Forward Farm Safety Toolbox – Pesticide Handling & Application

Home »  Forward Farm Safety Toolbox  »  Pesticide Handling & Application

Pesticide Handling and Application Safety Tool

Read in: English | Español (coming soon!)

Learn

Instructions: Get your team together and share the following information out loud, promoting participation.

Did You Know?

• Pesticides can be dangerous to people, animals, and the environment if not handled and used correctly. 
  • EPA estimates that doctors diagnose 10,000-20,000 pesticide poisonings each year (NIOSH 2012).  
  • In one year, research showed that there were 2,606 confirmed cases of   pesticide illness across 12 states; agricultural workers were affected at a rate 37 times higher than those not working on farms (Calvert et al. 2016). 
• Restricted use pesticides (RUPs) used on farms can cause significant harm to the environment or to people and are more controlled through regulation. In Wisconsin, you must be certified to buy or use RUPs. 
• The Worker Protection Standard (WPS) is a rule that can reduce the risk of pesticide poisoning among workers and handlers on farms. 
• Personal protective equipment (PPE) helps reduce your body’s exposure. PPE requirements are listed on the pesticide label. Common PPE used to handle or load pesticides can include gloves, eye protection, and respirators. 
  • In fact, EPA estimates that among the estimated two million agricultural workers in the United States, physicians diagnose 10,000-20,000 pesticide poisonings each year (NIOSH 2012).  
  • The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) identified 2,606 confirmed cases of acute occupational pesticide illness across 12 states; agricultural workers were affected at a rate 37 times higher than nonagricultural workers (Calvert et al. 2016). 

What Can Happen to You?

• Start a conversation about the possible impact on individuals, families, the farm, etc. if an incident occurs.
• Ask participants whether they’ve seen or experienced a pesticide exposure. 
  • Types of pesticide poisoning 
  • Examples of common exposure scenarios 
  • Injury or harm to bystanders, animals or the environment 
  • Death 
  • Other? 

What are the Risk Factors?

• Chemical toxicity levels: Toxicity is a measure of how harmful a chemical can be. A toxicity signal word is on the pesticide label. These can be Caution, Warning, Danger, or Danger-Poison.  
  • “Caution” is found on labels of the least toxic products 
  • “Danger-Poison” represents the most toxic products.  
  • Remember that all pesticides are hazardous to handle and can be harmful regardless of their signal word. 
• Routes of exposure: Pesticides can enter the body through your skin, through your lungs as you breathe, your eyes, or by swallowing. We always want to reduce exposure when working. 
• Environmental conditions: Wind, heat, and enclosed spaces can increase exposure. Wind causes pesticides to drift or move and can increase exposure to workers. Heat can cause hazardous working conditions for pesticide applicators when they wear heavy PPE. Working in an enclosed space increases your risk of breathing in dangerous chemicals. 
• Human factors: Lack of training or experience can lead to harm. Follow the pesticide label and WPS rules to protect yourself and other workers. Make sure you are following all label requirements for application, posting place where pesticides are applied, and notification.  
• Job Duties: Mixing and loading pesticides is the most hazardous activity because you handle the highest concentration and quantity of pesticide, leaving you at the greatest risk for high-dose exposure. 
• PPE Use: Make sure PPE is properly stored, worn, and maintained. Wear all PPE required by the pesticide label. The required PPE can change depending on the task. Additional PPE may be required when mixing and loading pesticides. Some jobs might require less PPE such as spraying from a closed-cab field sprayer. However, using a backpack sprayer will probably require more PPE. 
• Label misunderstanding: Always read the pesticide label to know the required PPE and first aid steps in case you are exposed. If a label is not available in Spanish, use the EPA’s Spanish Translation Guide for Pesticide Labeling to translate the human health and safety sections of the label from English to Spanish.  
• Improper storage and mixing areas: Store pesticides in secure facilities to protect people, other organisms that are not pests, and the environment. When mixing and loading pesticides work carefully to avoid splashes and spills. 
• What else have you seen or experienced? 

Solve

Instructions: Lead a discussion on how to apply toolbox concepts to your farm.

1. Explain the hierarchy of controls at each level

The hierarchy of controls is a standardized, five-level framework used in occupational health and safety to minimize or eliminate employee exposure to hazards. 

Examples: 

2. What about my farm?

Instructions: Now we will apply what we learned today. Follow the activities.

Form breakout groups

• Ask participants to divide into groups of 3-4 (or discuss with the trainee if there is only one).
• Each group designates one person as the “reporter.”

Discuss

• How does today’s training relate to the things that happen on your farm? (Hazards, risk factors, non-negotiables, stories)
• What other non-negotiables apply to your farm?
• How can we apply the ideas from the hierarchy of controls?

After 5-10 minutes, have groups “Report Out”

• Instructors should write down key ideas, insights, and solutions shared by groups.
• Give positive feedback as participants suggest solutions. This reinforces good safety thinking.

3.  Give each person a “pledge form.”  

• Participants should write down the top three safety actions they learned today that will improve their ability to safely handle pesticides and reduce pesticide exposure. It is okay to write more than three, but they should clearly identify the highest-priority items.  
• Answers should be specific and actionable. For example, instead of “reduce exposure,” write “wear required PPE to reduce exposure.”  
• For each action, indicate who will do it and when it will be completed. Focus on concrete, prioritized next steps.
• Decide what you’re going to do with “pledge” information.