During the development of any labor activity, we may be able to different risk types, from small physical injuries, minor illnesses, to situations in which some workers have unfortunately lost their lives.

For this reason, it is important to be able to identify the hazards we are exposed to, and how we can avoid them as much as possible. How can we achieve this? By communicating the existing hazards through signals, placing physical measures or safety devices, training personnel on how to perform the activities, conducting preventive maintenance to equipment and facilities, using proper personal protective equipment, etc.

However, despite of all these actions, accidents may occur; so it is also important to have response procedures, or what to do in the event of an unwanted situation.

To ensure the compliance with these safety measures and to reduce the risks to which workers are exposed, companies create one or more teams entitled Safety and Hygiene Committees (SHC). Each committee must be made up of at least:

• A employee and the employer or his/her representative, when the workplace has less than 15 employees, or
• A coordinator, a secretary and the members agreed by the employer or his/her representatives, and the union or the representative of employees, in the event there is no union form, when the workplace has 15 or more employees.
• The representation of the employees must be made up of those who perform their work directly in the workplace and who, preferably, have knowledge or experience in matters of health and safety at work.
• The employer must formalize the constitution of each committee, through a record in the meeting with the members which have been selected, and with the representation of the union, if any.

These committees perform guided tours around the company areas, to observe the development of processes, personnel activities, the safety measures being implemented, the protection equipment allocated and its proper use, hazard identification, etc. If during these tours, any unwanted situation or hazard is observed, they report it and seek for solutions in order to prevent the problem to continue.

These measures are implemented by all the various companies making up the Eleven Rivers/Veggies from Mexico community; these are farming growers from Sinaloa who are daily seeking to stand out from other regions, implementing labor safety and social responsibility programs in their facilities.

Eleven Rivers/Veggies from Mexico performs weekly internal auditing services, in which our technical auditing staff conducts reviews in different areas of the company, such as production units, packaging facilities and shelters, as the case may be, evaluating food safety and/or social responsibility criteria, based on the certifications held by farming companies. In this way, these companies ensure their compliance and continuous improvement, by supplying the market with top quality, hazard-free products for consumers, and with no harm to the health, safety and integrity of workers and their families.

For more information, you may consult the OFFICIAL MEXICAN STANDARD (Norma Oficial Mexicana) NOM-019-STPS-2011, which sets out the basic requirements for constitution, integration, organization and operation of safety and hygiene committees at workplaces.