Reducing the risk of injury to farmers and their employees from using agrochemicals is paramount. At the heart of the Health and Safety Executive’s regulatory update is reducing this risk. With almost one person a week being killed as a direct result of agricultural work in the last 10 years in the UK alone (1), help in reducing any contributory factors is very important. 

Denny Bros, inventors of multi-page labels (Fix-a-Form®) can help agrochemical providers. They supply labels that can be permanently secured to a chemical container for the entirety of its usable life. This solution avoids any chance of losing or accidentally discarding a separate leaflet, which could have fatal consequences. Having clear, yet detailed, information attached directly onto the container is the best way of protecting personnel.

Wrongly used agrochemicals can have serious consequences on the health of the user, the public and the environment. Effective and clear agrochemical packaging and labelling plays a key role. They protect all stakeholders from unnecessary exposure and misuse.

Health and safety is a fundamental requirement of any sustainable farming business. It should be regarded as an essential part of farm business management. Labels must therefore be kept up to date with the latest regulatory changes. As part of the Voluntary Initiative, pesticide manufacturers have agreed to make sure label information is clear in order to reduce the opportunity for confusion.

Agrochemical providers must also produce a label which complies fully with the Classification, Labelling and Packaging regulation (CLP). The deadline for relabelling and repacking mixtures already on the shelves before June 2015 for CLP is June 2017.

Multi-page labels provide agrochemical manufacturers with a cost-effective way to meet these legislative responsibilities. They incorporate key safety information on the product in a simple way.

These labels can be designed to include safety, legislative, and usage information in multiple languages to protect and inform farmers across Europe. They eliminate the need for separate labels for each language, streamline production and simplify the management of inventories and distribution channels.

Senior marketing executive Stephie Castling says: “We understand the requirements placed on manufacturers to keep key information accurate, clearly presented and safe. That’s why we have developed labels ideally suited to the agrochemical industry. They can include special characteristics such as moisture resistance, high durability and an ability to withstand harsh chemicals, extreme temperatures and a variety of storage conditions. Security and anti-counterfeiting features which are vital can also be included. These are important attributes given the tough environment the containers often have to withstand in the agricultural industry.”

Managing the risks associated with agrochemical use and in turn reducing the incidence of accidents and ill health amongst agricultural workers is paramount. After all, improved farm productivity with a happier and healthier workforce means a sustainable food chain for everyone.