Pesticide Safety for the Experienced Applicators Cecil Tharp Pesticide Education Specialist Department of Animal and Range Montana State University

What’s wrong with this

LAWS (Enforcement)

Many grow complacent Failure to catch offenders Some laws seem non-practical and excessive in field situations –Excessive heat –Economics Many feel safe in today’s world of safer chemicals (pyrethroids or herbicides) ARE WE!

Some of our “Safest” chemicals Chronic Affects Evident –Immune system problems –Sores, Rashes

Pyrethroid Chronic Exposure IS it worth the risk?

IS COMPLACENCY NEW? Did we forget some history lessons? FINES?LAWS?SAFETY? Which should be our focus? To understand lets take a history lesson.

Pesticide Laws vs. Pesticide Safety What came first. –Pesticide Law or Pesticide Safety

Problems with slack laws Pest resistance Increasing levels of chemical output Chemicals persisted in environment Biomagnification Non-target impact Public concern

Pesticide LAWS 1947 FIFRA –Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act Must be registered by USDA eventually EPA Usage be safe Properly labeled

What drives behaviors? ARE WE SCARED?

Mode of Entry

Specimen Label Access at Information regarding personal protective equipment for specific chemical First Aid Information REI (Restricted Entry Interval) Gives you toxicity category

PPE

PPE Coveralls Chemical Resistant Suits, Gloves, Footwear, Aprons, and Headgear. Protective Eyewear Respirators

Wovens CLASS I - Wovens (Low Toxicity) –Blue Jeans, Cotton Coveralls –Absorb Chemicals – –For Toxicity Class III or IV–> – –Beware of rips in garments CLASS II – Nonwovens (Moderate Toxicity) Nonwovens (Warning) - Nonwovens (Warning) - Synthetic Materials –Tyvek, Comfort-Gard, Kleenguard LP, Tyvek QC, Saranex –Toxicity Category II => CAUTION Warning

Coated / Laminate Suits For Toxicity Class I PVC, Nitrile, Rubber Tychem® –seems. –sealed seems.Non-breathable Do not use rain suits with cotton liners Danger

Gloves Want unlined gloves! Nitrile, Neoprene, PVC Do Not Wear Leather Gloves! Do Not Wear Latex gloves! Check for holes often! Want 14 mils or higher!

Head and Neck Covering Straw Hat? Ball Cap? Hard Hat? Hoods?? Beware of sweat bands with hats which cause continuous skin contact

Eyewear Goggles Face Shields Safety Glasses But never wear contacts when spraying pesticides!!!

Respirators Read Specimen Label ½ mask particulate versus cartridge masks Cartridge –Fitted facepiece and replaceable filters –Not for fumigants –Prefix of NIOSH/MSHA “TC” Vapors

Inspect PPE Make sure you have no smells –What should you do? Cartridges expired; renew every year Is it clean and has it been cleaned?

Situation #1 – The Field (Heat and PPE) Heat will promote mistakes Can happen to anyone

First Aid Heat Injuries vs. Pesticide Injuries Heat InjuriesPesticides InjuriesSweating HeadacheHeadache FatigueFatigue Dry MembranesMoist Membranes Dry Mouth No tears or spitSalivation, spit, tears Fast pulseSlow Pulse Dilated pupilsPinpoint Pupils ConfusionConfusion Loss of coordinationLoss of coordination

Acute symptoms: Symptoms of OP and Carbamate Poisoning Mild – –headache, fatigue, dizziness Moderate – –muscle twitching, – –unable to walk, – –pinpoint pupils Severe – –unconscious, seizures, – –death

First Aid – Chemical Cont. DO NOT ATTEND TO EXPOSED INDIVIDUAL WITHOUT PROPER PPE! Refer to MSDS or Specimen Label for proper procedure which will vary according to which route of exposure. –Eyes, inhalation, ingestion, and skin. Rocky Mountain Poison Control Center – Save pesticide container –EPA reg. No. & Product Name

Situation #2 – The home (Not in field; Are we safe?) Chemical is gone? – Poor disposal of containers has many affects varying on contaminant involved

Situation #3 – Field and Home Pesticide Storage & Spills

Union Carbide Pesticide Manufacturing Plant December 3 rd, ,000 initial dead 15,000 more within 10 years 500,000 suffer injuries water wells near the site show overall chemical contamination to be 500 times higher than the maximum limits recommended by the World Health Organization. cancer, genetic defects (birth defects), and liver and kidney damage. Bhopal, India Disaster

Contact Information Cecil Tharp Pesticide Education Specialist