The abilities on item cards provide 2 different types of benefits, gained in either order if a worker is placed on the card.
INSTANT BENEFITS: These abilities are printed above the worker icon and are gained at the moment you place the worker on the card.
ONGOING BENEFITS: Often noted by the word “whenever,” these refer to anything you do—including gaining the card’s instant benefit—while the card is in your active row with a worker on it (including the turn when you place a worker on the card).