WAC
296-307-12040 Pesticide safety training--Standards for workers--40
CFR, § 170.130.
(1) General requirement.
(a) Agricultural employer assurance. The agricultural employer
shall assure that each worker, required by this section to be
trained, has been trained according to this section during the
last five years, counting from the end of the month in which
the training was completed.
Note: In addition to the training required
by this section, the agricultural employer shall assure without
exception, that all employees are trained in accordance with
WAC 296-307-550, Employer
chemical hazard communication.
(b) Requirement for workers performing early entry activities.
Before a worker enters a treated area on the agricultural establishment
during a restricted-entry interval to perform early entry activities
permitted by WAC
296-307-12020 and contacts anything that has been treated
with the pesticide to which the restricted-entry interval applies,
including but not limited to, soil, water, or surfaces of plants,
the agricultural employer shall assure that the worker has been
trained.
(c) Requirements for other agricultural workers.
(i) Information before entry. Except as provided in (b) of
this subsection, before a worker enters any areas on the agricultural
establishment where, within the last thirty days a pesticide
to which this part applies has been applied or the restricted-entry
interval for such pesticide has been in effect, the agricultural
employer shall assure that the worker has been provided the
pesticide safety information specified in subsection (3) of
this section, in a manner that agricultural workers can understand,
such as by providing written materials or oral communication
or by other means. The agricultural employer must be able
to verify compliance with this requirement.
(ii) Training before the start of a work period. The agricultural
employer shall assure that a worker has been trained before
the worker enters any areas on the agricultural establishment
where, within the last thirty days a pesticide to which this
chapter applies has been applied or a restricted-entry interval
for such pesticide has been in effect, the agricultural employer
shall assure that the worker has been trained.
(2) Exceptions. The following persons need not be trained under
this section:
(a) A worker who is currently certified as an applicator of
restricted-use pesticides under chapter 17.21 RCW.
(b) A worker who satisfies the training requirements of chapter
17.21 RCW.
(c) A worker who satisfies the handler training requirements
of WAC
296-307-13025(3).
(d) A worker who is certified or licensed as a crop advisor
by the Washington state department of agriculture under RCW
15.58.230: Provided, That a requirement for such certification
or licensing is pesticide safety training that includes all
the information set out in WAC
296-307-13025 (3)(d).
(3) Training programs.
(a) General pesticide safety information shall be presented
to workers either orally from written materials or audiovisually.
The information must be presented in a manner that the workers
can understand (such as through a translator) using nontechnical
terms. The presenter also shall respond to workers' questions.
(b) The person who conducts the training shall meet at least
one of the following criteria:
(i) Be currently certified as an applicator of restricted-use
pesticides under chapter 17.21 RCW; or
(ii) Be currently designated as a trainer of certified applicators
or pesticide handlers by the Washington state department of
agriculture in accordance with chapters 15.58 and 17.21 RCW;
or
(iii) Have completed a pesticide safety train-the-trainer
program approved by the Washington state department of agriculture
in accordance with chapters 15.58 and 17.21 RCW; or
(c) Any person who issues a Washington state department of
agriculture-approved Worker Protection Standard worker training
card must assure that the worker who receives the training card
has been trained in accordance with subsection (4)(d) of this
section.
(d) The training materials shall convey, at a minimum, the
following information:
(i) Where and in what form pesticides may be encountered
during work activities.
(ii) Hazards of pesticides resulting from toxicity and exposure,
including acute and chronic effects, delayed effects, and
sensitization.
(iii) Routes through which pesticides can enter the body,
including information on wearing work clothing that protects
the body from pesticide residues.
(iv) Signs and symptoms of common types of pesticide poisoning.
(v) Emergency first aid for pesticide injuries or poisonings.
(vi) How to obtain emergency medical care.
(vii) Routine and emergency decontamination procedures, including
preventing pesticides from entering the body by:
emergency eyeflushing techniques;
washing work clothes separately from other clothes before
wearing them again;
washing before eating, drinking, using chewing gum or
tobacco, or using the toilet;
washing/showering with soap and water, shampooing hair,
and putting on clean clothes after work; andwashing immediately
in the nearest clean water if pesticides are spilled on
the body. As soon as possible shower, shampoo, and change
into clean clothes.
(viii) Hazards from chemigation and drift.
(ix) Hazards from pesticide residues on clothing.
(x) Warnings about taking pesticides or pesticide containers
home.
(xi) Requirements of this part designed to reduce the risks
of illness or injury resulting from workers' occupational
exposure to pesticides, including application and entry restrictions,
the design of the warning sign, posting of warning signs,
oral warnings, the availability of specific information about
applications, and the protection against retaliatory acts.
(4) Verification of training.
(a) Except as provided in subsection (4)(b) of this section,
if the agricultural employer assures that a worker possesses
a Washington state department of agriculture-approved Worker
Protection Standard worker training card, then the requirements
of subsection (1) of this section will have been met.
(b) If the agricultural employer is aware or has reason to
know that a Washington state department of agriculture-approved
Worker Protection Standard worker training card has not been
issued in accordance with this section, or has not been issued
to the worker bearing the card, or the training was completed
more than five years before the beginning of the current month,
a worker's possession of that certificate does not meet the
requirements of subsection (1) of this section.
