Year: 2008
Type: article
Abstract: WORKER PROTECTION STANDARD FOR AGRICULTURAL PESTICIDES The EPA has issued its regulations for the Worker Protection Standard (WPS) for agricultural pesticides. The regulations expand requirements for warnings about agricultural pesticide applications, use of personal protective equipment, and restrictions on entry to treated areas, and adds new provisions for decontamination, emergency assistance, maintaining contact with handlers of highly toxic agricultural pesticides, and agricultural pesticide safety training. Agricultural pesticide registrants are required to add appropriate labeling statements referencing these regulations and specifying application restrictions, restricted-entry intervals (REI), personal protective equipment (PPE), and notification to workers about agricultural pesticide applications. The Worker Protection Standard (WPS) is directed toward the working conditions of two types of employees: • agricultural pesticide handlers -those who handle agricultural pesticides or application equipment (mix, load, apply, clean, repair, flag, etc.), and • agricultural workers -those who perform tasks related to the cultivation and harvesting of plants on farms or in greenhouses, nurseries, or forests. There are three types of provisions intended to : (1) eliminate or reduce agricultural pesticide exposures, (2) mitigate exposures that occur, and (3) inform employees about the hazards of agricultural pesticides.
Author: Howard M. Deer
Language: English
Subfield: Toxicology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W160504375