DAYTONA BEACH NEWS-JOURNAL

September 17, 2005

Fern workers lack wash facilities
By MELISSA GRIGGS
Staff Writer

PIERSON -- After aggressively pursuing migrant housing violations, state inspectors are targeting unsanitary conditions in the fern fields.

Robert Maglievaz, a Volusia County Health Department inspector, said he found numerous violations of state law at five area ferneries and forwarded his report to the U.S. Labor Department for possible investigation.

Under state and federal laws, farmworkers must have a place in the fields to wash their hands and get water, soap and towels. Employers also must make a toilet available and provide drinking water and cups.

Gregory Schell, an attorney with the Migrant Farmworker Justice Project in Lake Worth, said he would be surprised if the Labor Department did anything.

"Historically, they have budgeted only a tiny amount of money to do field sanitation inspections," he said.

Schell said he is glad the Health Department has become more active in field inspections. "Studies show the pesticide exposure of farm workers is off the charts," he said. "Workers need to be able to wash off the chemicals."

State inspectors are not looking into specific complaints of health problems by workers, Maglievaz said.

Inspectors found the following violations, according to state records:

CLYDE RICHARDSON FERNERIES: No cups, soap, towels or waste containers and water containers not marked. On a return inspection, water containers were still in violation and there were not enough toilets, but the other violations had been corrected.

RONALD JONES FERNERY: Hand washing violation and improperly marked water containers.

CAUSEY FERN: No water, towels or soap for hand washing and no toilet available. On a second inspection, all violations were corrected.

GREAT ATLANTIC FERNERY, Seville: no water, towels or soap and toilet facilities were not adequate.

W.F. PUCKETT: No hand washing stations or soap and towels, and no toilets. Not all of the violations were corrected on the next inspection.

None of the fernery owners were available for comment.

The Health Department conducted the inspections during the spring and summer following a complaint.

Maglievaz said after investigating the complaint, he forwarded his report to the U.S. Labor Department this week. His department only has jurisdiction under the law if there are five to 10 workers in the field. If there are more than 10 workers, the Labor Department handles inspections, he said.

A spokesman for the Labor Department said she could not comment on the report.

The Labor Department has not inspected field conditions in Volusia County in the past five years, according to department officials.

A University of Florida study found farm workers exposed to pesticides complained of skin rashes, swollen hands, allergies, headaches and vision problems. The study found fern workers in fields were less likely to wash their hands than their counterparts in nurseries because of the distance from washing facilities.