(1) Requirement. When workers are on an agricultural establishment
and, within the last thirty days, a pesticide covered by this
part has been applied on the establishment or a restricted-entry
interval has been in effect, the agricultural employer shall display,
in accordance with this section, pesticide safety information.
(2) Pesticide safety poster. A safety poster must be displayed
that conveys, at a minimum, the following basic pesticide safety
concepts:
(a) Help keep pesticides from entering your body. At a minimum,
the following points shall be conveyed:
(i) Avoid getting on your skin or into your body any pesticides
that may be on plants and soil, in irrigation water, or drifting
from nearby applications.
(ii) Wash before eating, drinking, using chewing gum or tobacco,
or using the toilet.
(iii) Wear work clothing that protects the body from pesticide
residues (long-sleeved shirts, long pants, shoes and socks,
and a hat or scarf).
(iv) Wash/shower with soap and water, shampoo hair, and put
on clean clothes after work.
(v) Wash work clothes separately from other clothes before
wearing them again.
(vi) Wash immediately in the nearest clean water if pesticides
are spilled or sprayed on the body. As soon as possible, shower,
shampoo, and change into clean clothes.
(vii) Follow directions about keeping out of treated or restricted
areas.
(b) There are federal rules to protect workers and handlers,
including a requirement for safety training.
(3) Emergency medical care information.
(a) The name, address, and telephone number of the nearest
emergency medical care facility shall be on the safety poster
or displayed close to the safety poster.
(b) The agricultural employer shall inform workers promptly
of any change to the information on emergency medical care facilities.
(4) Location.
(a) The information shall be displayed in a central location
on the farm or in the nursery or greenhouse where it can be
readily seen and read by workers.
(b) The information shall be displayed in a location in or
near the forest in a place where it can be readily seen and
read by workers and where workers are likely to congregate or
pass by, such as at a decontamination site or an equipment storage
site.
(5) Accessibility. Workers shall be informed of the location
of the information and shall be allowed access to it.
(6) Legibility. The information shall remain legible during the
time it is posted.
WAC
296-307-12050 Decontamination--Standards for workers--40 CFR,
§ 170.150.
(1) Requirements. The agricultural employer must provide decontamination
supplies for workers in accordance with this section whenever:
(a) Any worker on the agricultural establishment is performing
an activity in the area where a pesticide was applied or a restricted-entry
interval (REI) was in effect within the last thirty days; and
(b) The worker contacts anything that has been treated with
the pesticide including but not limited to soil, water, plants,
plant surfaces, and plant parts;
(c) Exception. The thirty-day time period established in (a)
of this subsection shall not apply if the only pesticides used
in the treated area are products with an REI of four hours or
less on the label (but not a product without an REI on the label).
When workers are in such treated areas, the agricultural employer
shall provide decontamination supplies for not less than seven
days following the expiration of any applicable REI.
(2) General conditions.
(a) The agricultural employer shall provide workers with adequate
water for routine washing and emergency eyeflushing. At all
times when the water is available to workers, the employer shall
assure that it is of a quality and temperature that will not
cause illness or injury when it contacts the skin or eyes or
if it is swallowed.
(b) When water stored in a tank is to be used for mixing pesticides,
it shall not be used for decontamination or eyeflushing, unless
the tank is equipped with properly functioning valves or other
mechanisms that prevent movement of pesticides into the tank.
(c) The agricultural employer shall provide soap and single-use
towels in quantities sufficient to meet workers' needs.
(d) To provide for emergency eyeflushing, the agricultural
employer shall assure that at least one pint of water is immediately
available to each worker who is performing early entry activities
permitted by WAC
296-307-12020 and for which the pesticide labeling requires
protective eyewear. The eyeflush water shall be carried by the
early entry worker, or shall be on the vehicle the early entry
worker is using, or shall be otherwise immediately accessible.
(3) Location.
(a) The decontamination supplies shall be located together
and shall be reasonably accessible to and not more than one-quarter
mile from where workers are working.
(b) For worker activities performed more than one-quarter mile
from the nearest place of vehicular access:
(i) The soap, single-use towels, and water may be at the
nearest place of vehicular access.
(ii) The agricultural employer may permit workers to use
clean water from springs, streams, lakes, or other sources
for decontamination at the remote work site, if such water
is more accessible than the water located at the nearest place
of vehicular access.
(c) The decontamination supplies shall not be in an area being
treated with pesticides.
(d) The decontamination supplies shall not be maintained in
an area that is under a restricted-entry interval, unless the
workers for whom the decontamination supplies are provided are
performing early entry activities permitted by WAC
296-307-12020 and involving contact with treated surfaces
and the decontamination supplies would otherwise not be reasonably
accessible to those workers.
(4) Decontamination after early entry activities. At the end
of any exposure period for workers engaged in early entry activities
permitted by WAC
296-307-12020 and involving contact with anything that has
been treated with the pesticide to which the restricted-entry
interval applies, including, but not limited to, soil, water,
air, or surfaces of plants, the agricultural employer shall provide,
at the site where the workers remove personal protective equipment,
soap, clean towels, and a adequate amount of water so that the
workers may wash thoroughly. At least ten gallons of water for
one employee and twenty gallons of water for two or more employees
shall be provided at early entry sites that do not have running
water.
