7 U.S.C. 136w.
This part contains a standard designed to reduce the risks of illness or injury resulting from workers' and handlers' occupational exposures to pesticides used in the production of agricultural plants on farms or in nurseries, greenhouses, and forests and also from the accidental exposure of workers and other persons to such pesticides. It requires workplace practices designed to reduce or eliminate exposure to pesticides and establishes procedures for responding to exposure-related emergencies.
Terms used in this part have the same meanings they have in the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, as amended. In addition, the following terms, when used in this part, shall have the following meanings:
(1) Employs any person, including a self-employed person, to apply on an agricultural establishment, pesticides used in the production of agricultural plants.
(2) Employs any person, including a self-employed person, to perform on an agricultural establishment, tasks as a crop advisor.
(1) Who is employed for any type of compensation by an agricultural establishment or commercial pesticide handling establishment to which subpart C of this part applies and who is:
(i) Mixing, loading, transferring, or applying pesticides.
(ii) Disposing of pesticides or pesticide containers.
(iii) Handling opened containers of pesticides.
(iv) Acting as a flagger.
(v) Cleaning, adjusting, handling, or repairing the parts of mixing, loading, or application equipment that may contain pesticide residues.
(vi) Assisting with the application of pesticides.
(vii) Entering a greenhouse or other enclosed area after the application and before the inhalation exposure level listed in the labeling has been reached or one of the ventilation criteria established by this part ( § 170.110(c)(3)) or in the labeling has been met:
(A) To operate ventilation equipment.
(B) To adjust or remove coverings used in fumigation.
(C) To monitor air levels.
(viii) Entering a treated area outdoors after application of any soil fumigant to adjust or remove soil coverings such as tarpaulins.
(ix) Performing tasks as a crop advisor:
(A) During any pesticide application.
(B) Before the inhalation exposure level listed in the labeling has been reached or one of the ventilation criteria established by this part (§ 170.110(c)(3)) or in the labeling has been met.
(C) During any restricted-entry interval.
(2) The term does not include any person who is only handling pesticide containers that have been emptied or cleaned according to pesticide product labeling instructions or, in the absence of such instructions, have been subjected to triple-rinsing or its equivalent.
(a)
(1) Assure that each worker subject to subpart B of this part or each handler subject to subpart C of this part receives the protections required by this part.
(2) Assure that any pesticide to which subpart C of this part applies is used in a manner consistent with the labeling of the pesticide, including the requirements of this part.
(3) Provide, to each person who supervises any worker or handler, information and directions sufficient to assure that each worker or handler receives the protections required by this part. Such information and directions shall specify which persons are responsible for actions required to comply with this part.
(4) Require each person who supervises any worker or handler to assure compliance by the worker or handler with the provisions of this part and to assure that the worker or handler receives the protections required by this part.
(b)
(a) Under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (7 U.S.C. 136
(1) Preapplication activities, including, but not limited to:
(i) Arranging for the application of the pesticide;
(ii) Mixing and loading the pesticide; and
(iii) Making necessary preparations for the application of the pesticide, including responsibilities related to worker notification, training of handlers, decontamination, use and care of personal protective equipment, emergency information, and heat stress management.
(2) Application of the pesticide.
(3) Post-application activities necessary to reduce the risks of illness and injury resulting from handlers' and workers' occupational exposures to pesticide residues during the restricted-entry interval plus 30 days. These activities include, but are not limited to, responsibilities related to worker training, notification, and decontamination.
(4) Other pesticide-related activities, including, but not limited to, providing emergency assistance, transporting or storing pesticides that have been opened, and disposing of excess pesticides, spray mix, equipment wash waters, pesticide containers, and other pesticide-containing materials.
(b) A person who has a duty under this part, as referenced on the pesticide product label, and who fails to perform that duty, violates FIFRA section 12(a)(2)(G) and is subject to a civil penalty under section 14. A person who knowingly violates section 12(a)(2)(G) is subject to section 14 criminal sanctions.
(c) FIFRA section 14(b)(4) provides that a person is liable for a penalty under FIFRA if another person employed by or acting for that person violates any provision of FIFRA. The term “acting for” includes both employment and contractual relationships.
