 When you work in agricultural businesses such as farms, forests, nurseries and greenhouses, you need to know as much as you can about pesticides and how to protect yourself, your family and your customers from pesticide injury. Pesticides are chemicals that control pests. They include insecticides for insects, herbicides for weeds, fungicides for plant diseases and chemicals for other pests such as brodants and birds. Unfortunately, many pesticides can also be harmful to people, pets and other animals and the environment if they are not used carefully and according to label directions. The worker protection standard is a law passed by Congress and enforced by the United States Environmental Protection Agency which requires that people who handle pesticides receive information and training in the safe use of pesticides. You are handling pesticides if you apply pesticides, assist with pesticide applications, clean, repair or maintain pesticide application equipment, mix, load or transfer pesticides into application equipment, dispose of pesticides or materials with pesticides on them such as containers or if you work as a flagger during a pesticide application. In any of these activities you could come in contact with a pesticide or pesticide residues. There are four routes through which the pesticide can enter your body, through your eyes, your skin, your mouth if you swallow them or by inhaling pesticide vapors. Too much exposure to certain pesticides will make you sick. Symptoms may include tiredness or dizziness, headache or blurred vision. Certain pesticides may cause stomach cramps, vomiting or severe sweating. Exposure to other pesticides may cause eye irritation, trouble breathing or chest pains. Some people are allergic to certain pesticides. They may get a severe skin rash when the pesticide touches their skin. If these symptoms reoccur each time you are near that pesticide you may have to stay away from that particular pesticide. Some harmful effects from pesticide exposure may not show up for a long time. Studies with laboratory animals show that certain pesticides may cause cancer and other problems such as damage to the lungs, liver, kidney or nervous system. Exposure to some pesticides may also cause reproductive problems in both men and women or could harm their unborn children. You can protect yourself from pesticide exposure in many ways. The most important thing to do before working with a pesticide is to read the label. If you have a question about the label or are unable to read it, ask someone to help you. When you first look at a pesticide label, notice the brand name. And directly below the brand name is the list of chemicals or ingredients in the pesticide. Also on the front of the label is the type of pesticide, for example insecticide, herbicide, fungicide, rodenticide, etc. You will also notice the word caution, warning or danger on the label. These are the signal words. They tell you how poisonous the pesticide is if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed into your skin. The word danger tells you that the pesticide is very hazardous. Just a little bit of a danger pesticide less than a teaspoon can make you very sick if you swallow it. It can also cause serious burns if spilled on your skin or in your eyes. Pesticides that have the word danger plus a skull and crossbones with the word poison are extremely poisonous. When you are handling these pesticides, you must have someone check on you every two hours during the day and every hour at night to be sure that you are all right. Pesticides with the signal word warning can also be harmful. Between one and three teaspoons swallowed by an adult can be fatal. The signal word caution is used for pesticides that are the least poisonous. These pesticides can still harm you if you are not careful. The section called statements of practical treatment tells you what you should do if you swallow or inhale the pesticide or get it on your skin or in your eyes. An emergency phone number to call in case of spills or exposure accidents is also listed. All labels have a directions for use section that tells you how to mix and apply the pesticide safely. It also contains information on storage and disposal of the pesticide. Some pesticides are extremely dangerous when they are first applied to the crop and a certain amount of time must pass before it is safe to go into the field. This waiting time is called the restricted entry interval or REI. This period is usually from 12 hours to 3 days, but it may extend for several weeks for some pesticides. If you must enter a field before the restricted entry interval is over, you must wear the protective clothing and equipment listed on the pesticide label. The label also lets you know which parts of your body need special protection and if you need to wear personal protective equipment when you handle the pesticide. By law you must wear the personal protective clothing listed on the label when handling the pesticide. This may include waterproof gloves, boots with shoes or socks, coveralls, hood or wide brim chemical resistant hat for overhead exposure, waterproof apron if you are mixing and loading pesticides, protective eyewear, goggles, face shield or safety glasses with side and brow guards, and a respirator. This must