WAC
296-307-12055 Emergency assistance--Standards for workers--40
CFR, § 170.160.
If there is reason to believe that a person who is or has been
employed on an agricultural establishment to perform tasks related
to the production of agricultural plants has been poisoned or
injured by exposure to pesticides used on the agricultural establishment,
including, but not limited to, exposures from application, splash,
spill, drift, or pesticide residues, the agricultural employer
shall:
(1) Make available to that person prompt transportation from
the agricultural establishment, including any labor camp on the
agricultural establishment, to an appropriate emergency medical
facility.
(2) Provide to that person or to treating medical personnel,
promptly upon request, any obtainable information on:
(a) Product name, EPA registration number, and active ingredients
of any product to which that person might have been exposed.
(b) Antidote, first aid, and other medical information from
the product labeling.
(c) The circumstances of application or use of the pesticide
on the agricultural establishment.
(d) The circumstances of exposure of that person to the pesticide.
WAC
296-307-130 Applicability of this section--Standards for pesticide
handlers--40 CFR, § 170.202.
(1) Requirement. Except as provided by subsection (2) of this
section, WAC
296-307-130 applies when any pesticide is handled for use
on an agricultural establishment.
(2) Exceptions. WAC
296-307-130 does not apply when any pesticide is handled for
use on an agricultural establishment in the following circumstances:
(a) For mosquito abatement, Mediterranean fruit fly eradication,
or similar wide-area public pest control programs sponsored
by governmental entities.
(b) On livestock or other animals, or in or about animal premises.
(c) On plants grown for other than commercial or research purposes,
which may include plants in habitations, home fruit and vegetable
gardens, and home greenhouses.
(d) On plants that are in ornamental gardens, parks, and public
or private lawns and grounds and that are intended only for
aesthetic purposes or climatic modification.
(e) In a manner not directly related to the production of agricultural
plants, including, but not limited to, structural pest control,
control of vegetation along rights-of-way and in other noncrop
areas, and pasture and rangeland use.
(f) For control of vertebrate pests.
(g) As attractants or repellents in traps.
(h) On the harvested portions of agricultural plants or on
harvested timber.
WAC
296-307-13005 Exemptions--Standards for handlers--40 CFR,
§ 170.204.
The handlers listed in this section are exempt from the specified
provisions of this part.
(1) Owners of agricultural establishments.
(a) The owner of an agricultural establishment is not required
to provide to himself or members of his immediate family who
are performing handling tasks on their own agricultural establishment
the protections of:
(b) The owner of the agricultural establishment must provide
the protections listed in subsection (1)(a)(i) through (ix)
of this section to other handlers and other persons who are
not members of his immediate family.
(2) Crop advisors.
(a) Provided that the conditions of (b) of this subsection
are met, a person who is certified or licensed as a crop advisor
by the Washington state department of agriculture under RCW
15.58.230, and persons performing crop advising tasks under
such qualified crop advisor's direct supervision, are exempt
from the provisions of:
A person is under the direct supervision of a crop advisor
when the crop advisor exerts the supervisory controls set
out in (b)(iv) and (v) of this subsection. Direct supervision
does not require that the crop advisor be physically present
at all times, but the crop advisor must be readily accessible
to the employees at all times.
(b) Conditions of exemption.
(i) The certification or licensing program requires pesticide
safety training that includes, at least, all the information
in WAC
296-307-13025 (3)(d).
(ii) No entry into the treated area occurs until after application
ends.
(iii) Applies only when performing crop advising tasks in
the treated area.
(iv) The crop advisor must make specific determinations regarding
the appropriate PPE, appropriate decontamination supplies,
and how to conduct the tasks safely. The crop advisor must
convey this information to each person under his direct supervision
in a language that the person understands.
(v) Before entering a treated area, the certified or licensed
crop advisor must inform, through an established practice
of communication, each person under his direct supervision
of the pesticide products and active ingredient(s) applied,
method of application, time of application, the restricted-entry
interval, which tasks to undertake, and how to contact the
crop advisor.
(c) Applies only when the persons are performing crop advising
tasks in the treated area.
(d) The crop advisor must make specific determinations regarding
the appropriate PPE, appropriate decontamination supplies, and
how to conduct the tasks safely. The crop advisor must convey
this information to each person under his direct supervision
in a language that the person understands.
WAC
296-307-13010 Restrictions during applications--Standards
for pesticide handlers--40 CFR, § 170.210.
(1) Contact with workers and other persons. The handler employer
and the handler shall assure that no pesticide is applied so as
to contact, either directly or through drift, any worker or other
person, other than an appropriately trained and equipped handler.
(2) Handlers handling highly toxic pesticides. The handler employer
shall assure that any handler who is performing any handling activity
with a product that has the skull and crossbones symbol on the
front panel of the label is monitored visually or by voice communication
at least every two hours.