(d) The requirements of this part, including the decontamination requirements, shall not, for the purposes of section 653(b)(1) of title 29 of the U.S. Code, be deemed to be the exercise of statutory authority to prescribe or enforce standards or regulations affecting the general sanitary hazards addressed by the OSHA Field Sanitation Standard, 29 CFR 1928.110, or other agricultural, nonpesticide hazards.
Except as provided by §§ 170.103 and 170.104, this subpart applies when any pesticide product is used on an agricultural establishment in the production of agricultural plants.
(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 that are intended only for aesthetic purposes or climatic modification;
(e) By injection directly into agricultural plants. Direct injection does not include “hack and squirt,” “frill and spray,” chemigation, soil-incorporation, or soil-injection;
(f) 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;
(g) For control of vertebrate pests;
(h) As attractants or repellents in traps;
(i) On the harvested portions of agricultural plants or on harvested timber; and
(j) For research uses of unregistered pesticides.
The workers listed in this section are exempt from the specified provisions of this subpart.
(a)
(i) Section 170.112(c)(5) through (9).
(ii) Section 170.112(c)(5) through (9) as referenced in §§ 170.112(d)(2)(iii) and 170.112(e).
(iii) Section 170.120.
(iv) Section 170.122.
(v) Section 170.130.
(vi) Section 170.135.
(vii) Section 170.150.
(viii) Section 170.160.
(2) The owner of the agricultural establishment must provide the protections listed in paragraph (a)(1)(i) through (viii) of this section to other workers and other persons who are not members of his immediate family.
(b)
(i) Section 170.150.
(ii) Section 170.160.
(2) Conditions of exemption. (i) The certification or licensing program requires pesticide safety training that includes, at least, all the information in § 170.230(c)(4).
(ii) Applies only when performing crop advising tasks in the treated area.
(iii) The crop advisor must make specific determinations regarding the appropriate personal protective equipment, 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.
(iv) 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 product and active ingredient(s) applied, method of application, time of application, the restricted
(a)
(b)
(c)
(2) After the time specified in column C of Table 2 under paragraph (c)(4) of this section has expired, until the expiration of any restricted-entry interval, the agricultural employer shall not allow or direct any worker to enter or to remain in the treated area as specified in column D of Table 2 under paragraph (c)(4) of this section, except as provided in § 170.112.
(3) When column C of Table 2 under paragraph (c)(4) of this section specifies that ventilation criteria must be met, ventilation shall continue until the air concentration is measured to be equal to or less than the inhalation exposure level the labeling requires to be achieved. If no inhalation exposure level is listed on the labeling, ventilation shall continue until after:
(i) Ten air exchanges are completed; or
(ii) Two hours of ventilation using fans or other mechanical ventilating systems; or
(iii) Four hours of ventilation using vents, windows or other passive ventilation; or
(iv) Eleven hours with no ventilation followed by 1 hour of mechanical ventilation; or
(v) Eleven hours with no ventilation followed by 2 hours of passive ventilation; or
(vi) Twenty-four hours with no ventilation.
(4) The following Table 2 applies to paragraphs (c) (1), (2), and (3) of this section.
(a)
(2) Entry-restricted areas in greenhouses are specified in column D in table 2 under § 170.110(c)(4).
(3) When two or more pesticides are applied at the same time, the restricted-entry interval shall be the longest of the applicable intervals.
(4) The agricultural employer shall assure that any worker who enters a treated area under a restricted-entry interval as permitted by paragraphs (c), (d), and (e) of this section uses the personal protective equipment specified in the product labeling for early-entry workers and follows any other requirements on the pesticide labeling regarding early entry.
(b)
(1) The worker will have no 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; and
(2) No such entry is allowed until any inhalation exposure level listed in the labeling has been reached or any ventilation criteria established by § 170.110(c)(3) or in the labeling have been met.
(c)
(1) No hand labor activity is performed.
(2) The time in treated areas under a restricted-entry interval for any worker does not exceed 1 hour in any 24-hour period.
(3) No such entry is allowed for the first 4 hours following the end of the application, and no such entry is allowed thereafter until any inhalation exposure level listed in the labeling has been reached or any ventilation criteria established by § 170.110(c)(3) or in the labeling have been met.
(4) The personal protective equipment specified on the product labeling for early entry is provided to the worker. Such personal protective equipment shall conform to the following standards:
(i) 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.
(ii) 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.
(iii) 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.
(iv) 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.
