Chp 5.-Pesticide Handler Safety

Question 1

Hazard Communication Information for the Handler Employee (Mentioned in chp.5and6.)

-Require employers to maintain the following information at a central location for access to employees, physicians, or company reps.

Answer 1

1. )Pesticide use records for pesticide handling activities that are conducted by employees
2. )Copies of PSIS leaflets for “Safety Rules for Pesticide Handlers”
3. )MSDS for each pesticide listed in the pesticide use records.

Question 2

Application Specific Information for the Handler Employee
(Q5.1)

Whilst the property operator must provide specific application information at a central location.

Answer 2

1. )Identification of the treated area
2. )Date and time of application
3. )Restricted entry interval
4. )Product name, EPA registration number and active ingredient.

Question 3

Handler Employee Training Programs
(Q5.2-Q5.4))
-The written training program must be accessible to employees in a central location at the workplace

• Employers must record the date and extent of training they provide relative to the jobs they assign, and hold onto an employee signed training form (accessible to employees at a central location at the workplace) for two years;.
• Employees must complete the training program before they are allowed to handle any pesticide
• By the end of each training program,handler employees should understand

Answer 3

1) Pesticide product label format and meaning of label information such as signal word
2. )Hazards of pesticides-acute (delayed) and chronic effects as identified on MSDS label
3. )Routes by which pesticides can enter the body
4. )Signs and symptoms of pesticide overexposure
5. )Procedures for obtaining emergency medical care
6. )Routine and emergency decontamination procedures, including spill cleanup and shower
7. )Appropriate sanitation of PPE (heat-related limitations).
8. )Prevention recognition and first aid for heat-related illnesses.
9. )Safety requirements and procedures for handling, transporting, storing, and disposing of pesticides including engineering controls within an enclosed cab (closed mixing system).
10. )Environmental concerns such as drift, runoff, and wildlife hazards.
11. )Warning about taking pesticides home
12. )Requirements relating to PSIS leaflets
13. )Requirements of medical supervision when organophosphates and carbamate pesticides with the signal word “Danger/Poison,Warning” are on the label and are mixed, loaded, or applied.
14. )Right of employees to
- Personally receive information about pesticides they may be exposed to.
- Have their physician or representative receive this information
- Be protected against any retaliatory action in response to their rights.

Question 4

Qualified Safety Trainers for Pesticide Handlers
(Q5.5)

Is anyone who is qualified to train employees

Answer 4

1. )QAC
2. )QAL
3. )Holding a valid County Biologist License in Pesticide Regulation
4. )Farm advisor employed by University California Cooperative extension
5. )Person who has completed an “instructor trainer” program presented by
   - University of California Statewide IPM Project atfter 93’.
   - Other DPR approved instructor training program.
6. )PCA
7. )California registered professional forester
8. )Trainer approved by DPR

Question 5

Employee Medical Requirement and Emergency Care
(Q5.6)

-Employers must make the following medical arrangements in advance

-And must immediately take the employee to a physician, when in the presence of pesticides shows any of the following symptoms,
Headache/Weakness/Dizziness/blurred vision/nauseas/abdominalcramps/sweating tightness of chest.

Answer 5

1. )make emergency medical care arrangements for employees who handle pesticides.
2. )inform employees of the name and location of the facility where arranged.
3. )Name, address, and telephone number of the medical facility
   - Conspicuously posted at the work site or in work vehicles.
   - If the emergency facility is not reasonably accessible from work location,employer must list the procedures that their employees shall follow to obtain emergency medical care.

Question 6

Medical Supervision
(Q5.7, Q5.8)

In addition employers must maintain employee use records (including: employee id, name of the pesticide, and date of handling) when the pesticides meet the following criteria:

1. )Carries the signal word “Danger/Poison”, “Danger” or “Warning”
2. )Contains an organophosphate or carbamate AND
3. ) Is used for commercial/research ag. production

Answer 6

In these cases employers must have:

1. )A signed written agreement with a doctor including the names and addresses of both the doctor and employer responsible for the employees.
2. )Doctor must be familiar with the Medical Supervision of Pesticide Workers-Guidelines for Physicians available from the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.
3. )Copy of this agreement issued to the CAC before pesticide handling.

Additionally, employers must maintain three years of the following records:

1. )Medical supervision agreement
2. )Pesticide use records
3. )All medical recommendations and test results.

Question 7

Cholinesterase Determinations

Employees who regularly handles the above pesticides are required to have a baseline red cell and plasma cholinesterase determinations verified every two years. For new employees, the supervisor may accept previously establish baseline value if they:

1. )were obtained according to the regulation and through the up-to-date laboratory methodology
2. )are acceptable for evaluation at the new laboratory.

*New employees, that worked with the above pesticides with previous employers, but who did not receive the medical determination must do so within 3 working days at then end of each 30 day working period when these pesticides are handled. After the employee has received three tests further monitoring must be specified by the medical supervisor. If the doctor does not make a written recommendation then testing intervals must be 60 days of every second period.

