Restrictions During Applications and Monitoring Handlers

Specific Instructions for Handlers

Equipment Safety

Personal Protective Equipment

Exceptions to PPE Requirements

Basic Responsibilities

• pesticides do not touch people, other than appropriately trained and equipped handlers, during pesticide applications, and
• pesticide handlers are monitored, as described below, when handling certain types of pesticides.

Specific Duties

Monitoring Handlers

1. Pesticides With Skull and Crossbones
   At least once every 2 hours, someone must check on-by sight or by voice communication-any handler who is handling a pesticide that has a skull and crossbones symbol on its label. (For monitoring the handling of fumigants in greenhouses, see immediately below.)
2. Fumigants Handled in Greenhouses
   Someone must maintain constant visual or voice contact with any handler who is applying or otherwise handling a fumigant in a greenhouse. This includes handlers who enter the greenhouse during fumigation to operate ventilation systems, adjust tarps or other coverings used in the fumigation, or check air concentration levels. The person monitoring the fumigant handler must:
   • be trained as a pesticide handler, and
   • have immediate access to the PPE that the fumigant labeling requires for applicators.

Basic Responsibilities

• are given information from the pesticide labeling and have access to the labeling itself, and
• are instructed in the safe operation of the equipment they will be using.

Specific Duties

1. Inform handlers, in a manner they can understand, about all labeling requirements related to safe use of the pesticide, including at least:
   • the signal word,
   • human hazard statements and precautions,
   • personal protective equipment requirements,
   • first aid instructions,
   • environmental precautions, and
   • any additional precautions about the handling task to be performed.

   Option: You may allow handlers to read the labeling themselves, if they are able to read and understand it.

2. Provide handlers access to the pesticide labeling information during handling tasks.

Instructions for Commercial Pesticide Handlers Commercial (custom) pesticide handler employers must make sure that their handler employees are informed about:

1. Specific location and description of any areas on the agricultural establishment:
   • that may be treated with a pesticide or be under a restricted-entry interval while the commercial handler will be there,
     AND
   • that the commercial handler may be in (or walk within 1/4 mile of).
2. Restrictions on entering those areas. For example, if custom applicators are scheduled to use ground equipment to apply a pesticide on a farm, they need to be informed of any nearby areas on the farm that they should stay out of because the area has an REI in effect. Or if commercial crop advisors are scheduled to scout in an area on a farm that remains under an REI, they need to be told what personal protective equipment they must wear while in that area.

Basic Responsibilities

Specific Duties

Protections for Persons Maintaining Equipment
Remove pesticide residues from pesticide handling equipment before anyone other than an appropriately train.ed and equipped handler is allowed to repair, clean, or adjust it. Exception:
If it is not feasible to remove pesticide residues from pesticide handling equipment, and the people who will be repairing, cleaning, or adjusting the equipment are not your employees (and, therefore, are not handlers for whom you are responsible under the WPS), you must inform them:

• that the equipment may be contaminated with pesticides,
• of the potentially harmful effects of exposure to pesticides, and
• how to correctly handle such equipment.

• are provided with the PPE the pesticide labeling requires for the task,
• wear the PPE for the entire handling task, and
• use the PPE correctly.

PPE is coveralls, respirators, protective eyewear, and chemical- resistant suits, gloves, footwear, aprons,and headgear. See definitions.

In the pesticide labeling, PPE for handling activities is listed in the Hazards to Humans section.

Exceptions to PPE: Handler employers may allow handlers to omit some of the PPE listed pesticide labeling for a handling activity if the handlers are using a closed system or are working in a cockpit or in an enclosed cab. (See here).

Specific Duties

1. Provide handlers with the appropriate PPE in clean and operating condition.
2. Make sure the handlers wear the PPE correctly and use it according to the manufacturer's instructions. If a handler wears a respirator, make sure that it fits the wearer correctly.
3. Inspect all PPE before each day of use for leaks, holes, tears, or worn places, and repair or discard any damaged equipment.
4. Provide handlers with clean places away from pesticide storage and pesticide use areas to:
   • store personal clothing not in use,
   • put on PPE at the start of any exposure period,
   • take off PPE at the end of any exposure period.
5. Take any necessary steps to prevent heat illness (too much heat stress) while PPE is being worn.
6. Do not allow any handler to wear home or take home PPE contaminated with pesticides.