(v) When a “chemical-resistant suit” is specified by the product labeling, it shall be a loose-fitting, one- or two-piece, chemical-resistant garment that covers, at a minimum, the entire body except head, hands, and feet.
(vi) When “coveralls” are specified by the product labeling, they shall be a loose-fitting, one- 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 a layer of clothing. If a chemical-resistant suit is substituted for coveralls, it need not be worn over a layer of clothing.
(vii)(A) Gloves shall be of the type specified on the pesticide product labeling. Gloves made of leather, cotton, or other absorbent materials must not be worn for early-entry activities, unless gloves made of these materials are listed as acceptable for such use on the product labeling. If chemical-resistant gloves with sufficient durability and suppleness are not obtainable, leather gloves may be worn on top of chemical-resistant gloves. However, once leather gloves have been worn for this use, they shall not be worn thereafter for any other purpose, and they shall only be worn over chemical-resistant gloves.
(B) 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.
(C) 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 shall not be reused. Contaminated
(viii) When “chemical-resistant footwear” is specified by the product labeling, it shall be one of the following types of footwear: chemical-resistant shoes, chemical-resistant boots, or chemical-resistant shoe coverings worn over shoes or boots. If chemical-resistant footwear with sufficient durability and a tread appropriate for wear in rough terrain is not obtainable for workers, then leather boots may be worn in such terrain.
(ix) When “protective eyewear” is specified by the product labeling, it shall be one of the following types of eyewear: goggles; face shield; safety glasses with front, brow, and temple protection; or a full-face respirator.
(x) 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.
(5) The agricultural employer shall assure that the worker, before entering the treated area, either has read the product labeling or has been informed, in a manner that the worker can understand, of all labeling requirements related to human hazards or precautions, first aid, symptoms of poisoning, personal protective equipment specified for early entry, and any other labeling requirements related to safe use.
(6) The agricultural employer shall assure that:
(i) Workers wear the personal protective equipment correctly for its intended purpose and use personal protective equipment according to manufacturer's instructions.
(ii) 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.
(iii) Personal protective equipment that cannot be cleaned properly is disposed of in accordance with any applicable Federal, State, and local regulations.
(iv) All personal protective equipment is cleaned according to 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.
(v) Before being stored, all clean personal protective equipment is dried thoroughly or is put in a well-ventilated place to dry.
(vi) Personal protective equipment contaminated with pesticides is kept separately and washed separately from any other clothing or laundry.
(vii) Any person who cleans or launders personal protective equipment is informed that such equipment may be contaminated with pesticides, of the potentially harmful effects of exposure to pesticides, and of the correct way(s) to handle and clean personal protective equipment and to protect themselves when handling equipment contaminated with pesticides.
(viii) All clean personal protective equipment is stored separately from personal clothing and apart from pesticide-contaminated areas.
(ix) Each worker is instructed how to put on, use, and remove the personal protective equipment and is informed about the importance of washing thoroughly after removing personal protective equipment.
(x) Each worker is instructed in the prevention, recognition, and first aid treatment of heat-related illness.
(xi) Workers have a clean place(s) away from pesticide-storage and pesticide-use areas for storing personal clothing not in use; putting on personal protective equipment at the start of any exposure period; and removing personal protective equipment at the end of any exposure period.
(7) When personal protective equipment is required by the labeling of any pesticide for early entry, the agricultural employer shall assure that no worker is allowed or directed to perform the early-entry activity without implementing, when appropriate, measures to prevent heat-related illness.
(8) During any early-entry activity, the agricultural employer shall provide a decontamination site in accordance with § 170.150.
(9) The agricultural employer shall not allow or direct any worker to wear
(d)
(2) A worker may enter a treated area under a restricted-entry interval in an agricultural emergency to perform tasks, including hand labor tasks, necessary to mitigate the effects of the agricultural emergency, if the agricultural employer assures that all the following criteria are met:
(i) A State, Tribal, or Federal Agency having jurisdiction declares the existence of circumstances that could cause an agricultural emergency on that agricultural establishment.
(ii) The agricultural employer determines the agricultural establishment is subject to the circumstances declared under paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section that result in an agricultural emergency meeting the criteria of paragraph (d)(1) of this section.
(iii) The requirements of paragraphs (c) (3) through (9) of this section are met.
