At Giumarra, nothing is more important to us than the safety of our products, our workforce and the public. In our California farming operations, we are required to follow the strictest standards in the nation governing worker safety and field sanitation. These standards work to promote food safety and also ensure that California farm workers are adequately protected under the law. Industry standards, along with stringent laws, are in place which require specific practices to be followed relating to heat stress and safety training, the safe use of pesticides, proper employee hygiene when handling food products, wage and hour requirements, worker compensation benefits, and other requirements relating to working conditions mandated by state and federal law.
California growers must also register with the County Agricultural Commissioner, who must then approve a grower’s use of pesticide material prior to the application of that material to a field. This registration process is called a Notice of Intent for application, or NOI, and it is rigorously enforced by county inspection officers throughout the entire cultivating season.
In addition to safe pesticide use, California is also the only state that has established regulations for working in hot outdoor conditions to prevent heat related illnesses.
In the fields of Giumarra’s growing operations, annual training is provided for all employees, with continual reinforcement. This training covers the factors contributing to heat illness, its symptoms, prevention and what to do if heat illness does occur.
The Giumarra program requires that:
- All supervisors, foremen and designated crew members are trained in CPR and first aid in the event of emergency.
- All employees must have ready access to clean ice water at all times, and are reminded to take water breaks as often as needed to remain hydrated throughout the day.
- Shade is provided for every outdoor crew and work days are shortened when needed to protect employees from heat exposure and illness.
Further, customized packing tables used in our grape harvesting operations provide superior packing area shade and ease of portability when moving to different areas of the vineyard. These tables were carefully designed with every consideration taken to ensure the safest working environment possible for our employees. Giumarra packing tables are fitted with a lightweight breathable mesh cover which shelters the packers from direct sunlight and creates a cooler working area than commonly used tin covers.
For more than three quarters of a century, the Giumarra family has been a leading innovator in all aspects of the table grape industry. We continuously strive to embrace the needs of our employees and their well-being is and always will be our utmost concern. We are very proud that an overwhelming majority choose to return to work with us year after year.
