Prep Course

Front 1

Requirements for Employee Training

Back 1

• must be provided before employee handles any pesticides
• must be repeated annually
• must have training course described in writing - provide info on what materials are used in training program
• must include info on specific pesticides
• must maintain a written record of pesticide safety training
• training records must be verified with signatures from employee, employer & trainer
• training record must be kept for at least 2 years

Front 2

Information Required in Pesticide Training Program

Back 2

• what label warning language means
• short & long-term pesticide hazards
• pesticide exposure routes
• symptoms & first aid for overexposure
• where to obtain emergency care
• decontamination procedures
• PPE
• Heat-related illnesses
• safety procedures
• environmental concerns
• warnings not to take pesticide containers home
• important res & other DPR info
• medical supervision (pesticide blood tests)
• hazard communication
• employee rights to pesticide info

Front 3

Does employer have to do pesticide training?

Back 3

No, but he/she is responsible for info provided

Front 4

Who is qualified to provide pesticide training?

(applicable to agricultural production setting - one from list)

Back 4

• DPR certified applicator
• biologist from CAC
• UC farm advisor
• licensed pest control advisor
• registered professional forester
• person who has completed DPR-approved instructor training
• another person approved by DPR

Front 5

Non-Agricultural Production Training

Back 5

No specific requirements for who can provide training for pesticide handlers who work outside production agriculture.

Front 6

What does "pesticide specific" training mean?

Back 6

• training program providing info about each pesticide employee will handle
• Ex: employers handle both glyphosate & malathion, they need to be provided with specific info on both pesticides

Front 7

Hazard Communication

(Required By DPR to be Provided to Employee - Employee must be informed where this can be found.)

Back 7

• completed copy of DPR's safety leaflet - Safety Rules for Pesticide Handlers (PSIS A-8) or Safety Rules for Pesticide Handlers in Non-Ag Settings (N8)
• pesticide use records for pesticides handled
• copies of other appropriate DPR pesticide safety leaflets
• copies of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) for each pesticide handled

Front 8

Emergency Medical Care

Back 8

• Employers required to provide name, address & phone of nearest med facility. Info must be available at work site, best to post in service vehicle.
• If employee suspected of being made ill/injured due to pesticide use employer must make sure employee is taken to ER immediately - Label for pesticide should be taken to ER.

Front 9

Age Restrictions

Back 9

No one under 18 can legally mix/load pesticide if label indicates use of the following:

• air-supplied respiratory protection (oxygen tanks)
• closed-system mixing equipment
• full-body chemical resistant clothing

Front 10

Requirements for Working Alone

(Applies to Category I ("DANGER") Pesticides)

Back 10

Applies to agricultural production only:

• regular contact every 2 hours during the day
• regular contact every hour during the night
• contact can be radio/cell or 2 ground applicators working in same field having contact with each other

Front 11

Requirements of Safety Equipment

Back 11

• adequate lighting - ability to read label
• equipment maintenance - people who repair must be informed of hazards & must be provided PPE
• hatches/doors & hoses - all openings leak-proof
• overflow prevention
• shut-off devices installed at exit end of hoses

Front 12

Hatches/Doors/Hoses

Back 12

• must be leak-proof
• any flexible hose under pressure carrying Category I or II (signal word "DANGER" or "WARNING") must not pass unshielded through cockpit of airplane/helicoptor

Front 13

Overflow Prevention

Back 13

each tank larger than 49 gallons, used to hold Category I or II (signal words "DANGER" or "WARNING") must have external means to indicate internal liquid level/automatic shut-off device

Front 14

Shutoff Devices

Back 14

• must be installed on the exit end of all hoses that carry Category I or II ("DANGER" or "WARNING")
• prevents splashes during loading
• option - reverse action pump will empty the hose & eliminate dripping/splashing hazard

Front 15

Closed Systems

Back 15

allows mixer-loader to remove a liquid pesticide from original container, rinse the emptied container & transfer the pesticide without container rinsate to the spray tank without having to hand pour

Front 16

When are closed systems required?

Back 16

• required by product label (applies to employees & employers)
• employees mix/load Category I liquid pesticides (signal work "DANGER") -OR-
• employees who mix/load liquid mixes derived from Category I and pesticide is being used to produce agricultural commodities
• do not apply when employees handle 1 gallon or less/day poured from original containers of 1 gallon or less (only applies to employees, but employer can hand poor)

Front 17

Employee Change Areas

Back 17

• must be provided to employees who regularly handle Category I & II pesticides for production of an agricultural commodity
• must be provided a place to wash & change clothes at end of work day on location
• clean towels, soap & adequate water must be available
• employer must provide clean, pesticide-free place where employees personal clothes can be stored

Front 18

Regularly Handle

Back 18

• handling a pesticide for more than 6 days in a 30-day period
• 6 days do not need to be consecutive
• regulations do not define the term "day", so any part of day is considered 1 day

Front 19

Decontamination Facilities

Back 19

• clean water, soap & single use towels must be provided by employer - must be readily available at work site where pesticides are mixed/loaded
• extra change of coveralls must also be available for decontamination
• pesticides used in non-ag production require only that decontamination be required for Category I & II
• at least 1 pint of water must be immediately available for emergency eye flushing (farming only)

Front 20

Medical Supervision Definition

Back 20

Refers to blood testing program required when employees handle certain Category I or II pesticides that are central nervous system poisons (organophosphates/carbamates).