1. Keep pesticide-contaminated PPE away from other clothing or laundry, and wash it separately.
2. If PPE will be reused, clean it before each day of reuse according to the instructions from the PPE manufacturer unless the pesticide labeling specifies other requirements. If there are no such instructions or requirements, wash PPE thoroughly in detergent and hot water.
3. Thoroughly dry the clean PPE before it is stored, or put it in a well-ventilated place to dry.
4. Store clean PPE separately from personal clothing and away from pesticide-contaminated areas.

1. Replace dust/mist respirator filters:
   • when breathing resistance becomes excessive,
   • if the filter is damaged or torn,
   • whenever the respirator manufacturer or pesticide labeling says to replace them (if the instructions differ, change the filter at the shorter interval),
   • at the end of each day's work period, if no other instructions or indications of service life are available.
2. Replace. gas- and vapor-removing respirator cartridges or canisters:
   • at the first indication of odor, taste, or irritation,
   • when the respirator manufacturer or pesticide labeling says to replace them (if instructions differ, change the cartridge or canisters at the shorter interval),
   • at the end of each day's work period, if no other instruction or indications of service life are available.

1. Discard coveralls or other absorbent materials that have been drenched or heavily contaminated with an undiluted pesticide that has the signal word DANGER or WARNING on the labeling. They must not be reused.
2. Comply with any applicable Federal, State, Tribal, and local regulations when disposing of PPE that cannot be cleaned correctly.

• that the PPE may be contaminated with pesticides,
• of the potentially harmful effects of exposure to pesticides,
• how to protect themselves when handling contaminated PPE, and
• how to clean PPE correctly.

• coveralls,
• chemical-resistant suits, gloves, footwear, aprons, and headgear,
• protective eyewear, and
• respirators.

• long- and short-sleeved shirts,
• long and short pants,
• shoes and socks,
• other items of regular work clothing.

Chemical-resistant: Allows no measurable amount of the pesticide being used to move through the material during use.

Waterproof: Allows no measurable movement of water (or water-based solutions) through the material during use.

Chemical-resistant suit: A loose-fitting, one- or two-piece, chemical-resistant garment that covers, at a minimum, the entire body except head, hands, and feet.

Coverall: A loose-fitting one- or two-piece garment that covers, at a minimum, the entire body except head, hands, and feet. Coveralls are made of fabric such as cotton or a cotton-polyester blend, and are not chemical-resistant. The pesticide labeling may specify that the coveralls be worn over a layer of clothing. Substitution: A chemical-resistant suit may be worn instead of coveralls and any required inner layer of clothing.

Chemical-resistant apron: An apron that is made of chemical-resistant material and that covers the front of the body from mid-chest to the knees. Substitution: If a chemical-resistant suit is worn, no apron is required.

Gloves: Hand coverings that are the type listed on the pesticide label. Gloves or glove linings made of leather, cotton, or other absorbent materials must not be worn for handling or early-entry activities unless these materials are listed on the pesticide labeling as acceptable for such use. Substitution: Leather gloves may be worn over chemical- resistant liners, if chemical-resistant gloves with sufficient durability and suppleness are not obtainable for tasks with roses or other plants with sharp thorns. However, after leather gloves have been worn for protection from pesticide exposure, they may only be worn with chemical-resistant liners and may not be worn for any other use.

Chemical-resistant footwear: Chemical-resistant shoes; chemical-resistant boots; or chemical-resistant shoe coverings worn over shoes or boots. Substitution: Leather boots may be worn in rough terrain, if chemical-resistant footwear with sufficient durability and a tread appropriate for wear in such terrain is not obtainable.

Protective eyewear: Goggles, a face shield, or safety glasses with front, brow, and temple protection. Substitution: A full-face respirator may be worn instead of protective eyewear.

Chemical-resistant headgear: A chemical-resistant hood or a chemical-resistant hat with a wide brim.