(e)
(1)
(i) The name, address, and telephone number of the submitter.
(ii) The time period for which the exception is requested.
(iii) A description of the crop(s) and specific crop production task(s) for which the exception is requested. Such a description must include an explanation as to the necessity of applying pesticides of a type and at a frequency such that the restricted-entry interval would interfere with necessary and time-sensitive hand labor tasks for the period for which the exception is sought.
(iv) A description of the geographic area for which the exception is requested. If the exception request is for a limited geographic area, the explanation must include a description as to why the circumstances of exposure or economic impact resulting from the prohibition of routine hand labor tasks during the restricted-entry interval are unique to the geographic area named in the exception.
(v) An explanation as to why, for each requested crop-task combination, alternative practices would not be technically or financially viable. Such alternative practices might include: rescheduling the pesticide application or hand labor activity; using a non-chemical pest control alternative; using an alternative to the hand labor tasks, such as machine cultivation; or substituting a pesticide with a shorter restricted-entry interval. This information should include estimates or data on per acre revenue and cost of production for the crop and area for which the exception is requested. These estimates or data should include: the situation prior to implementation of this final rule, the situation after implementation of this final rule if the exception is not granted, the situation after implementation of this final rule if the exception is granted, and specific information on individual factors which cause differences in revenues and costs among the three situations.
(vi) A description or documentation of the safety and feasibility of such an exception, including, but not limited
(2)
(ii) If a request for an exception is submitted to the Agency without all of the information required in paragraph (e)(1) of this section, the Agency shall return the request to the submitter.
(3)
(4)
(ii) Persons requesting an exception may not assume that the request has been denied as provided by paragraph (e)(4)(i) of this section if the Agency has taken action to extend its review period for a specified time interval due to the complexity of the exception request or to the number of exception requests concurrently under Agency review. EPA shall state the reason(s) for the delay in issuing a decision on the exception request. A notice of such an action may be published in the
(5)
(6)
(7)
(i) Exception to perform irrigation tasks under specified conditions published in the
(ii) Exceptions to perform limited contact tasks under specified conditions published in the
(a)
(1) All pesticide applications shall be posted in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section.
(2) If the pesticide product labeling has a statement requiring both the posting of treated areas and oral notification to workers, the agricultural employer shall also provide oral notification of the application to the worker in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section.
(3) Notice need not be given to a worker if the agricultural employer can assure that one of the following is met:
(i) From the start of the application until the end of the application and during any restricted-entry interval, the worker will not enter, work in, remain in, or pass through the greenhouse; or
(ii) The worker applied (or supervised the application of) the pesticide for which the notice is intended and is aware of all information required by paragraphs (d)(1) through (3) of this section.
(b)
(1) If the pesticide product labeling has a statement requiring both the posting of treated areas and oral notification to workers, the agricultural employer shall post signs in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section and shall provide oral notification of the application to the worker in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section.
(2) For any pesticide other than those for which the labeling requires both posting and oral notification of applications, the agricultural employer shall give notice of the application to the worker either by the posting of warning signs in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section or orally in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section, and shall inform the workers as to which method of notification is in effect.
(3) Notice need not be given to a worker if the agricultural employer can assure that one of the following is met:
(i) From the start of the application until the end of the application and during any restricted-entry interval, the worker will not enter, work in, remain in, or pass through on foot the treated area or any area within 1/4 mile of the treated area; or
(ii) The worker applied (or supervised the application of) the pesticide for which the notice is intended and is aware of all information required by (d)(1) through (3) of this section.
(c)
(1) The warning sign shall have a background color that contrasts with red. The words “DANGER” and “PELIGRO,” plus “PESTICIDES” and “PESTICIDAS,” shall be at the top of the sign, and the words “KEEP OUT” and “NO ENTRE” shall be at the bottom of the sign. Letters for all words
(2) The standard sign shall be at least 14 inches by 16 inches with letters at least 1 inch in height. Farms and forests shall use the standard size sign unless a smaller sign is necessary because the treated area is too small to accommodate a sign of this size. In nurseries and greenhouses, the agricultural employer may, at any time, use a sign smaller than the standard size sign. Whenever a small sign is used on any establishment, there are specific posting distances depending on the size of the lettering and symbol on the sign. If a sign is used with DANGER and PELIGRO in letters at least
(3) The employer may replace the Spanish portion of the warning sign with a non-English language read by the largest group of workers who do not read English. The replacement sign must be in the same format as the original sign and be visible and legible.