(3) Fumigant applications in greenhouses. The handler employer
shall assure:
(a) That any handler who handles a fumigant in a greenhouse,
including a handler who enters the greenhouse before the acceptable
inhalation exposure level or ventilation criteria have been
met to monitor air levels or to initiate ventilation, maintains
continuous visual or voice contact with another handler.
(b) That the other handler has immediate access to the personal
protective equipment required by the fumigant labeling for handlers
in the event entry into the fumigated greenhouse becomes necessary
for rescue.
WAC
296-307-13015 Providing specific information about applications--Standards
for pesticide handlers--40 CFR, § 170.222.
When handlers (except those employed by a commercial pesticide
handling establishment) are on an agricultural establishment and,
within the last thirty days, a pesticide covered by this part
has been applied on the establishment or a restricted-entry interval
has been in effect, the handler employer shall display, in accordance
with this section, specific information about the pesticide.
(1) Location, accessibility, and legibility. The information
shall be displayed in the same location specified for the pesticide
safety poster in WAC
296-307-13040(4) and shall be accessible and legible, as specified
in WAC
296-307-13040 (5) and (6).
(2) Timing.
(a) If warning signs are posted for the treated area before
an application, the specific application information for that
application shall be posted at the same time or earlier.
(b) The information shall be posted before the application
takes place, if handlers (except those employed by a commercial
pesticide handling establishment) will be on the establishment
during application. Otherwise, the information shall be posted
at the beginning of any such handler's first work period.
(c) The information shall continue to be displayed for at least
thirty days after the end of the restricted-entry interval (or,
if there is no restricted-entry interval, for at least thirty
days after the end of the application) or at least until the
handlers are no longer on the establishment, whichever is earlier.
(3) Required information. The information shall include:
(a) The location and description of the treated area.
(b) The product name, EPA registration number, and active ingredient(s)
of the pesticide.
(c) The time and date the pesticide is to be applied.
(d) The restricted-entry interval for the pesticide.
WAC
296-307-13020 Notice of applications to agricultural employers--Standards
for pesticide handlers--40 CFR, § 170.224.
Before the application of any pesticide
on or in an agricultural establishment, the handler employer shall
provide the following information to any agricultural employer
for the establishment or shall assure that any agricultural employer
is aware of:
(1) Specific location and description of the treated area.
(2) Time and date of application.
(3) Product name, EPA registration number, and active ingredient(s).
(4) Restricted-entry interval.
(5) Whether posting and oral notification are required.
(6) Any other product-specific requirements on the product labeling
concerning protection of workers or other persons during or after
application.
(1) Requirement. Before any handler performs any handling task,
the handler employer shall assure that the handler has been trained
in accordance with this section during the last five years, counting
from the end of the month in which the training was completed.
Note: In addition to the training required
by this section, the agricultural employer shall assure, without
exception, that all employees are trained in accordance with WAC
296-307-550, Employer chemical hazard communication.
(2) Exceptions. The following persons need not be trained under
this section:
(a) A handler who is currently certified as an applicator of
restricted-use pesticides under chapter 17.21 RCW.
(b) A handler who is certified or licensed as a crop advisor
by the Washington state department of agriculture under RCW
15.58.230: Provided, That a requirement for such certification
or licensing is pesticide safety training that includes all
the information set out in WAC
296-307-13025 (3)(d).
(3) Training programs.
(a) General pesticide safety information shall be presented
to handlers either orally from written materials or audiovisually.
The information must be presented in a manner that the handlers
can understand (such as through a translator). The presenter
also shall respond to handlers' questions.
(b) The person who conducts the training shall meet at least
one of the following criteria:
(i) Be currently certified as an applicator of restricted-use
pesticides under chapter 17.21 RCW; or
(ii) Be currently designated as a trainer of certified applicators
or pesticide handlers by the Washington state department of
agriculture under chapters 15.58 or 17.21 RCW; or (iii) Have
completed a pesticide safety train-the-trainer program approved
by a state, federal, or tribal agency having jurisdiction.
(c) Any person who issues a Washington state department of
agriculture-approved Worker Protection Standard handler training
card must assure that the handler who receives the training
card has been trained in accordance with (d) of this subsection.
(d) The pesticide safety training materials must convey, at
a minimum, the following information:
(i) Format and meaning of information contained on pesticide
labels and in labeling, including safety information such
as precautionary statements about human health hazards.
(ii) Hazards of pesticides resulting from toxicity and exposure,
including acute and chronic effects, delayed effects, and
sensitization.
(iii) Routes by which pesticides can enter the body.
(iv) Signs and symptoms of common types of pesticide poisoning.
(v) Emergency first aid for pesticide injuries or poisonings.
(vi) How to obtain emergency medical care.
(vii) Routine and emergency decontamination procedures.
(viii) Need for and appropriate use of personal protective
equipment.
(ix) Prevention, recognition, and first-aid treatment of
heat-related illness.
(x) Safety requirements for handling, transporting, storing,
and disposing of pesticides, including general procedures
for spill cleanup.
(xi) Environmental concerns such as drift, runoff, and wildlife
hazards.
(xii) Warnings about taking pesticides or pesticide containers
home.
