The Human Resources and Training Coordinator with Manitoba Pork says it’s important for swine barn workers dealing with the stresses of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea to focus on maintaining their own health.
The effects of coping with the added responsibilities resulting from a PED outbreak are similar to those of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Janice Goldsborough, the Human Resources and Training Coordinator with Manitoba Pork, says the symptoms can vary.
Some of it could be they’re not sleeping or they’re feeling very tired. They might be having nightmares if they are sleeping, poor concentration, there could be memory problems, difficulty thinking, headaches, just an overall feeling of not being able to cope so It can really add up. Going through this it’s really important that they pay attention to what they’re doing so that our accident rates don’t increase. The last thing that we want is to have anybody hurt while they’re at work.
They need to make sure that they’re aware that there is the potential there for losing concentration, maybe not working to the best of their ability. For them employee it’s really important that they make sure that they have somebody there that they can talk to, whether it’s family or friends, that they don’t keep it bottled in. The have to make sure that they talk to somebody.
There is help out there and they have to look after themselves. If they don’t look after themselves, it’s going to be difficult for other people to. They have to make sure that they’re getting rest, that they’re eating properly, that they’re taking some time for themselves. Even during the work day, just taking half an hour break to go sit and have their lunch, maybe check their phones or Facebook or what ever just to give them a mental break from their job and what they have to do.
~ Janice Goldsborough, Manitoba Pork
Goldsborough says, from a human resource perspective, we have to look after the people who are responsible for the success of the farms and that’s the people who work there.