be stored in a locked, ventilated building. Containers need to be closed tightly and stored upright so they will not tip over and spill. Container should be regularly inspected for leak breaks or weak spots. The pesticide storage area should always be locked when not in use to prevent people and animals from entering. If you have to transport pesticides make sure the pesticides are in the back of the truck and tied down securely. They should be placed in a tamper proof container or locked compartment if the vehicle is left unattended. Do not allow people, pets or livestock to ride in the same compartment as the pesticides. Also, keep food, feed or clothing away from pesticides. Wear extra protection when mixing and loading pesticides. Use an apron over your protective equipment. You need to wear protective eyewear too. Carefully open paper and cardboard pesticide containers. If you rip them open, dust can fly out and get on your skin and into your eyes, your mouth and lungs. Instead, put the pesticide container on a low, flat surface. Use a sharp knife or scissors. Then wash the knife or scissors with soap and water before using them again and use them only for opening pesticide containers. Build the label directions to find out how much pesticide you need and then measure it carefully. Pour liquids carefully to avoid splashes. Be sure your face and eyes are well above the container while you are pouring. Before you apply any pesticide, read the label information about the required pre-harvest interval. The PHI is the period of time during which application of a pesticide must not be made prior to the harvest of the crop. The pre-harvest interval varies for each pesticide and the crop it is used on and can range from a few days to several weeks. So check the label to see when is the earliest safe date for harvest following the last application of the pesticide. Before you apply pesticides, put on all personal protective equipment that the pesticide label requires. When a respirator is required, the pesticide label will give the MSHA-NIOSH approval code number. This is important because different types of respirators are used for different pesticides. Make sure that the MSHA-NIOSH number on the respirator matches the number given on the pesticide label. Follow the manufacturer's instructions on when to replace filters, cartridges, and canisters, even if you don't notice a problem. If there are no instructions, then filters, cartridges, and canisters should be replaced at the end of each eight hours of use. Every time you put on a respirator, you need to be sure it forms a complete seal around your face to protect you from the pesticide exposure. Do an application equipment check. Make sure that there are no leaks and that the hoses and nozzles are in good condition. Make sure that the sprayer is calibrated properly to ensure that the right amount of pesticide is applied. And when you are ready to start, check the application area in which you will be applying. Make sure that there are no people, pets, or livestock in or near the area. Also check to see if there are ponds, streams, or wells in or near the area to be treated. Never apply or mix or load pesticides or clean equipment where there is a significant risk that the spray will drift or rinse water containing pesticides could contaminate these water sources. When applying pesticides outdoors, check the weather conditions before you begin spraying. Don't apply pesticides if there is more than a five-mile-per-hour wind blowing. Wind carries the spray out of the treated area. Stay alert while spraying the pesticide. Watch for clogged nozzles. If you need to clean a nozzle or screen, use a non-metal cleaning tool, especially designed for that purpose. A toothpick or toothbrush will also work well. Electric metal can ruin the nozzle. Never use your mouth to clean nozzles or screens. The name, address, and telephone number of the nearest place to get emergency medical help must be posted at the place where you store pesticides and should be readily available in case of an emergency. All pesticide labels have an emergency first aid section found in the Statements of Practical Treatment. Read it or have someone explain it to you before you handle the pesticide. If you do the wrong thing in an emergency, it could do more harm to you or others. If pesticide gets in your eyes, rinse them right away with a gentle stream of clean water. Hold your eyelids open and keep rinsing your eyes for about 15 minutes. If pesticide gets on your clothes or skin, remove the contaminated clothes right away and wash your skin with lots of soap and water. The faster you act, the less likely you are to be injured. By law, soap, a clean change of clothing, towels, and enough water to wash pesticides off your body must be kept near the area where you are working. If someone swallows a pesticide, it is necessary to follow the first aid directions on the pesticide label. The label may provide important information on whether or not to induce vomiting. Some pesticides are corrosive and could cause further damage if vomiting is induced. Whether induce vomiting if the person is unconscious or having convulsions. Take the victim and a copy of the pesticide label with you to the doctor. If you breathe in a pesticide, get