Answer 7

If an employee’s red cell or plasma cholinesterase levels fall below 80% baseline, the employer must investigate
1.)Employees work practices
2.)Employees hygiene
3.)Pesticide handling procedures
4.)Equipment usage.
5.)Review of the safety equipment and its condition.
Employer must maintain a written record for their findings, any changes made to the equipment of procedure, and any recommendations made to the employee.

If an employee’s red cell levels fall below 70% or plasma cholinesterase below 60% baseline, the employer must remove the employee from exposure to the above pesticides until levels rise back up to 80%. Employer must maintain written records of the date the employee was removed and the date they return.

Question 8

Working Alone
(Q5.9)

-When employees mix, load, or apply pesticides that carry the signal word “Danger/Poison” or “Danger” whilst working alone, must observe the following rules:

Answer 8

1. ) Daylight operations: Working alone is permitted only when the employee makespersonal radio, or telephone contact with a responsible adult at-least every two hours.
2. ) Night operations: Working alone is permitted only when the employee makes personal radio, or telephone contact with a responsible adult at-least every hour
   * Two applicators on the same field within eyesight is considered working together
   * Pilots, flaggers, and mixers is considered working together.

Question 9

Changing Areas

-For employees that mix, load, or apply pesticides that carry the signal word“Danger/Poison” or “Danger”, the employer must provide an area for employees to

Answer 9

Change clothes and wash themselves at the location where the workday is completed.

It must have clean towels, soap, and adequate water for thorough washing, and a clean pesticide free area to store personal clothing whilst not in use.

Question 10

Decontamination Facility

Q5.10

Answer 10

1. ) Employers must have sufficient water, soap, and single-use container sealed towels for routine washing of hands and face and for emergency eye flushing and washing of the entire body.
2. ) Quality and temperature of the H20must not cause illness or injury when in contact with employee. This H20 must be stored separately from water used for mixing with pesticides, unless the the tank holding mixing water is equipped with the proper valves to prevent backflow. Such as running tap water or enclosed in a container.
3. )One clean change of container sealed coveralls at each facility.
4. )Must be located at the mixing and loading site, and no more than 1/4 mile from the nearest point of vehicular access to other handlers, flaggers, etc. -100 ft. from mixing loading site when pesticides are for non-ag production
5. ) Must not be in a treated area or under restricted-interval unless
6. ) If the pesticide product label requires protective eyewear, one pint of enclosed water for emergency eye flushing must be kept immediately available for each employee handling the pesticides. The eye flush water must be carried by the handler or kept in the vehicle or aircraft that is being used by the handler.

Question 11

Personal Protective Equipment (Q5.11)

Answer 11

1. ) Employers must provide all required PPE.
2. )They are responsible for daily inspection, cleaning, repair, and replacement when necessary.
3. )They maintain PPE in a clean, specially designated locker, when not in use.
4. )They ensure that handlers do not take home any potentially contaminated PPE.
5. ) Must asure the appropriate preventative medical and health measures.

Question 12

Coveralls:

A one or two piece garment of closely woven fabric that covers the entire body except for the head, hands, and feet.

Answer 12

1. )For employees that mix, load, or apply pesticides that carry the signal word “Danger, Poison” or “Danger”, clean coveralls must be provided.
2. )Employees are required to remove their coveralls at the end of each day. If an employee does not return to the changing station they may remove the coveralls and store them in a sealable container outside their living quarters for later return to the new employer.
3. )Employers must provide laundry services for the coveralls; informing the person or firm doing the laundry that they are receiving pesticide contaminated clothing and should be laundered separately. This does not apply for fumigants unless expressly required on the label.
4. )One clean spare available at the mixing and loading site.

Question 13

Eye Protection:
(Q5.12)

Employers must provide when

Answer 13

1.) Employees are mixing or loading pesticides
2.)when using a closed system that operates under pressure. Or other closed systems
where the employee makes or breaks equipment connections, inserts or removes probe.
3.) Employees are adjusting, cleaning, or reaping application equipment, mixing/loading equipment that contain pesticide hoppers, tanks, or lines.
4.)Employees conduct hand applications including vertebrate, pest control baits, solid fumigants to vertebrate burrows, baiting insect monitoring traps, applying non-insect traps.
5.)Ground application activities using towed or vehicle mounted equipment
-Except when injecting or incorporating pesticides into soil, vehicle mounted spray nozzles are located beneath the employee and pointing down, working in and enclosed cab.

Question 14

Protective Gloves
(Q5.13)

-Employers must provide employees with clean gloves and assure that all employees who handle any pesticide use them when the label requires it, when

Answer 14

1. )Mixing/loading
2. )Adjusting, cleaning, or repairing contaminate equipment.

Gloves must

1. )Air in good condition
2. )Have no rips or cracks
3. )If used before, thorough washed inside and outside with soap and H20.

If glove type is not specify they may be made of rubber, neoprene, or there chemical resistant material. If these do not provide adequate suppleness leather gloves may be worn onto; however must not be worn in any later situation.

Flocked or lined gloves are prohibited

Question 15

Chemical-Resistant Protective Clothing

Answer 15

When the label specifies waterproof pants, coat, or rain suit, the employer must provide.