(4) On farms and in forests and nurseries, the signs shall be visible from all usual points of worker entry to the treated area, including at least each access road, each border with any labor camp adjacent to the treated area, and each footpath and other walking route that enters the treated area. When there are no usual points of worker entry, signs shall be posted in the corners of the treated area or in any other location affording maximum visibility.
(5) In greenhouses, the signs shall be posted so they are visible from all usual points of worker entry to the treated area including each aisle or other walking route that enters the treated area. When there are no usual points of worker entry to the treated area, signs shall be posted in the corners of the treated area or in any other location affording maximum visibility.
(6) The signs shall:
(i) Be posted no sooner than 24 hours before the scheduled application of the pesticide.
(ii) Remain posted throughout the application and any restricted-entry interval.
(iii) Be removed within 3 days after the end of the application and any restricted-entry interval and before agricultural-worker entry is permitted, other than entry permitted by § 170.112.
(7) The signs shall remain visible and legible during the time they are posted.
(8) When several contiguous areas are to be treated with pesticides on a rotating or sequential basis, the entire area may be posted. Worker entry, other than entry permitted by § 170.112, is prohibited for the entire area while the signs are posted.
(d)
(1) The location and description of the treated area.
(2) The time during which entry is restricted.
(3) Instructions not to enter the treated area until the restricted-entry interval has expired.
When workers are on an agricultural establishment and, within the last 30 days, a pesticide covered by this subpart 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, specific information about the pesticide.
(a)
(b)
(2) The information shall be posted before the application takes place, if workers will be on the establishment
(3) The information shall continue to be displayed for at least 30 days after the end of the restricted-entry interval (or, if there is no restricted-entry interval, for at least 30 days after the end of the application) or at least until workers are no longer on the establishment, whichever is earlier.
(c)
(1) The location and description of the treated area.
(2) The product name, EPA registration number, and active ingredient(s) of the pesticide.
(3) The time and date the pesticide is to be applied.
(4) The restricted-entry interval for the pesticide.
Whenever handlers who are employed by a commercial pesticide handling establishment will be performing pesticide handling tasks on an agricultural establishment, the agricultural employer shall provide to the handler employer, or assure that the handler employer is aware of, the following information concerning any areas on the agricultural establishment that the handler may be in (or may walk within 1/4 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
(b) Restrictions on entering those areas.
(a)
(2)
(3)
(ii)
(b)
(1) A worker who is currently certified as an applicator of restricted-use pesticides under part 171 of this chapter.
(2) A worker who satisfies the training requirements of part 171 of this chapter.
(3) A worker who satisfies the handler training requirements of § 170.230(c).
(4) A worker who is certified or licensed as a crop advisor by a program acknowledged as appropriate in writing by EPA or a State or Tribal lead agency for pesticide enforcement, provided
(c)
(1) Pesticides may be on or in plants, soil, irrigation water, or drifting from nearby applications.
(2) Prevent pesticides from entering your body by:
(i) Following directions and/or signs about keeping out of treated or restricted areas.
(ii) Washing before eating, drinking, using chewing gum or tobacco, or using the toilet.
(iii) Wearing work clothing that protects the body from pesticide residues.
(iv) Washing/showering with soap and water, shampoo hair, and put on clean clothes after work.
(v) Washing work clothes separately from other clothes before wearing them again.
(vi) Washing 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.
(3) Further training will be provided within 5 days.
(d)
(2) 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 part 171 of this chapter; or
(ii) Be currently designated as a trainer of certified applicators or pesticide handlers by a State, Federal, or Tribal agency having jurisdiction; or
(iii) Have completed a pesticide safety train-the-trainer program approved by a State, Federal, or Tribal agency having jurisdiction; or
(iv) Satisfy the training requirements in part 171 of this chapter or in § 170.230(c).
(3) Any person who issues an EPA-approved Worker Protection Standard worker training certificate must assure that the worker who receives the training certificate has been trained in accordance with paragraph (d)(4) of this section.
(4) 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.
(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 emergency eyeflushing techniques.
(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 subpart 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.