to fresh air immediately. If you are having difficulty breathing, call for help. Then sit down and try to breathe normally. It is not good to walk around if you are having difficulty breathing. Before you rescue someone who has inhaled pesticides and may be unconscious in an enclosed area, make sure you do not expose yourself to the same danger. Wear the appropriate respiratory protection and move the victim to fresh air. Loosen the victim's clothing and call for emergency medical assistance. If you wear personal protective equipment in hot weather, you could suffer from heat stress. Many symptoms of heat stress are like the symptoms of pesticide poisoning. If you are not sure what is making you ill, get help right away. Get out of direct sunlight and away from pesticides if possible. If you suspect that someone has heat stress, it is very important to cool that person down as quickly as possible. To cool a person down, first take off their outer clothing. Use a cool wet towel on the face and neck and fan them vigorously. In severe cases of heat stress, take the victim to the doctor right away. To avoid heat stress, on hot days, try to do jobs that require protective equipment in the early morning or early evening when it is cooler. Drink lots of water before, during, and after work. Drink at least a cup of water every half hour, more if you are sweating a lot. Take a rest break in the shade if possible. Pesticide spills can occur at any time. Here are the steps you should take if a spill occurs. Think first of protecting yourself, other people nearby, and the surrounding area, especially water sources. Rope off the area or set up barricades to keep everyone from the contaminated site. Wear protective clothing required by the label. And check the label for additional precautions. But when uncertain what has been spilled, wear the maximum protection. If the spill is on soil, shovel out contaminated soil into a disposable container. Containers for holding contaminant materials must be sealable and suitable for transporting. The container must be labeled with contents, including pesticide name and toxicity category. Check with your county agricultural commissioner on how to dispose of the holding container and its contents. When you finish the application, put your equipment away. Don't leave the field unattended. Pesticide containers should be triple rinsed immediately after you empty them. Fill the empty container with clean water until it is one quarter full. Put the cap on. Carefully shake or roll the container so that the water rinses the inside completely. Pour the rinse water from the container into the spray tank. Repeat the rinsing at least two more times. Never dump the rinse water down a sewer drain or onto a field site. Spray the rinse water that's now in the tank on the crop or weeds. Puncture rinsed containers so they cannot be used for any other purpose. Even well rinsed containers may still contain small amounts of pesticide. Therefore, never leave empty containers lying around. Don't use them for any other purpose and do not take them home. You will occasionally have leftover pesticides that you can no longer use, as well as empty containers that need to be disposed of properly. Never dispose of partially filled or empty pesticide containers in trash bins. Store them carefully in a locked storage area. Even though the pesticide label may have general directions for disposal of pesticides and their containers, laws regarding disposal may be different in your county. You should check with your agricultural commissioner's office regarding disposal of pesticide containers in your area. Once you have finished cleaning and putting away your application equipment, it is then safe to remove your personal protective equipment. Keep your gloves on while taking off and washing your other protective equipment. Respirator filters, cartridges, and canisters and some kinds of disposable coveralls, gloves, shoe coverings, and aprons cannot be cleaned and they should be thrown away after a day of use. Put all of your used protective clothing and equipment in a place by itself until it can be cleaned or disposed of. Do not wear home or take home contaminated clothing or equipment. Wash the outside of your gloves before removing them. Wash your hands, face, and any other exposed skin. Use lots of soap and water. Put your used work clothes into a separate container away from family clothing and wash them separately. When washing contaminated work clothes wash only a few items at a time to allow plenty of agitation and water for dilution. Use a heavy duty liquid detergent. Choose the highest water level and the hot water setting for the wash cycle. If possible, hang your work clothes outside on a line to dry. And always shower at the end of your work day. For your health and safety, remember to read the pesticide label. Follow the proper procedures for transporting, storing, mixing, applying, and cleaning up. Be prepared for any emergency and know how to get to the nearest hospital or medical facility. Remember, the label has additional instructions for emergencies. When you handle pesticides or when you work in areas where pesticides have been applied, do everything you can to protect yourself, your family, and consumers from pesticide exposure.