(xiii) Requirements of this part that must be followed by
handler employers for the protection of handlers and other
persons, including the prohibition against applying pesticides
in a manner that will cause contact with workers or other
persons, the requirement to use personal protective equipment,
the provisions for training and decontamination, and the protection
against retaliatory acts.
(4) Verification of training.
(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, if the handler
employer assures that a handler possesses a Washington state
department of agriculture-approved Worker Protection Standard
handler training card, then the requirements of subsection (1)
of this section will have been met.
(b) If the handler employer is aware or has reason to know
that a Washington state department of agriculture-approved Worker
Protection Standard handler training card has not been issued
in accordance with this section, or has not been issued to the
handler bearing the card, or the handler training was completed
more than five years before the beginning of the current month,
a handler's possession of that card does not meet the requirements
of subsection (1) of this section.
WAC
296-307-13030 Knowledge of labeling and site-specific information--Standards
for pesticide handlers--40 CFR, § 170.232.
(1) Knowledge of labeling information.
(a) The handler employer shall assure that before the handler
performs any handling activity, the handler either has read
the product labeling or has been informed in a manner the handler
can understand of all labeling requirements related to safe
use of the pesticide, such as signal words, human hazard precautions,
personal protective equipment requirements, first-aid instructions,
environmental precautions, and any additional precautions pertaining
to the handling activity to be performed.
(b) The handler employer shall assure that the handler has
access to the product labeling information during handling activities.
(2) Knowledge of site-specific information. Whenever a handler
who is employed by a commercial pesticide handling establishment
will be performing pesticide handling tasks on an agricultural
establishment, the handler employer shall assure that the handler
is aware of the following information concerning any areas on
the agricultural establishment that the handler may be in (or
may walk within one-quarter mile of) and that may be treated with
a pesticide or that may be under a restricted-entry interval while
the handler will be on the agricultural establishment:
(a) Specific location and description of any such areas; and
WAC
296-307-13035 Safe operation of equipment--Standards for pesticide
handlers--40 CFR, § 170.234.
(1) The handler employer shall assure that before the handler
uses any equipment for mixing, loading, transferring, or applying
pesticides, the handler is instructed in the safe operation of
such equipment, including, when relevant, chemigation safety requirements
and drift avoidance.
(2) The handler employer shall assure that, before each day of
use, equipment used for mixing, loading, transferring, or applying
pesticides is inspected for leaks, clogging, and worn or damaged
parts, and any damaged equipment is repaired or is replaced. (3)
Before allowing any person to repair, clean, or adjust equipment
that has been used to mix, load, transfer, or apply pesticides,
the handler employer shall assure that pesticide residues have
been removed from the equipment, unless the person doing the cleaning,
repairing, or adjusting is a handler employed by the agricultural
or commercial pesticide handling establishment. If pesticide residue
removal is not feasible, the handler employer shall assure that
the person who repairs, cleans, or adjusts such equipment is informed:
(a) That such equipment may be contaminated with pesticides.
(b) Of the potentially harmful effects of exposure to pesticides.
(1) Requirement. When handlers (except those employed by a commercial
pesticide handling establishment) are on an agricultural establishment
and, within the last thirty days, a pesticide covered by this
part has been applied on the establishment or a restricted-entry
interval has been in effect, the handler employer shall display,
in accordance with this section, pesticide safety information.
(2) Pesticide safety poster. A safety poster must be displayed
that conveys, at a minimum, the following basic pesticide safety
concepts:
(a) Help keep pesticides from entering your body. At a minimum,
the following points shall be conveyed:
(i) Avoid getting on your skin or into your body any pesticides
that may be on plants and soil, in irrigation water, or drifting
from nearby applications.
(ii) Wash before eating, drinking, using chewing gum or tobacco,
or using the toilet.
(iii) Wear work clothing that protects the body from pesticide
residues (long-sleeved shirts, long pants, shoes and socks,
and a hat or scarf).
(iv) Wash/shower with soap and water, shampoo hair, and put
on clean clothes after work.
(v) Wash work clothes separately from other clothes before
wearing them again.
(vi) Wash immediately in the nearest clean water if pesticides
are spilled or sprayed on the body. As soon as possible, shower,
shampoo, and change into clean clothes.
(vii) Follow directions about keeping out of treated or restricted
areas.
(b) There are federal rules to protect workers and handlers
including a requirement for safety training.
(3) Emergency medical care information.
(a) The name, address, and telephone number of the nearest
emergency medical care facility shall be on the safety poster
or displayed close to the safety poster.
(b) The handler employer shall inform handlers promptly of
any change to the information on emergency medical care facilities.
(4) Location.
(a) The information shall be displayed in a central location
on the farm or in the nursery or greenhouse where it can be
readily seen and read by handlers.
(b) The information shall be displayed in a location in or
near the forest in a place where it can be readily seen and
read by handlers and where handlers are likely to congregate
or pass by, such as at a decontamination site or an equipment
storage site.
(5) Accessibility. Handlers shall be informed of the location
of the information and shall be allowed access to it.
(6) Legibility. The information shall remain legible during the
time it is posted.
WAC
296-307-13045 Personal protective equipment--Standards for
pesticide handlers--40 CFR, § 170.240.
