6.2 PPE Requirements
6_Personal-Protective-Equipment
Exercise 8a Pest and Pesticides
Exercise 8b Pesticide Label to PPE
Personal Protective Equipment
Overview
Title Image: A worker in PPE measures pesticide powder. Credit: the Pesticide Education Resources Collaborative; licensed as CC BY-NC-SA.
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Introduction
Lesson Objectives
Demonstrate proper use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Match a pesticide label with proper PPE.
Key Terms
chemical-resistant apron - material that allows no measurable movement of pesticides through that covers the front of the body from mid-chest to the knees
chemical-resistant footwear - shoes, boots, or shoe coverings worn over boots or shoes that do not allow measurable movement of chemicals through its material
chemical-resistant headgear - a hood or wide brim hat that does not allow measurable movement of chemicals through its material
chemical-resistant PPE - personal protective equipment that does not allow measurable movement of chemicals through its material
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
coveralls - loose-fitting, one- or two-piece garments that cover, at a minimum, the entire body except head, hands, and feet
chemical-resistant gloves - finger and hand coverings to the wrist that do not allow the measurable movement of chemicals through its material
PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) - items worn to protect workers from hazards including chemicals
respirator - a mouth, mouth and nose, full face, or helmet covering that filters toxins from the air or supplies fresh air from a tank or hose
protective eyewear - goggles, face shield, safety glasses with front, brow, and temple protection, or a full-face respirator
waterproof - material that allows no measurable movement of water or aqueous solutions through the material during use
Introduction
Synthetic pesticides are extensively used in agriculture to control harmful pests and prevent crop yield losses or product damage. Because of high biological activity and, in certain cases, long persistence in the environment, pesticides may cause undesirable effects to human health and to the environment.
Farmers who perform manual labor in areas treated with pesticides can face major exposure from direct spray, drift from neighboring fields, or by contact with pesticide residues on the crop or soil. Farmers are routinely exposed to high levels of pesticides, usually much greater than those of consumers. Farmers’ exposure mainly occurs during the preparation and application of the pesticide spray solutions and during the cleaning-up of spraying equipment. Farmers who mix, load, and spray pesticides can be exposed to these chemicals due to spills and splashes or direct spray contact as a result of faulty or missing protective equipment, as well as even drift. However, farmers can also be exposed to pesticides even when performing activities not directly related to pesticide use. This kind of exposure is often underestimated. The dermal and inhalation routes of entry are typically the most common routes of farmers’ exposure to pesticides. Dermal exposure during usual pesticide handling takes place in body areas that remain uncovered by protective clothing, such as the face and the hands. Farmers’ exposure to pesticides can be reduced through less use of pesticides and through the correct use of the appropriate type of personal protective equipment in all stages of pesticide handling.
Personal Protective Equipment PPE
Pesticide handlers must wear the personal protective equipment (PPE) required by the pesticide label, and it must be provided by their employer (handler employer). In addition, agricultural employers must provide and maintain PPE for use by early entry workers. There are many ways that pesticide handlers or incidental exposures can happen as seen in the table below and Figure 8.6.1. In addition to PPE, other safety equipment also needs to be available for control teams. This includes eye wash kits, water and soap, and antidotes (in certain cases). When ordering PPE, one has to consider that all items have only a limited operational life. For instance, gloves get torn or impregnated by insecticides; overalls will after a while become too contaminated for use, even if properly washed. Sufficient PPE has to be ordered and distributed to allow for such wear and tear. Most PPE can be stored for several years; therefore, it is better to order too much of it than too little. The exact types and quantities of PPE required will depend on the type of insecticide used (e.g. its formulation and corrosiveness), the type of treatments carried out (e.g. with vehicle mounted sprayers or backpack sprayers), and the expected intensity of the campaign. It is therefore important that the heads of the control bases keep track of the types and uses of PPE so that new materials can be ordered in a timely manner.
How Handlers May Be Exposed to Insecticides | |
Backpack, handheld or vehicle mounted application |
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Aerial application |
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Mixing and loading |
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Storage |
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Transport |
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Calibration |
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Monitoring |
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Survey |
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Personal protective equipment (PPE) includes:
- Chemical-resistant aprons, footwear, headgear, and suits
- Coveralls
- Chemical-resistant gloves
- Goggles
- Masks
- Respirators
The following items are not considered "PPE." Employers are not required to provide/maintain them, even when they are required by a pesticide product labeling as PPE:
- Shirts
- Pants
- Shoes
- Socks
Waterproof PPE must be made of material that allows no measurable movement of water or aqueous solutions through the material during use. Chemical-resistant PPEmust be made of material that allows no measurable movement of the pesticide being used through the material during use.