Blood tests can reveal if handlers have been overexposed. Medical supervision requirement only applies to employees in ag production settings.

Front 21

3 Basic Elements of Medical Supervision

Back 21

1. Employee Exposure Records
2. Medical Supervision Agreements
3. Blood Tests

Front 22

Employee Exposure Records

Back 22

• required for employees who handle Category I or II organophosphate/carbamate pesticides
• records must have the name of employee, name of pesticide & date pesticide was handled
• employer must keep record for 3 years

Front 23

Medical Supervision Agreements

Back 23

• medical monitoring required for all employees who regularly handle Category I or II organophosphate/carbamate pesticides
• employers must have written medical supervision agreements with physicians
• copies of agreements must be given to CAC before employee handles pesticides

Front 24

Blood Tests

Back 24

• required for employees who regularly handle Category I or II organophosphate/carbamate pesticides
• first step in program is establishing the employee's baseline cholinesterase level
• employee required to have 3 tests at 30-day intervals
• after 1st 3 tests Dr. sets regular testing interval, it not set employee is tested every 60 days

Front 25

Blood Test Results

Back 25

• if test show's employees cholinesterase level has dropped below 80% of baseline, employer must investigate work practices of employee to find cause of pesticide overexposure
• if plasma level drops below 60% or red blood cell level drops below 70%, employee must not be allowed to handle cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticides until levels have returned to 80% of baseline

Front 26

Pesticide Exposure Routes

Back 26

• Oral - ingesting (swallowing)
• Dermal - getting on skin
• Inhalation - breathing in
• Ocular - getting in eyes

Front 27

Hazard

Back 27

• risk of illness or injury from pesticide exposure
• depends on exposure & pesticide toxicity

Front 28

Toxicity

Back 28

• measure of how poisonous a chemical is to an organism
• Ex: LD50, LC50

Front 29

LD50

Back 29

• stands for lethal dose 50% - concentration of pesticide that will kill 50% of organisms in lab test
• measured by calculating weight of pesticide (mgs) divided by weight of test organism (Kgs)
• smaller value = more toxic (ex: 50 ppm - Category I(DANGER))
• higher value = less toxic (ex: 500 ppm - Category II (WARNING))
• highest value = practically non-toxic (ex: more than 500 ppm - Category III (CAUTION))

Front 30

Acute vs. Chronic Exposure

Back 30

• "short-term" exposure - 24 hour test
• "long-term" exposure - 2 year test

Front 31

No Observable Effect Level (NOEL)

Back 31

• highest pesticide concentration in test where not effects are noticed
• Ex: if 16 mg/Kg produced dead rats, 8 mg/Kg produced sick rats & 4 mg/Kg produced healthy looking rats, NOEL is 4 mg/Kg

Front 32

Exposure

Back 32

• how much contact the test organism had with pesticide - in or on organism's body
• decrease exposure to reduce hazard

Front 33

How to Reduce Exposure

Back 33

• use engineering controls-closed systems for mixing & loading, enclosed cabs or water-soluble packaging
• following good hygiene practices - hand-washing before eating/drinking and showering at the end of the day
• wearing PPE - coveralls, eye protection & chemical resistant gloves/footwear

Front 34

Coveralls

Back 34

• DPR definition - either one-piece/two-piece garments of closely-woven fabric that covers the whole body except head, hands & feet
• must be provided to employees who handle Category I & II
• at least one extra pair must be available at mixing/loading site
• employer must arrange for cleaning, unless disposable are used.

Front 35

Types of Personal Protective Equipment

(PPE)

Back 35

• eye protection (splash goggles, face shields or safety glasses with extra brow & temple protection - DPR requirement even if it is not indicated on the label.
• chemical resistant gloves (barrier laminate, although some labels specify a type of glove) - DPR requirement even if it is not indicated on label
• chemical resistant footwear
• chemical resistant headgear
• chemical resistant aprons

Front 36

Respiratory Protection Requirements

Back 36

• requires considerably higher level of responsibility for employee & employer
• written program including procedures on proper selection, maintenance & storage of equipment
• training for employees on limitations, use & care
• fit testing
• medical evaluations for employees who use this equipment