WORKER PROTECTION

STANDARDS

Greenhouses, Nurseries,

Farms, and Forests

Casey SealsUW Laramie R&E Center Manager and Graduate StudentKaren PanterExtension Horticulture Specialist

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THE WORKER

PROTECTION STANDARD

• August 1992 – EPA Worker Protection Standard (WPS) (40

CFR Part 170) for Agricultural Pesticides

– Revised 2005

• Federal regulation covering workers– Farms

– Forests

– Nurseries

– Greenhouses

• Protects about 2.5 million agricultural workers

EPA DEFINITIONS

• Certified Pesticide Applicator– Authorized to apply "restricted-use" pesticides

– Meets requirements for certification under FIFRA-mandated programs

• Pesticide Handler– Mixes, loads, applies, or otherwise handles pesticides

• Worker– Is employed for any type of compensation

– Does tasks, such as harvesting, weeding, or watering in production of agricultural plants

– Farm, forest, nursery, or greenhouse

SUMMARY OF WPS

REQUIREMENTS

• Protection during applications– Applicators prohibited from exposing workers or other

persons

– Workers are barred from treated areas during and after applications

• Restricted-entry intervals (REI)– REI found on all agricultural plant pesticide product

labels.

– Workers barred from entering a pesticide treated area during REI

– Some provisions made for early entry

SUMMARY OF WPS REQUIREMENTS

(CONT.)

• Personal Protective

Equipment (PPE)

– Must provide and

maintain PPE for

handlers and early-

entry workers

– Boots, gloves, cover

alls, head

covering, respirator

DUTIES RELATED TO PERSONAL

PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

• Provide handlers with the PPE the pesticide label requires– Clean and in operating condition

– Worn and used correctly

– Inspected before each day of use

– Repaired or replaced as needed

• Respirators must fit correctly– OSHA fit test

procedureswww.osha/gov/SLTC/etools/respiratory/

• Take steps to avoid heat illness– Symptoms may mimic pesticide exposure

DUTIES RELATED TO PERSONAL

PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

• Provide pesticide-free area for– Storing personal clothing

– Putting on PPE at start of task

– Taking off PPE at end of task

• Do not allow used PPE to be worn home or taken home

• Store clean PPE away from other clothing and away from pesticide areas

• Follow federal, state, and local laws when disposing of PPE that cannot be cleaned

SUMMARY OF WPS REQUIREMENTS

(CONT.)

• Decontamination

supplies

– Water

– Soap

– Towels

• Routine washing and

emergency

decontamination

SUMMARY OF WPS REQUIREMENTS

(CONT.)

• Notification

– Employees working

in treated areas

– Must be notified

about treated

– To avoid inadvertent

exposures

PESTICIDE APPLICATION

NOTIFICATIONS

• Must notify workers

– No entry allowed if warning

sign is posted on a

greenhouse door or in field

access

• Until REI expires without proper

PPE

– Application info available

• Central location

SUMMARY OF WPS REQUIREMENTS

(CONT.)

• Emergency

assistance

– Transportation must

be made available

– To medical care facility

– Poisoning or injury

– Must provide info

about specific (usually

the label)

SUMMARY OF WPS REQUIREMENTS

(CONT.)

• Pesticide safety

training and safety

posters

– Training is required for

all workers and

handlers

– Pesticide safety poster

must be displayed

RESTRICTIONS IN NURSERIES

Special Application Restrictions in Nurseries

Column A: When a Pesticide is Being Applied: Column B: Workers and Other Persons are Prohibited in:

1. (a) Applied:• Aerially, or• In an upward direction, or• Using a spray pressure greater than 150

pounds per square inchOR

(b) Applied as a:• Fumigant, or• Smoke, or• Mist, or• Fog, or• Aerosol

Pesticide-treated area plus 100 feet in all directions on the nursery

Special Application Restrictions in Nurseries

Column A: When a Pesticide is Being Applied: Column B: Workers and Other Persons are Prohibited in:

2. (a) Applied downward using:• A height of greater than 12 inches from the

planting medium, or• A fine spray, or• A spray pressure greater than 40 pounds

per square inch and less than 150 pounds per square inch

OR(b) Under circumstances other than (1)(a) or

(1)(b) or (2)(a) above but for which the pesticide labeling requires the applicator to wear a respirator

Pesticide-treated area plus 25 feet in all directions on the nursery

3. In any other manner Pesticide-treated area

RESTRICTIONS IN GREENHOUSESSpecial Application Restrictions in Greenhouses

Column A: When a Pesticide is Applied:

Column B: Workers and Other Persons are Prohibited in:

Column C: Until Column D: After the Expiration of Time in Column C Until the REI Expires, the Entry-Restriced Area Is:

1. As a fumigant Entire greenhouse plus any adjacent structure that cannot be sealed off from the treated area

The ventilation criteriaare met

No entry restrictions after criteria in Column C are met

2. As a• Smoke, or• Mist, or• Fog, or• Aerosol

Entire enclosed area The ventilation criteria are met

Entire enclosed area is the treated area

Special Application Restrictions in Greenhouses

Column A: When a Pesticide is Applied:

Column B: Workers and Other Persons are Prohibited in:

Column C: Until Column D: After the Expiration of Time in Column C Until the REI Expires, the Entry-Restricted Area Is:

3. Under circumstances (other than in 1 or 2) for which the pesticide labeling requires the applicator to wear a respirator

Entire enclosed area The ventilation criteria are met

Pesticide-treated area

Special Application Restrictions in Greenhouses

Column A: When a Pesticide is Applied:

Column B: Workers and Other Persons are Prohibited in:

Column C: Until Column D: After the Expiration of Time in Column C Until the REI Expires, the Entry-Restricted Area Is:

3. Other than in 1, 2, or 3 but:• From a height of

greater than 12 inches from the planting medium, or

• As a fine spray, or• Using a spray

pressure greater than 40 pounds per square inch

Pesticide-treated area plus 25 feet in all directions within the entire enclosed area

Application is complete

Pesticide-treated area

5. In any other manner

Pesticide-treated area Application is complete

Pesticide-treated area

GREENHOUSE VENTILATION

REQUIREMENTS

• If Column C indicates ventilation

restrictions apply

– Then at least one of the following must be met

• Concentration of pesticide in the air less than or

equal to inhalation exposure level on label

• OR

GREENHOUSE VENTILATION

REQUIREMENTS

• If no inhalation exposure is listed, keep workers out until after:– 10 air exchanges, or

– 2 hours ventilation using fans or other mechanical ventilating systems, or

– 4 hours of ventilation using vents, windows or other passive ventilation, or

– 11 hours with no ventilation followed by 1 hour of mechanical ventilation, or

– 11 hours with no ventilation followed by 2 hours of passive ventilation, or

– 24 hours with no ventilation

SUMMARY OF WPS REQUIREMENTS

(CONT.)

• Access to labels and

site specific information

– Labels must be available

– MSDS as well (Material

Safety Data Sheets or

Material Data Sheets)

– Central posting of recent

pesticide applications is

required

WHO MUST HAVE PESTICIDE

TRAINING?

• WPS training must be provided to untrained workers for entry to area

– Where pesticide applied within past 30 days

– REI has been in effect

• Licensed applicators are exempt from this training

• Training is valid for 5 years upon completion

PESTICIDE SAFETY INFORMATION

• Pesticides or pesticide residues may be on

or in:

– Plants

– Soil

– Irrigation water

– Drift

PESTICIDE SAFETY INFORMATION

(CONT.)

• To prevent pesticide exposure

– Pay attention to signs about staying out of treated areas

– Wash hands before and after eating, drinking, using chewing gum or tobacco, or restroom use

– Wear appropriate work clothing • Socks and closed toe shoes

• Long sleeve shirt

• Long pants

PESTICIDE SAFETY INFORMATION

(CONT.)

