Investigation of the Efficiency of Occupational Health and Safety Education of Agriculture Department Students in Vocational High Schools

Abstract

The basis of occupational hazards and risks in agriculture, which is a high-risk sector, is due to the behavior of farmers based on a lack of knowledge. In this sense, farmers are required to have knowledge of occupational health and safety (OHS) in agriculture and to carry out their work with the following health and safety measures. The easiest way to achieve this is to implement these measures by making a habit of them together with technical experts working with the farmers in the field. In this context, it is important that agricultural, food, and laboratory technicians, who play an important role in ensuring soil and animal health and safety, acquire this information during their training. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of occupational health and safety training prepared for students studying in the relevant departments of vocational high schools. Occupational health and safety training in agriculture was given to students from the agriculture and laboratory department of İstanbul Mehmet Akif Ersoy Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School, which was determined as a pilot school in Ankara, and the awareness of high school students in the field of occupational health and safety was measured and especially on OHS in pesticide use. The tests applied at the beginning and end of the training were analyzed at the end of the study and it was concluded that they gained the awareness to a large extent. While the awareness score was 55 in the test performed at the beginning of the training, the awareness score increased to 95 after the training.