Chemical-resistant footwear means one of the following types of footwear must be worn:
- Chemical-resistant shoes
- Chemical-resistant boots
- Chemical-resistant shoe coverings worn over shoes or boots
There are certain specifications for what qualifies as chemical-resistant PPE. Chemical-resistant headgear must be either a chemical-resistant hood or a chemical-resistant hat with a wide brim. A chemical-resistant suit must be a loose-fitting, one- or two-piece chemical-resistant garment that covers, at a minimum, the entire body except head, hands, and feet. Chemical-resistant aprons must cover the front of the body from mid-chest to the knees. Coveralls must be loose-fitting, one- or two-piece garments that cover, at a minimum, the entire body except head, hands, and feet. When the pesticide label requires coveralls to be worn but does not specify the type of material, it means cloth garments as described above; however, they are not required to be chemical-resistant. If full body chemical-resistant protection is required, the label will specify that a handler must wear a chemical-resistant suit instead of coveralls.
Gloves will cover the fingers and entire hand to the wrist. They must be the type of gloves specified on the pesticide product labeling. Gloves made of leather, cotton, or other absorbent materials may not be worn while performing handler activities unless gloves made of these materials are listed as acceptable for such use on the pesticide product labeling. Separable glove liners may be worn beneath chemical-resistant gloves, unless the pesticide product labeling specifically prohibits their use. Separable glove liners are defined as separate glove-like hand coverings, made of lightweight material, with or without fingers. Work gloves made from lightweight cotton or poly-type material are considered to be glove liners if worn beneath chemical-resistant gloves. Separable glove liners may not extend outside the chemical-resistant gloves under which they are worn. Chemical-resistant gloves with non-separable absorbent lining materials are prohibited. If used, separable glove liners must be discarded immediately after a total of no more than 10 hours of use or within 24 hours of when first put on, whichever comes first. The liners must be replaced immediately if directly contacted by pesticide. Used glove liners must not be reused. Contaminated liners must be disposed of in accordance with any Federal, State, or local regulations.
Protective eyewear means one of the following types of eyewear (Figure 8.6.3):
- goggles
- face shield
- safety glasses with front, brow, and temple protection
- full-face respirator
Respirators filter toxins from the air or supply fresh air from a tank or hose. The pictures below (Figure 8.6.4) are a few different types of respirators, which can range from mouth and nose coverage all the way to an elaborate helmet setup.
A respirator must be used if specified by the pesticide product labeling. Before the handler performs any handler activities where a respirator is required to be worn, the handler employer must ensure the following:
- Handlers are provided with fit testing using the respirator specified on the pesticide product labeling in a manner that conforms to the provisions of 29 CFR 1910.134.
- Handlers are provided with training in the use of the respirator specified on the pesticide product labeling in a manner that conforms to the provisions of 29 CFR 1910.134(k)(1)(i) through(vi).
- Records of completion are maintained on the establishment for two years.
During the planning phase, the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) has to be selected and ordered, so that it is available at the start of the control operation. Pesticide manufacturers include information on the product labels to inform users what level of PPE protection is needed. Figure 8.6.5 shows the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ recommendation for PPE for locust control.
The type of PPE that is needed for any specific task depends on the toxicity of the insecticides that will be used. Figure 8.6.6 lists the recommended PPE from a product label.
PPE Requirements
Employers (even individuals who are self-employed) must provide all of the required protections to non-certified crop advisors they employ. Learn more about the applicable certifications for crop advisors here.
If crop-advising tasks are done during pesticide applications or during restricted-entry intervals (REIs), protections and training for handlers must be provided. If crop-advising tasks are done after any REI is over, but within 30 days of the application or the end of the REI, protections and training for workers must be provided.
Dig Deeper
Unit 8 Lab Exercises
Exercise 8a: Pests and Pesticides
Students research various pests and pesticides to understand how pests affect plants and the various pesticides used to control them. It also covers the environmental and health impacts of pesticide use.
Exercise 8b: Pesticide Label to PPE
Students create pesticide lablels and select the proper corresponding personal protective equipment (PPE) required for safe handling and application. This exercise emphasizes the importance of safety measures in the use of pesticides.
Attributions
Farmers’ Exposure to Pesticides: Toxicity Types and Ways of Prevention by Christos A. Damalas and Spyridon D. Koutroubas is licensed CC BY 4.0.
Personal Protective Equipment by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is in the Public Domain.
Pesticide Education Resources Collaborative Guide by the Pesticide Education Resources Collaborative is licensed as CC BY-NC-SA.
Worker Protection Standard Personal Protective Equipment Definition Page by the Pesticide Education Resources Collaborative is licensed as CC BY-NC-SA.
Practical guidelines on pesticide risk reduction for locust control in Caucasus and Central Asia by Harold van der Valk, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is licensed CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.