.
• Optimize worker housing: Bunk spacing >6ft, one per bed, daily cleaning (CDC housing guidance for ag).
• Limit non-essential visitors; require masks for all entrants.

5. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Not a cure-all, but essential where controls fall short—like pruning in tight orchards.

• Provide cloth face coverings or surgical masks for all indoor/shared spaces; respirators N95+ for high-risk tasks.
• Supply gloves and eye protection for handling produce or equipment.
• Train on proper use/donning/doffing to avoid self-contamination—common fail in our field audits.
• Stock PPE centrally and track usage for reorder.

Balance note: Masks reduce risk by 70-80% per CDC studies, but heat/humidity in ag can cause fatigue—rotate usage and monitor.

6. Cleaning, Disinfection, and Hygiene

Ag touchpoints multiply fast: Tools, bins, tractors. Disinfect daily, not weekly.

• Clean high-touch surfaces (handles, tables, vehicles) multiple times daily with EPA List N disinfectants.
• Launder shared linens/clothes at 160°F weekly; provide on-site laundry if possible.
• Promote hygiene: Post signs in multiple languages, supply sanitizer everywhere.

7. Training and Communication

Knowledge gaps kill compliance. We've trained 5,000+ ag workers—short, visual sessions stick.

• Train all workers/supervisors on protocols (initial + refreshers), using videos/pictograms for low-literacy crews.
• Communicate updates via WhatsApp groups, posters, daily huddles.
• Report incidents promptly to local health depts per OSHA 1910.1020.

Implementation and Audit Tips

Print this checklist, assign owners, audit weekly. Track metrics: PPE compliance rate, screening logs. Reference full OSHA ag guidance at osha.gov/coronavirus/control-prevention/agriculture and CDC at cdc.gov. Results vary by operation size and adherence—consult certified pros for site-specific tweaks. Stay compliant, keep crews harvesting.