(e)
(2) If the agricultural employer is aware or has reason to know that an EPA-approved Worker Protection Standard worker training certificate has not been issued in accordance with this section, or has not been issued to the worker bearing the certificate, or the training was completed more than 5 years before the beginning of the current month, a worker's possession of that certificate does not meet the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section.
(a)
(b)
(1) 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.
(2) There are Federal rules to protect workers and handlers, including a requirement for safety training.
(c)
(2) The agricultural employer shall inform workers promptly of any change to the information on emergency medical care facilities.
(d)
(2) 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.
(e)
(f)
(a)(1)
(i) 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 30 days, and;
(ii) The worker contacts anything that has been treated with the pesticide, including, but not limited to soil, water, plants, plant surfaces, and plant parts.
(2)
(b)
(2) 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.
(3) The agricultural employer shall provide soap and single-use towels in quantities sufficient to meet worker's needs.
(4) To provide for emergency eyeflushing, the agricultural employer shall assure that at least 1 pint of water is immediately available to each worker who is performing early-entry activities permitted by § 170.112 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.
(c)
(2) For worker activities performed more than 1/4 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.
(3) The decontamination supplies shall not be maintained in an area being treated with pesticides.
(4) The decontamination supplies shall not be maintained in an area that is under a restricted-entry interval, unless the workers for whom the supplies are provided are performing early-entry activities permitted by § 170.112 and involving contact with treated surfaces and the decontamination supplies would otherwise not be reasonably accessible to those workers.
(d)
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:
(a) 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.
(b) Provide to that person or to treating medical personnel, promptly upon request, any obtainable information on:
(1) Product name, EPA registration number, and active ingredients of any product to which that person might have been exposed.
(2) Antidote, first aid, and other medical information from the product labeling.
(3) The circumstances of application or use of the pesticide on the agricultural establishment.
(4) The circumstances of exposure of that person to the pesticide.
Except as provided by §§ 170.203 and 170.204, this subpart applies when any pesticide is handled for use on an agricultural establishment.
(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.
(i) For research uses of unregistered pesticides.
The handlers listed in this section are exempt from the specified provisions of this subpart.
(a)
(i) Section 170.210(b) and (c).
(ii) Section 170.222.
(iii) Section 170.230.
(iv) Section 170.232.
(v) Section 170.234.
(vi) Section 170.235.
(vii) Section 170.240(e) through (g).
(viii) Section 170.250.
(ix) Section 170.260.
(2) The owner of the agricultural establishment must provide the protections listed in paragraphs (a)(1) (i) through (ix) of this section to other handlers and other persons who are not members of his immediate family.
(b)
(i) Section 170.232.
(ii) Section 170.240.
(iii) Section 170.250.
(iv) Section 170.260.
(2)
(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
(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.
(a)
(b)
(c)
(1) 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.
(2) 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.
When handlers (except those employed by a commercial pesticide handling establishment) are on an agricultural establishment and, within the last 30 days, a pesticide covered by this subpart 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.
(a)
(b)
(2) 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.
(3) The information shall continue to be displayed for at least 30 days after the end of the restricted-entry interval (or, if there is no restricted-entry interval, for at least 30 days after the end of the application) or at least until the handlers are no longer on the establishment, whichever is earlier.
(c)
(1) The location and description of the treated area.
(2) The product name, EPA registration number, and active ingredient(s) of the pesticide.
(3) The time and date the pesticide is to be applied.
(4) The restricted-entry interval for the pesticide.
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:
(a) Specific location and description of the treated area.
(b) Time and date of application.
(c) Product name, EPA registration number, and active ingredient(s).
(d) Restricted-entry interval.
(e) Whether posting and oral notification are required.
(f) Any other product-specific requirements on the product labeling concerning protection of workers or other persons during or after application.
(a)
(b)
(1) A handler who is currently certified as an applicator of restricted-use pesticides under part 171 of this chapter.
(2) A handler who satisfies the training requirements of part 171 of this chapter.
(3) A handler who is certified or licensed as a crop advisor by a program acknowledged as appropriate in writing by EPA or a State or Tribal lead agency for pesticide enforcement, provided that a requirement for such certification or licensing is pesticide safety training that includes all the information set out in § 170.230(c)(4).
(c)
(2) 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 part 171 of this chapter; or
(ii) Be currently designated as a trainer of certified applicators or pesticide handlers by a State, Federal, or Tribal agency having jurisdiction; or
(iii) Have completed a pesticide safety train-the-trainer program approved by a State, Federal, or Tribal agency having jurisdiction.
