The Season in Mustafakemalpaşa Tomato Paste Factories

The tomato paste season in Mustafakemalpaşa: a large workforce in a short time

Mustafakemalpaşa is a district in the west of Bursa, set on the plain of the Mustafakemalpaşa Stream, where agriculture-based industry is concentrated. Tomatoes for paste are one of the district's main crops; tomato paste and canning factories are among the main plants processing them, and tomato paste factory safety is a calendar-driven issue in the district. Food producers are also located in the district's Mustafa Kemalpaşa OSB.

From a safety perspective, this structure has one consequence: a plant that runs with a limited core workforce for most of the year reaches a large seasonal workforce within a few weeks of the tomato harvest. Some newcomers see the factory for the first time; shifts get longer, lines run continuously, and steam, hot product and heavy vehicle traffic are all active at once. The most effective time to prevent mid-season accidents is therefore the start of the season.

Pre-season preparation timetable

Plan season preparations backwards from the campaign start date; when recruitment of tomato paste season workers begins, inspections and examination days need to be ready. The timetable below shows the sequence we follow with the OHS specialist and workplace physician in a typical tomato paste plant:

Pay particular attention to the timetable for the steam boiler. From 1 January 2027, periodic inspections of steam boilers are carried out by equipment inspection bodies; finding a date with these bodies before the season can take time. For details, see our article on steam boiler safety.

Seasonal worker induction training and basic training

The 2026 regulation on OHS training of workers makes no distinction based on contract length; seasonal workers receive the same training as other workers:

• Induction training: Everyone, including apprentices and interns, receives at least 2 hours of face-to-face, practical training before actually starting work. The training is documented with a record signed by the trainer, the worker and the employer or their representative.
• Basic training: Completed within 3 months of starting work at the latest. The minimum duration is 8 class hours in less hazardous, 12 in hazardous and 16 in very hazardous workplaces. A season shorter than 3 months does not remove the obligation; so basic training needs to be spread over the first weeks of the season.
• Splitting by shift: Basic training can be divided into different time slots taking shifts into account, but no session may be shorter than one class hour.
• Returning workers: A worker returning from the previous season who has been away from work for more than six months is given refresher training before being put to work. The date of the next refresher training is calculated from the last training according to the hazard class.

Seasonal worker induction training is given to dozens of people in large groups over a few days. Do not reduce this training to a presentation. Keep groups small by line and task, give the training on site next to the line they will work on, and show the following points: emergency stop buttons, the location of steam and hot lines, forklift routes, escape routes and the assembly point, first aiders, and to whom incidents are reported. For workers with different literacy levels, illustrated instructions and practical demonstrations are more effective than written text. For content, you can use our articles on the induction training programme and basic OHS training topics.

Pre-employment examinations, young workers and food hygiene

Under Art. 15 of Law No. 6331 on Occupational Health and Safety, those who will work in hazardous and very hazardous jobs cannot start work without a health report showing they are fit for the work; as a rule the report is obtained from the workplace physician. To fit hundreds of examinations into a few days at the start of the season:

1. Plan examination days in advance according to start dates; we schedule tests together with authorised healthcare facilities.
2. Have workers with chronic illnesses assessed separately by the physician; this assessment is important for those who will work in hot environments and on the steam line.
3. If there are workers under 18, check which jobs they may not do and the requirement for an examination every 6 months in our article on child and young workers.
4. Put obligations arising from food legislation on the same timetable; for details see our articles on carrier screening examinations and the hygiene training certificate.

Tomato paste factory safety: steam and hot product

In tomato paste production, tomatoes are crushed and heated, sieved and concentrated in evaporators; they are then pasteurised and filled. This process runs on heat and steam from start to finish. Manage the risks from evaporator steam and hot product under the following headings:

• Steam and condensate lines: Pipes with exposed insulation, leaking flanges and discharge points are sources of burns. Mark hot surfaces and keep walkways away from steam discharge points.
• Maintenance and breakdown response: Before working on an evaporator, pasteuriser or pump, the steam valve is closed and locked, the line is depressurised and allowed to cool. For the steps, see our article on lockout and tagout.
• Hot product splashes: At sampling, filter changing and filling points, a face shield, heat-resistant gloves and long-sleeved clothing are used.
• Cleaning chemicals: The caustic and acid solutions used in clean-in-place systems cause eye and skin burns. Eye washes and emergency showers must be in working order, and chemical preparation must be done only by trained people.
• Cleaning inside tanks: Entering tanks and vessels is confined space work; no one enters without a permit to work, atmospheric testing and an attendant outside. Details are in our article on working in confined spaces.

Machinery and traffic on the tomato processing line

Tomato processing starts at the reception area. Trucks, tractor trailers and forklifts operate at the same time in a limited area; unloading flumes, elevators, crushers and pumps run continuously on wet floors. Write the following measures into the risk assessment for this section:

• Separate vehicle and pedestrian routes and assign a banksman for reversing in the reception area; for the principles of a traffic plan, see our article on the forklift and pedestrian traffic plan.
• Check guards on conveyors, elevators and crushers before the season; prohibit removing jammed tomatoes by hand from a running machine.
• Provide non-slip footwear, regular drain cleaning and hose management on wet floors.
• In noisy areas, monitor the use of hearing protection according to the measurement results.

For measures specific to food machinery, read our article on safety of food machinery.

Hot environments, long shifts and calculations for the season's workforce

At the end of summer, temperatures are high both in the field and in the factory; the effect increases next to evaporators and steam lines. Keep drinking water close to work points, set aside a shaded and cool rest area, rotate jobs in heavy work and increase the load gradually in newcomers' first days. Explain in training that symptoms such as dizziness, muscle cramps and nausea should be reported to a first aider. For the fatigue risk of long and night shifts, see our article on working night shifts.

The season's workforce directly changes the emergency organisation and service hours. Example: Suppose a plant we assume to be in the hazardous class runs with a core workforce of 40 and rises to 160 people in the season.

• First aiders: Under the rule of 1 for every 15 workers, the number rises from 3 to 11; distribute the list so that there is a first aider on every shift.
• Support staff: At least 1 person is needed for each of the firefighting, rescue and protection teams for up to 40 workers; with 160 workers, each team has at least 4 people.
• Physician and specialist hours: The specialist's monthly hours rise from 800 to 3,200 minutes, and the physician's from 400 to 1,600 minutes; contracts need to be updated.

You can do the calculation with your own hazard class and workforce in the OHS obligation calculator, and for the contract steps see our article on ISG-KATİP when headcount changes. We provide OHS specialist and OHS training services to plants in Mustafakemalpaşa with a programme that intensifies according to the season timetable; for the district see our Mustafakemalpaşa OSGB page, and for the general risks of the sector our food page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is basic training mandatory for seasonal workers?

Yes. Basic training is completed within 3 months of starting work at the latest, and a season shorter than this does not remove the obligation. Basic training therefore needs to be completed in the first weeks of the season, in sessions of at least one class hour split across shifts.

Is induction training given again to a worker who worked last season?

A worker who has been away from work for more than six months is given refresher training before being put to work. If the line, machine or task has changed, these changes are also added to the training. The timing of refresher training is checked separately according to the date of the last training and the hazard class.

Can a seasonal worker work without a pre-employment report?

Not in hazardous and very hazardous work; they cannot start without a fitness-for-work report. Examination days therefore need to be planned before the start of the season.

How is the number of first aiders calculated for the season's workforce?

Use the highest headcount in the season: 1 first aider for every 20 workers in less hazardous, every 15 in hazardous and every 10 in very hazardous workplaces. Distribute first aiders so that there is at least one on every shift; certificates are valid for 3 years.