Anyone wanting to comment on the U.S. Department of Labor’s
proposed changes to the Hazardous Occupations Orders For
Agricultural Employment has until the end of the month to do so.
These changes impact children between the ages of 14 and 16 who
are hired to work on farms or other agricultural endeavors not
owned or operated by their parents. If implemented, the proposed
changes would be the first made to the orders in more than three
decades. The six major changes that crop producers need to be
aware of are: - 14- to 16-year-olds hired to work on farms that
are not owned or operated by their parents would be banned from
handling pesticides. - The tractor-safety certification
requirement for these hired workers would be expanded from the
current 24 hours of training to 90 hours, but children enrolled
in the program—and in good standing—could work while taking the
training. - The height at which these children could work would
be lowered from the current 20 feet to six feet. - 14- to
16-year-olds would be bann