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SPOTLIGHT: Spreading Agricultural Safety Awareness Globally

SPOTLIGHT: Spreading Agricultural Safety Awareness Globally

JULY 2019

In a time of information overload, being an amplifier and champion for safety is not a small feat to accomplish. Dr. Marcos Grigioni has been able to do that. Not only does he promote occupational safety in his home country of Argentina, he has been able to travel to the United States and attend courses to further his knowledge. This persistent effort to gain insight and spread agricultural awareness has shown a commitment to the safety of agricultural workers and the disbursement of beneficial information to rural communities and workers.

Born and raised in Argentina as a surgeon, an Agriculture Federation of Argentina (AFA) member, and third generation farmer, agricultural safety and health is not a new topic of discussion for Dr. Marcos Grigioni. As an accomplished researcher and professional for the prevention of workplace incidents, he has spent the last fourteen years developing programs that have benefited over 15,000 Argentinians involved with agriculture. He has also been an advocate for the training of rural women and young, rural children in safer work practices.

Along with his many accomplishments within his own country, Dr. Grigioni makes an active effort to attend trainings, webinars, conferences, and university events abroad. In doing so, he has been able to become immersed in the programs and initiatives available within the United States and beyond that can be brought back to be implemented in Argentina.

Like UMASH, Marcos has been using social media as a way to not only leverage the knowledge he has gained but to also amplify other organizations that champion agricultural safety and health. No matter the topic, Dr. Grigioni is always keen to share UMASH resources and never fails to provide input and share examples of ways in which he has implemented these tools. 

“I have tried to contact, associate and insert myself in the universities and organizations of countries that have been working on these issues for many years and have a lot of experience (Australia, Europe, and the United States) since here in Argentina, there is no institutional place for agricultural health and safety, as you have in the United States.”

Adventures at the University of Iowa

Through attending these events and being an avid participant in the ongoing conversation of agricultural safety and health, Dr. Grigioni has had the opportunity to attend courses at the University of Iowa. While doing this, his goal was to bring back knowledge and transferable skills that could be implemented within the agricultural community of Argentina.

Every summer, the University of Iowa’s Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health (GPCAH) hosts a 4-day course, “Agricultural Safety and Health: The Core Course,” that promotes agricultural safety and encourages those who attend to continue to champion for safer work practices. This course offers various tools to help health care providers, veterinarians, and anyone else involved with agriculture to identify the needs of rural communities.

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Everything I learned in Iowa I could apply here in my country for the benefit of thousands of producers and their families.

Marcos Grigioni