Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER 6
HANDLING OF PESTICIDES AND
THE USE OF PERSONAL
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
I.
HANDLING PESTICIDES
A. INTRODUCTION
The factors that influence selection decisions regarding personal protective
equipment (PPE) and associated workplace safety practices for pesticide han-
dlers are particularly complex in the agricultural setting. The range of handler
activities, formulation options, exposure scenarios, environmental factors, and
facility amenities is vast. The term "agriculture" often conjures the image of
tractors with booms traversing fields of crops neatly planted in parallel rows.
This is an unfortunate misconception. In addition to traditional row-crop
farming, the generic term "agriculture" also typically includes activities relat-
ing to livestock, poultry, pasture, rangeland, forests, nurseries, greenhouses,
highway, lawn and garden care. To guide the selection and use of PPE for the
various circumstances of these diverse industries, a clear understanding of pes-
ticide-handling tasks is needed.
B. HANDLING ACTIVITIES
Users of agricultural pesticides perform many activities that involve direct
exposure to these chemicals. Adequate PPE selection guidelines must address
the range of pesticide-handling jobs and the associated exposure risks. To sim-
plify and focus this discussion, the various pesticide activities will be de-
scribed under three main operations: mixing, loading, and application.
1.
Mixing pesticide.
Activities associated with mixing pesticides include:
•
transferring pesticide from original container to mixing or application
tank or hopper and adding diluent
•
conveying open pesticide containers to and from use site
•
containing or cleaning up a pesticide spill