– Wash/shower and put on clean clothes

after work

– Wash work clothes separately from

other clothes

– Wash immediately in the nearest clean

water if accidentally exposed

– ASAP shower, change into clean

clothes

PESTICIDE SAFETY INFORMATION

(CONT.)

• Workers should not

– Take home or reuse empty pesticide containers

– Clean up a pesticide spill

– Apply pesticides on the premises (handlers only)

– Stay in areas near the application of a pesticide

– Attempt to rescue a person who is incapacitated

in pesticide application area

• Workers SHOULD call 911instead

PESTICIDE LABEL INFORMATION

• Pesticide Label includes– Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

– Restricted-Entry Interval (REI)

– EPA Registration Number

– Active ingredients

– Application Information/Directions for Use/Storage and Disposal

– First Aid Information

– Precautionary Statements/Safety Recommendations

– Agricultural Use Requirements

– Environmental Hazards

PESTICIDE LABEL INFORMATION

(CONT.)

*Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) or Poison

Control Centers may not have all of the

information that is included on the Product

Label.

*Have the product label with you when calling a

poison control center or doctor, or going for

treatment.

FORMS OF PESTICIDES ENCOUNTERED

• Fumigant

• Granule

• Mist

• Aerosol

• Spray

• Drench

• Bait

PESTICIDE CENTRAL INFORMATION

BOARD

INFORMATION AT A CENTRAL

LOCATION

• Easily-seen central

location, close

together

– WPS safety poster

– name, address, and

telephone number of

the nearest medical

facility

INFORMATION AT A CENTRAL

LOCATION

• Must display for each pesticide application

– from before each application begins until 30

days after REI expires

– product name, EPA registration number, and

active ingredient(s)

– location and description of treated area

– time and date of application

– REI

INFORMATION AT A CENTRAL

LOCATION

INFORMATION AT A CENTRAL

LOCATION

• Inform workers and handlers where the

information is posted and allow them

access

• Inform workers and handlers about

changes in emergency facility information

• Keep posted information legible

SYMPTOMS OF PESTICIDE POISONING

• Tiredness or dizziness

• Headache or blurred vision

• Excessive sweating

• Chest pains or trouble breathing

• Nausea

• Stomach cramps or diarrhea

• Skin rashes

• Eye irritation

PESTICIDE POISONING (CONT.)

• If you suspect pesticide poisoning

1. Stop what you are doing

2. Follow emergency first aid procedures on the

pesticide label

3. Contact your boss or a co-worker for help

4. Have someone drive you to an emergency

medical center

SYMPTOMS OF HEAT ILLNESS

• Dizziness

• Fatigue/fainting

• Decreased concentration/coordination

• Impaired judgment

• Headache

• Heavy sweating

• Muscle weakness/cramps

• Fast pulse

• Nausea

HEAT ILLNESS (CONT.)

• Five steps to cool someone down

1. Get them out of direct sun

2. Take off outer layers of clothing

3. Wrap them loosely in wet cloths or towels

4. Pour water on them

5. Fan them vigorously

RESOURCES FOR WPS

How To Comply With the Worker Protection Standard for Agricultural Pesticides: What Employers Need To Knowhttp://www.epa.gov/oecaagct/htc.html

EPA Office of Pesticide Programs: www.epa.gov/pesticides

Region 8 (CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 8

Pesticide Program (8P-P3T)

999 18th St., Suite 300

Denver, CO 80202-2466 (800) 227- 8917

RESOURCES FOR WPS

Food Quality Protection Act: www.epa.gov/opp00001/regulating/laws/fqpa/

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH):

www.cdc.gov/niosh/

Pesticide Poisoning Surveillance System:

www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/pesticides/overview.html

National Pesticide Information Center (EPA-funded): http://npic.orst.edu

EPA Controlling Pests: www.epa.gov/pesticides/controlling/index.htm

NEETF’s Pesticides Resource Library:

www.neetf.org/Health/Resources/healthcare.htm

Gemplers: http://www.gemplers.com/safety

Occupational Safety and Health, Respiratory Protection:

www.osha/gov/SLTC/etools/respiratory/

THANKS

• Questions?