For produce clerks, risks always come with the job

I observe the produce clerks in my neighborhood store and the profiles and demeanor are much the same. Except for the graying, senior clerk in charge of setting up the wet rack so meticulously in the morning, the crew is young. Mid-thirties or less, I suppose.

The crews go about their stocking as usual in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. They’re focused on rotating, culling and working their carts. I see little evidence of concern on their faces. Although I’m sure the virus threat is on their minds, few produce clerks take protective measures, such as wearing face masks or gloves.

Retail produce work has its own inherent set of occupational hazards.

Perhaps they believe it’s because of their youth — that indestructible outlook we all had at one time — that they shun protective gear. They make less eye contact than usual, and perhaps due to the extended workload, don’t seem as friendly, and greet customers less. Maybe it’s just me.

I got to thinking, however, that retail produce work has its own inherent set of occupational hazards.

Oh, I realize that working in a docile climate-controlled store with Muzak playing in the background contrasts sharply with a job that my son has, for example. He’s a construction foreman. In blazing sun and bitter cold, he works on projects that, if not prepared and executed exactly right, can cause serious injury or worse.

Still, produce clerks face daily public exposure. This means — like schoolteachers or anyone dealing with large crowds — they are exposed to the plethora of germs and crud floating around out there. It’s a great reason to sanitize the produce department regularly.

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Clerks must carefully deal with safety equipment as well. Heavy fixtures or storage racks can tip over, leak, shift, and more. Electric and hand jacks can be dangerous in the wrong hands. All you have to do is examine a company’s safety record and the money paid out for lost work or for on-the-job injuries due to the seemingly harmless tools used every day by clerks, such as knives or box cutters. Or how many fall or get hurt on what comes in the back door, such as nails sticking out of pallets or sharp staples on cartons.

I suspect what produce people are going through now is largely accepted as just one more notch on the old produce knife sheath.    

All great reasons to properly train clerks about job safety.

I spoke to a retired friend recovering from back surgery. He asserted it was due to decades of breaking down 1,200-piece produce loads every morning. He’s a strong guy, but even acceptable lift loads can eventually wear down joints that sometimes must be surgically rebuilt.

Working produce has its share of risks. I suspect what produce people are going through now is largely accepted as just one more notch on the old produce knife sheath.    

Armand Lobato works for the Idaho Potato Commission. His 40 years’ experience in the produce business span a range of foodservice and retail positions. E-mail him at lobatoarmand@gmail.com.

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