Respirator: A device that protects the respiratory system. It must be the type listed on the pesticide label (or one that is more protective) and must be appropriate for the pesticide product being used and for the activity being performed. Substitutions:A respirator with a canister approved for pesticides or with an organic-vapor cartridge equipped with a pesticide prefilter may be worn instead of a dust/mist filtering respirator.

Basic Responsibilities

• using a closed system, or
• in an enclosed cab, or
• in a cockpit.

Specific Duties

Even when reduced PPE is permitted to be worn during a task, handlers must be provided all PPE required by the pesticide labeling for that task and have it immediately available for use in an emergency.

1. When using a closed system to mix or load pesticides with the signal word DANGER or WARNING, handlers need not wear all the PPE listed on the pesticide labeling, but must wear at least:
   • long-sleeved shirt and long pants,
   • shoes and socks,
   • a chemical-resistant apron, and
   • protective gloves specified on the pesticide labeling for mixing, loading, and other handling tasks.
2. When using a closed system to mix or load pesticides with the signal word CAUTION, handlers need not wear all the PPE listed on the pesticide labeling, but must wear at least:
   • long-sleeved shirt and long pants, and
   • shoes and socks.
3. When using a closed system to do handling tasks other than mixing and loading with ANY pesticide, handlers need not wear all of the PPE listed on the pesticide labeling, but must wear at least:
   • long-sleeved shirt and long pants, and
   • shoes and socks.
   Such closed systems might include closed application systems designed to incorporate pesticides into soil, but only if the system does not allow any pesticide contact with the air throughout the entire application process.
4. When using a closed system that operates under pressure, handlers may wear the reduced PPE specified above, but must add protective eyewear.

Enclosed cabs that provide respiratory protection must have a properly functioning ventilation system that is used and maintained according to the manufacturer's written operating instructions. The cab must be declared in writing by the manufacturer or by a governmental agency to provide at least as much respiratory protection as the type of respirator listed on the pesticide labeling.

Examples:
Some enclosed-cab systems provide respiratory protection equivalent to a dust/mist filtering respirator and could, therefore, be used as a substitute when that type of respirator is specified on the product labeling. Other enclosed-cab systems are equipped to remove organic vapors as well as dusts and mists and could be used as a substitute when either the dust/mist filtering respirator or an organic-vapor-removing respirator is specified on the product labeling.

1. Enclosed cabs that do not provide respiratory protection-In an enclosed cab that does not provide respiratory protection, handlers need not wear all the PPE listed on the pesticide labeling, but must wear at least:
   • long-sleeved shirt and long pants,
   • shoes and socks, and
   • any respirator required for the handling task.
2. Enclosed cabs that provide respiratory protection-In an enclosed cab that provides respiratory protection equal to the labeling-required respirator, handlers need not wear all the PPE listed on the pesticide labeling, but must wear at least:
   • long-sleeved shirt and long pants, and
   • shoes and socks.
3. In any enclosed cab where reduced PPE is worn- Handlers must:
   • keep immediately available all PPE listed on the labeling
   • for the type of task being performed,
   • wear the PPE if it is necessary to leave the cab and contact pesticide-treated surfaces in the treated area,
   • take off PPE that was worn in the treated area before reentering the cab, and
   • store all PPE in a chemical-resistant container, such as a plastic bag, to prevent contamination of the inside of the cab.

1. Gloves when entering or leaving an aircraft-Handlers must:
   • wear chemical-resistant gloves when entering or leaving an aircraft contaminated by pesticide residues, and
   • store used gloves in a closed, chemical-resistant container, such as a plastic bag, to prevent contamination of the inside of the cockpit.
2. Open cockpits-In an open cockpit, handlers must wear any gloves, respirator, and body protection listed on the pesticide labeling for application tasks. However, they may wear:
   • shoes and socks instead of chemical-resistant footwear,
   • a helmet instead of a chemical-resistant hat or hood, and
   • a visor instead of protective eyewear.
3. Enclosed cockpits-In an enclosed cockpit, handlers need not wear all the PPE listed on the pesticide labeling, but must wear at least:
   • long-sleeved shirt and long pants, and
   • shoes and socks.