(1) Requirement. Any person who performs tasks as a pesticide
handler shall use the clothing and personal protective equipment
specified on the labeling for use of the product.
(2) Definition.
(a) Personal protective equipment (PPE) means devices and apparel
that are worn to protect the body from contact with pesticides
or pesticide residues, including, but not limited to, coveralls,
chemical-resistant suits, chemical-resistant gloves, chemical-resistant
footwear, respiratory protection devices, chemical-resistant
aprons, chemical-resistant headgear, and protective eyewear.
(b) Long-sleeved shirts, short-sleeved shirts, long pants,
short pants, shoes, socks, and other items of work clothing
are not considered personal protective equipment for the purposes
of this section and are not subject to the requirements of this
section, although pesticide labeling may require that such work
clothing be worn during some activities.
(3) Provision. When personal protective equipment is specified
by the labeling of any pesticide for any handling activity, the
handler employer shall provide the appropriate personal protective
equipment in clean and operating condition to the handler.
(a) When “chemical-resistant” personal protective
equipment is specified by the product labeling, it shall be
made of material that allows no measurable movement of the pesticide
being used through the material during use.
(b) When “waterproof” personal protective equipment
is specified by the product labeling, it shall be made of material
that allows no measurable movement of water or aqueous solutions
through the material during use.
(c) When a “chemical-resistant suit” is specified
by the product labeling, it shall be a loose-fitting, one-piece
or two-piece chemical-resistant garment that covers, at a minimum,
the entire body except head, hands, and feet.
(d) When “coveralls” are specified by the product
labeling, they shall be a loose-fitting, one-piece or two-piece
garment, such as a cotton or cotton and polyester coverall,
that covers, at a minimum, the entire body except head, hands,
and feet. The pesticide product labeling may specify that the
coveralls be worn over another layer of clothing.
(e) Gloves shall be of the type specified by the product labeling.
Gloves or glove linings made of leather, cotton, or other absorbent
material shall not be worn for handling activities unless such
materials are listed on the product labeling as acceptable for
such use.
(f) When “chemical-resistant footwear” is specified
by the product labeling, one of the following types of footwear
must be worn:
(i) Chemical-resistant shoes.
(ii) Chemical-resistant boots.
(iii) Chemical-resistant shoe coverings worn over shoes or
boots.
(g) When “protective eyewear” is specified by the
product labeling, one of the following types of eyewear must
be worn:
(i) Goggles.
(ii) Face shield.
(iii) Safety glasses with front, brow, and temple protection.
(iv) Full-face respirator.
(h) When a “chemical-resistant apron” is specified
by the product labeling, an apron that covers the front of the
body from mid-chest to the knees shall be worn.
(i) When a respirator is specified by the product labeling,
it shall be appropriate for the pesticide product used and for
the activity to be performed. The handler employer shall assure
that the respirator fits correctly by using the procedures consistent
with chapter 296-307 WAC, Part Y-5. If the label does not specify
the type of respirator to be used, it shall meet the requirements
of chapter 296-307 WAC, Part Y-5.
The respiratory protection requirements of chapter
296-307 WAC, Part Y-5, shall apply.
(j) When “chemical-resistant headgear” is specified
by the product labeling, it shall be either a chemical-resistant
hood or a chemical-resistant hat with a wide brim.
(4) Exceptions to personal protective equipment specified on
product labeling.
(a) Body protection.
(i) A chemical-resistant suit may be substituted for “coveralls,”
and any requirement for an additional layer of clothing beneath
is waived.
(ii) A chemical-resistant suit may be substituted for “coveralls”
and a chemical-resistant apron.
(b) Boots. If chemical-resistant footwear with sufficient durability
and a tread appropriate for wear in rough terrain is not obtainable,
then leather boots may be worn in such terrain.
(c) Gloves. If chemical-resistant gloves with sufficient durability
and suppleness are not obtainable, then during handling activities
with roses or other plants with sharp thorns, leather gloves
may be worn over chemical-resistant glove liners. However, once
leather gloves are worn for this use, thereafter they shall
be worn only with chemical-resistant liners and they shall not
be worn for any other use.
(d) Closed systems. If handling tasks are performed using properly
functioning systems that enclose the pesticide to prevent it
from contacting handlers or other persons, and if such systems
are used and are maintained in accordance with that manufacturer's
written operating instructions, exceptions to labeling-specified
personal protective equipment for the handling activity are
permitted as provided in (d)(i) and (ii) of this subsection.
(i) Persons using a closed system to mix or load pesticides
with a signal word of danger or warning may substitute a long-sleeved
shirt, long pants, shoes, socks, chemical-resistant apron,
and any protective gloves specified on the labeling for handlers
for the labeling-specified personal protective equipment.
(ii) Persons using a closed system to mix or load pesticides
other than those in (d)(i) of this subsection or to perform
other handling tasks may substitute a long-sleeved shirt,
long pants, shoes, and socks for the labeling-specified personal
protective equipment.
(iii) Persons using a closed system that operates under pressure
shall wear protective eyewear.
(iv) Persons using a closed system shall have all labeling-specified
personal protective equipment immediately available for use
in an emergency.
