June 2024

Greetings! This Worker Protection newsletter is sent out by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) regularly throughout the year as needed. You have been signed up as a result of your email address provided through a DATCP WPS inspection.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT & DECONTAMINATION

Prior to making pesticide applications, it is important that applicators and employers of workers and handlers review all pesticide protective equipment (PPE) and decontamination supplies. PPE is required to be worn by pesticide applicators and handlers of the pesticide product labels.

PPE must be clean, operational, and worn correctly. Inspect PPE for damage before use and replace anything damaged. Review weather forecasts and predictions and take measures accordingly to prevent heat-related illness. If a respirator is required to be worn by the label, ensure the respirator is the correct NIOSH-approval per the label. Any particulate filtering face-piece/cartridge of a respirator must be replaced if it is damaged, after eight hours of use, if breathing resistance is excessive and per the label. Anyone who is required by the pesticide label to wear a respirator must complete an annual medical evaluation and fit test. Records of the evaluation and test must be kept for two years. A respiratory guide is available by EPA.

An emergency eye flush station is required if pesticide products require protective eyewear. Requirements of an eye wash station include that the system delivers running water for approximately 15 minutes or has six gallons of water on hand for a gentle eye flush. While the applicator is making their application, they must have available one pint of water either on them or in the application equipment.

If your establishment employs workers, you as the employer must provide one gallon of water per worker at the beginning of the work period and replenished as needed, as well as soap and single-use towels. For handlers, the employer must provide three gallons of water per handler at the beginning of the work period and replenished as needed as well as soap and single-use towels. Handlers and applicators must keep a change of clothes on-hand per site in case of emergency.

The location of the decontamination site must be reasonably accessible, within a quarter mile of any field entry or vehicular access and outside of an area under an REI. A decontamination site must be at every mix/load site.

For more WPS related information, please access DATCP’s WPS webpage.

Questions?

Contact Alyssa Foss, Worker Protection Standard Program Manager, at (608) 224-4547 or Alyssa.Foss@wisconsin.gov.

Contact your local Environmental Enforcement Specialist. You can find their contact information on DATCP’s webpage.

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