If the employee works in an enclosed cab the full body chemical resistant protective gear must be readily available and stored in a chemical resistant container.

For employees that mix, load, or apply pesticides that carry the signal word “Danger/Poison” or “Warning” through a closed system or sealed water soluble packets, they must wear at a minimum, coverall, a chemical resistant apron and gloves.

No employee may handle a pesticide that requires a fullbody chemical resistant gear when the ambient temperature exceeds 80F daylight and 85F nighttime. Exception: when employees use cooled, chemical resistant suits.

Question 16

Footwear

Answer 16

When the pesticide label specifies chemical resistant footwear, employers must assure that employees wear one of the following
1.)Chemical resistant shoes/chemical resistant boots/ or chemical resistant covering worn over the boots or shoes.

*Not necessary for operating aircraft.

Question 17

Headgear

Answer 17

Employers must assure that employees wear either a chemical resistant hood of a chemical resistant hat with a wide brim.

Question 18

Apron

Answer 18

Employers must assure that employees wear a chemical resistant apron that covers the anterior body from midcoast to knees.

Question 19

Respiratory Protection

When a pesticide label require the use of respiratory protection, employers shall

Answer 19

1.)Have in place a written respiratory program with work site specific procedures
2.)Assure the employees use respirators in accordance with pesticide labeling,restricted material permit conditions, or regulations.
3.) the National Institute for Occupations Safety and Health (NIOSH) or the Mine Safety
and Health Administration (MSHA) must approve the respiratory equipment.
4.)Employees may use their own respirator on a voluntary basis.
5.)Must provide information about the proper use of respirator to employees.

Question 20

Written Respiratory Protection Program
(Q5.14)

Employer is responsible to understand and implement the respirator regulations applicable at worksite. Respiratory program shall be updated to reflect changes at the work lace and include the following components.

Answer 20

1.)Procedures for selecting the correct respirator as well as fitting.
2.)Medical evaluation of employees that must wear a respirator
3.Identifying physician, and obtaining a written medical recommendation from the physician regarding the employees ability to use a respirator.
4.)Correct fit testing procedures to assure that employees use tight fitting face pieces
Pass an appropriate Cal/OSHA compliant fit test prior to initial use of a respirator, and renew at least annually thereafter.
4.)Procedures for proper respirator use, in routine and emergency situations
5.)procedures and schedules for respirator maintenance including;Cleaning, disinfecting, storing, inspecting, repairing, discarding & replacing.
6.)Procedures for proper use of atmosphere-supplying respirators to ensure air Quality, Quantity, and Flow
7.)Training in the proper respirator use including; Purpose of use, putting on, removing, medical signs or symptoms that can interfere with use, and maintenance.
8.)Training shall be conducted
Before and employees initial use, at least annually thereafter, if determined that employe needs retraining, if there are changes to work place situation or respirator type.
9.)Procedures for evaluating the effectiveness of the the written respirator program
A work place evaluation, assurance of program effectiveness, annually consulting with employees for their view on program effectiveness, identifying deficiencies.
10.)Record keeping shall be maintained for three years and include: Medical reecomendations, fits testing, and the respirator program.

Question 21

PPE Categories

Answer 21

Coveralls, Eye Protection, Gloves, Chemical Resistant Clothes, Footwear, Headgear, Apron, Respiratory Protection

Question 22

Workplace Requirements

Answer 22

Lighting, Safe equipment, Equipment maintenance, closed systems.

Question 23

Lighting

Answer 23

Whenever natural light in a mixing and loading area is not adequate to allow an employee to read the label, the employer must provide artificial lighting.

Question 24

Safe Equipment

Employers must assure that equipment employees use for mixing, loading, or applying pesticides is inspected before each day of use and found to be in good order to operate. If not the case employers must either repair defected equipment or replace.

Install shut off devices on the exit end of all hoses attached to mixing tanks. Tanks must be designed to prevent pesticides from splashing onto employees.

Aerial or ground application tanks with a capacity of 49 gal. or more must

Answer 24

1. )Have a properly functioning sight gauge or other means to indicate liquid level inside
2. )Tank or filler hose nozzle with a device that automatically stops the filling operation when the tank is full

Question 25

Equipment Maintenance

Answer 25

Employers must provide hazard notification to maintenance workers who may be involved in cleaning, servicing, or repair of the equipment; so they are informed of the pesticide hazard they may encounter and how to protect against them.

Question 26

Closed Systems
(Q5.15)

The most hazardous pesticide handling activity is hand pouring pesticides. This action ivity has resulted in many serious illnesses.Employers are required to provide closed systems for employees who,

Answer 26

1.)For employees that mix, load, or apply pesticides that carry the signal word “Danger
Poison” or “Warning”
2.)Load diluted liquid mixes derived from dry pesticides
3.)Mix or load any minimal exposure pesticides.
4.)Mix certain pesticides to aid with cotton harvests
*Closed systems are not required for employees who handle a total of one gallon or less/day of pesticides that have signal word “Danger/Poison” and are handled from the original container.
*Close systems must meet DPR Director’s closed system criteria.