(3) Any person who issues an EPA-approved Worker Protection Standard handler training certificate must assure that the handler who receives the training certificate has been trained in accordance with paragraph (c)(4) of this section.
(4) 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 subpart 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.
(d)
(2) If the handler employer is aware or has reason to know that an EPA-approved Worker Protection Standard handler training certificate has not been issued in accordance with this section, or has not been issued to the handler bearing the certificate, or the handler training was completed more than 5 years before the beginning of the current month, a handler's possession of that certificate does not meet the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section.
(a)
(2) The handler employer shall assure that the handler has access to the product labeling information during handling activities.
(b)
(1) Specific location and description of any such areas; and
(2) Restrictions on entering those areas.
(a) 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.
(b) 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.
(c) 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:
(1) That such equipment may be contaminated with pesticides.
(2) Of the potentially harmful effects of exposure to pesticides.
(3) Of the correct way to handle such equipment.
(a)
(b)
(1) 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.
(2) There are Federal rules to protect workers and handlers including a requirement for safety training.
(c)
(2) The handler employer shall inform handlers promptly of any change to the information on emergency medical care facilities.
(d)
(2) 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.
(e)
(f)
(a)
(b)
(2) 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.
(c)
(1) 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.
(2) 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.
(3) When a “chemical-resistant suit” is specified by the product labeling, it shall be a loose-fitting, one- or two-piece chemical-resistant garment that covers, at a minimum, the entire body except head, hands, and feet.
(4) When “coveralls” are specified by the product labeling, they shall be a
(5)(i) Gloves shall be of the type specified on the pesticide product labeling. Gloves made of leather, cotton, or other absorbent materials may not be worn while mixing, loading, applying, or otherwise handling pesticides, unless gloves made of these materials are listed as acceptable for such use on the product labeling.
(ii) 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.
(iii) 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 shall not be reused. Contaminated liners must be disposed of in accordance with any Federal, State, or local regulations.
(6) 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.
(7) 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.
(8) 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.
(9) 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.
(10) 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.
(d)
(ii) A chemical-resistant suit may be substituted for “coveralls” and a chemical-resistant apron.
(2)
(3)
(4)
(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 paragraph (d)(4)(i) of this section 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.
(5)
(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 or by a governmental agency 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 or by a governmental agency to provide respiratory protection equivalent to or greater than the vapor- 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.
(6)
(ii)
(iii)
(7)
(i) Application has been completed for at least 4 hours.
(ii) Any inhalation exposure level listed in the labeling has been reached or any ventilation criteria established by § 170.110(c)(3) or in the labeling have been met.
(e)
(2) 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.
(f)
(2) 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.
(3) The handler employer shall assure that contaminated personal protective equipment is kept separately and washed separately from any other clothing or laundry.
(4) 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.
(5) The handler employer shall assure that all personal protective equipment is stored separately from personal clothing and apart from pesticide-contaminated areas.
(6) 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.
(7) The handler employer shall assure that when gas- or vapor-removing respirators are used, the gas- 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.
(8) 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.
(9) 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.
(10) The handler employer shall not allow or direct any handler to wear home or to take home personal protective equipment contaminated with pesticides.
(g)
(a)
(b)
(2) When water stored in a tank is to be used for mixing pesticides, it shall not be used for decontamination or eye flushing, unless the tank is equipped with properly functioning valves or other mechanisms that prevent movement of pesticides into the tank.
(3) The handler employer shall provide soap and single-use towels in quantities sufficient to meet handlers' needs.
(4) The handler employer shall provide one clean change of clothing, such as coveralls, for use in an emergency.
(c)
(1)
(2)
(3)
(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 located at the nearest place of vehicular access.
(4)
(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.
(d)
(e)
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,
(a) Make available to that person prompt transportation from the place of employment or the handling site to an appropriate emergency medical facility.
(b) Provide to that person or to treating medical personnel, promptly upon request, any obtainable information on:
(1) Product name, EPA registration number, and active ingredients of any product to which that person might have been exposed.
(2) Antidote, first aid, and other medical information from the product labeling.
(3) The circumstances of handling of the pesticide.
(4) The circumstances of exposure of that person to the pesticide.