(e) Enclosed cabs. If handling tasks are performed from inside
a cab that has a nonporous barrier which totally surrounds the
occupants of the cab and prevents contact with pesticides outside
of the cab, exceptions to personal protective equipment specified
on the product labeling for that handling activity are permitted
as provided in (e)(i) through (iv) of this subsection.
(i) Persons occupying an enclosed cab may substitute a long-sleeved
shirt, long pants, shoes, and socks for the labeling-specified
personal protective equipment. If a respiratory protection
device is specified on the pesticide product labeling for
the handling activity, it must be worn.
(ii) Persons occupying an enclosed cab that has a properly
functioning ventilation system which is used and maintained
in accordance with the manufacturer's written operating instructions
and which is declared in writing by the manufacturer and by
the Washington state department of labor and industries to
provide respiratory protection equivalent to or greater than
a dust/mist filtering respirator may substitute a long-sleeved
shirt, long pants, shoes, and socks for the labeling-specified
personal protective equipment. If a respiratory protection
device other than a dust/mist-filtering respirator is specified
on the pesticide product labeling, it must be worn.
(iii) Persons occupying an enclosed cab that has a properly
functioning ventilation system which is used and maintained
in accordance with the manufacturer's written operating instructions
and which is declared in writing by the manufacturer and by
the Washington state department of labor and industries to
provide respiratory protection equivalent to or greater than
the vapor-removing or gas-removing respirator specified on
pesticide product labeling may substitute a long-sleeved shirt,
long pants, shoes, and socks for the labeling-specified personal
protective equipment. If an air-supplying respirator or a
self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) is specified on
the pesticide product labeling, it must be worn.
(iv) Persons occupying an enclosed cab shall have all labeling-specified
personal protective equipment immediately available and stored
in a chemical-resistant container, such as a plastic bag.
They shall wear such personal protective equipment if it is
necessary to exit the cab and contact pesticide-treated surfaces
in the treated area. Once personal protective equipment is
worn in the treated area, it must be removed before reentering
the cab.
(f) Aerial applications.
(i) Use of gloves. Chemical-resistant gloves shall be worn
when entering or leaving an aircraft contaminated by pesticide
residues. In the cockpit, the gloves shall be kept in an enclosed
container to prevent contamination of the inside of the cockpit.
(ii) Open cockpit. Persons occupying an open cockpit shall
use the personal protective equipment specified in the product
labeling for use during application, except that chemical-resistant
footwear need not be worn. A helmet may be substituted for
chemical-resistant headgear. A visor may be substituted for
protective eyewear.
(iii) Enclosed cockpit. Persons occupying an enclosed cockpit
may substitute a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, shoes, and
socks for labeling-specified personal protective equipment.
(g) Crop advisors. Crop advisors entering treated areas while
a restricted-entry interval is in effect may wear the personal
protective equipment specified on the pesticide labeling for
early entry activities instead of the personal protective equipment
specified on the pesticide labeling for handling activities,
provided:
(i) Application has been completed for at least four hours.
(ii) Any inhalation exposure level listed in the labeling
has been reached or any ventilation criteria established by
`
(3)(c) or in the labeling have been met.
(5) Use of personal protective equipment.
(a) The handler employer shall assure that personal protective
equipment is used correctly for its intended purpose and is
used according to the manufacturer's instructions.
(b) The handler employer shall assure that, before each day
of use, all personal protective equipment is inspected for leaks,
holes, tears, or worn places, and any damaged equipment is repaired
or discarded.
(6) Cleaning and maintenance.
(a) The handler employer shall assure that all personal protective
equipment is cleaned according to the manufacturer's instructions
or pesticide product labeling instructions before each day of
reuse. In the absence of any such instructions, it shall be
washed thoroughly in detergent and hot water.
(b) If any personal protective equipment cannot be cleaned
properly, the handler employer shall dispose of the personal
protective equipment in accordance with any applicable federal,
state, and local regulations. 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
label shall be not be reused.
(c) The handler employer shall assure that contaminated personal
protective equipment is kept separately and washed separately
from any other clothing or laundry.
(d) The handler employer shall assure that all clean personal
protective equipment shall be either dried thoroughly before
being stored or shall be put in a well ventilated place to dry.
(e) The handler employer shall assure that all personal protective
equipment is stored separately from personal clothing and apart
from pesticide-contaminated areas.
(f) The handler employer shall assure that when dust/mist filtering
respirators are used, the filters shall be replaced:
(i) When breathing resistance becomes excessive.
(ii) When the filter element has physical damage or tears.
(iii) According to manufacturer's recommendations or pesticide
product labeling, whichever is more frequent.
(iv) In the absence of any other instructions or indications
of service life, at the end of each day's work period.
(g) The handler employer shall assure that when gas-removing
or vapor-removing respirators are used, the gas-removing or
vapor-removing canisters or cartridges shall be replaced:
(i) At the first indication of odor, taste, or irritation.
(ii) According to manufacturer's recommendations or pesticide
product labeling, whichever is more frequent.
(iii) In the absence of any other instructions or indications
of service life, at the end of each day's work period.
(h) The handler employer shall inform any person who cleans
or launders personal protective equipment:
(i) That such equipment may be contaminated with pesticides.
