Nursery/Dock Workers

Work description

Crops/Commodities: Cacti, succulents, poinsettias and other household plants. Primary duties (performed the majority of workdays): Plants, cultivates and maintains in condition for shipping and resale to customers nursery stock. Pots seedlings, prunes, spaces, irrigates and culls plants to ensure availability of marketable products. Packs, labels, pulls and stores plants according to variety. Loads/unloads truck and wagons. Workers will perform work including but not limited to planting, transplanting, watering in nurseries and seasonal holding houses. Count and inventory plants. Propagate plants from cuttings. Fill, lift and carry various size pots with soil and plants weighing as much as 60 pounds. Select plants for transport to the dock. Plants must be handled carefully so that minimal leaves, limbs and roots are broken during transplanting process. Performs any other duties involved in the maintenance of plant materials and nursery stock and maintenance of holding yards and shipping areas. Repair and maintain essential nursery equipment. On the dock, workers will sort, clean, re-pot, assemble and label nursery stock in accordance with employer standards. Final product will be placed on trays and loaded on trucks for delivery. Remove plastic trays from racks and organize by size, build and break down shipping racks depending on configuration. Workers may assist with the set up and takedown of seasonal holding houses. Essential duties: Maintain a clean, neat, orderly and safe work area. Ability to read numbers and names and differentiate between plants. Clean pots and plants. Re-pot/assemble plants in containers as directed by supervisor. Pack finished product securely in boxes and place in trays. Load finished trays onto racks. Shrink wrap finished racks and verify correct name and UPC are on labels. Load and unload plants from trucks. Upon training, proficient and safe use of hand tools including but not limited to shovels and clippers. Lift, carry, and load/unload products or supplies. Workers who have received training may use various ag equipment to complete these tasks in a safe manner, while under supervision. Must understand nursery quality control standards and have working knowledge of production procedures. Must select plants according to specific standards. Products must be handled carefully to prevent damage. Work is to be done for long periods of time. Work requires repetitive movements and extensive walking, standing, bending, stooping, kneeling and crouching. Work required when plants are wet with dew and rain, and may be required during light rain, moderate winds, direct sun, and high humidity. Temperatures during work hours may range from 35 to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Workers are expected to perform duties including boxing, weighing and loading of product. Workers will assist in loading trucks with packaged product weighing up to and including 60 pounds and lifting to a height of 5 feet for long periods of time. Supervisor(s) will provide instructions and directions to workers, all workers will receive on the job training for the tasks they are expected to perform. Workers must be able to comprehend and follow instructions and communicate effectively to supervisors. Unusual, complex or non-routine activities will be supervised. Employer will instruct workers in the safety and operation of equipment before use. Workers must operate equipment in a manner that protects operator, visitors, other workers, products, trees, crops and equipment. Failure to comply with safety requirements and operating instructions may result in termination. Workers must obey all safety rules and basic instructions. Workers must communicate to supervisor any unsafe equipment or working area. Must wear assigned personal protective equipment when required. Must report for work daily wearing work clothing and boots or other durable foot wear.