(ii) Of the potentially harmful effects of exposure to pesticides.
(iii) Of the correct way(s) to clean personal protective
equipment and to protect themselves when handling such equipment.
(i) The handler employer shall assure that handlers have a
clean place(s) away from pesticide storage and pesticide use
areas where they may:
(i) Store personal clothing not in use.
(ii) Put on personal protective equipment at the start of
any exposure period.
(iii) Remove personal protective equipment at the end of
any exposure period.
(j) The handler employer shall not allow or direct any handler
to wear home or to take home personal protective equipment contaminated
with pesticides.
(7) Heat-related illness. When the use of personal protective
equipment is specified by the labeling of any pesticide for the
handling activity, the handler employer shall assure that no handler
is allowed or directed to perform the handling activity unless
appropriate measures are taken, if necessary, to prevent heat-related
illness.
WAC
296-307-13050 Decontamination--Standards for pesticide handlers--40
CFR, § 170.250.
(1) Requirement. During any handling activity, the handler employer
shall provide for handlers, in accordance with this section, decontamination
supplies for washing off pesticides and pesticide residues.
(2) General conditions.
(a) The handler employer shall provide handlers with enough
water for routine washing, for emergency eyeflushing, and for
washing the entire body in case of an emergency. At all times
when the water is available to handlers, the handler employer
shall assure that it is of a quality and temperature that will
not cause illness or injury when it contacts the skin or eyes
or if it is swallowed. At least ten gallons of water for one
employee and twenty gallons of water for two or more employees
shall be provided at mixing and loading sites that do not have
running water.
(b) When water stored in a tank is to be used for mixing pesticides,
it shall not be used for decontamination or eyeflushing, unless
the tank is equipped with properly functioning valves or other
mechanisms that prevent movement of pesticides into the tank.
(c) The handler employer shall provide soap and single-use
towels in quantities sufficient to meet handlers' needs.
(d) The handler employer shall provide one clean change of
clothing, such as coveralls for use in an emergency.
(3) Location. The decontamination supplies shall be located together
and reasonably accessible to and not more than one-quarter mile
from each handler during the handling activity.
(a) Exception for mixing sites. For mixing activities, the
decontamination supplies shall be at the mixing site.
(b) Exception for pilots. The decontamination supplies for
a pilot who is applying pesticides aerially shall be in the
airplane or at the aircraft loading site.
(c) Exception for handling pesticides in remote areas. When
handling activities are performed more than one-quarter mile
from the nearest place of vehicular access:
(i) The soap, single-use towels, clean change of clothing,
and water may be at the nearest place of vehicular access.
(ii) The handler employer may permit handlers to use clean
water from springs, streams, lakes, or other sources for decontamination
at the remote work site, if such water is more accessible
than the water with the decontamination supplies located at
the nearest place of vehicular access.
(d) Decontamination supplies in treated areas. The decontamination
supplies shall not be in an area being treated with pesticides
or in an area under a restricted-entry interval, unless:
(i) The decontamination supplies are in the area where the
handler is performing handling activities;
(ii) The soap, single-use towels, and clean change of clothing
are in enclosed containers; and
(iii) The water is running tap water or is enclosed in a
container.
(4) Emergency eyeflushing. To provide for emergency eyeflushing,
the handler employer shall assure that at least one pint of water
is immediately available to each handler who is performing tasks
for which the pesticide labeling requires protective eyewear.
The eyeflush water shall be carried by the handler, or shall be
on the vehicle or aircraft the handler is using, or shall be otherwise
immediately accessible.
(5) A plumbed or portable emergency eyewash capable of delivering
at least 1.5 liters (0.4 gals.) of water per minute for fifteen
minutes shall be provided at all pesticide mixing and loading
stations or handler decontamination sites when the label requires
protective eyewear for mixing, loading or applying. A plumbed
or portable system meeting the above requirements shall be provided
at all permanent pesticide mixing and loading sites.
(6) Decontamination after handling activities. At the end of
any exposure period, the handler employer shall provide at the
site where handlers remove personal protective equipment, soap,
clean towels, and a sufficient amount of water so that the handlers
may wash thoroughly. At least ten gallons of water for one employee
and twenty gallons of water for two or more employees shall be
provided at mixing and loading sites that do not have running
water.
WAC
296-307-13055 Emergency assistance--standards for pesticide
handlers--40 CFR, § 170.260.
If there is reason to believe that a person who is or has been
employed by an agricultural establishment or commercial pesticide
handling establishment to perform pesticide handling tasks has
been poisoned or injured by exposure to pesticides as a result
of that employment, including, but not limited to, exposures from
handling tasks or from application, splash, spill, drift, or pesticide
residues, the handler employer shall:
(1) Make available to that person prompt transportation from
the place of employment or the handling site to an appropriate
emergency medical facility.
(2) Provide to that person or to treating medical personnel,
promptly upon request, any obtainable information on:
(a) Product name, EPA registration number, and active ingredients
of any product to which that person might have been exposed.
(b) Antidote, first aid, and other medical information from
the product labeling.
(c) The circumstances of handling of the pesticide.
(d) The circumstances of exposure of that person to the pesticide.
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