1. Monterey County Agricultural Inspector/Biologist 2017
Field Worker Safety
Good Morning.
Now that we have discussed which pesticides can be used and how to obtain an Operator ID Number, now we can start talking about field worker safety. Employees who perform cultural activities in a treated field for any kind of compensation are fieldworkers. This includes, but is not limited to, irrigators, harvesters, thinners and planters. Field Worker Safety Inspections and requirements are important because it assures that employers are providing :
Sufficient training to workers in treated fields
Required notification and display of information
Adequate decontamination facilities
Omar Luna
Monterey County Agricultural Inspector/Biologist 2017

2. Treated Field / Area
Definition applies IF: 1. A field or area has been treated with a pesticide within the past 30 days 2. An area which had a “Restricted Entry Interval” in effect within the past 30 days
What is a treated field?
A treated field is any area upon which one or more agricultural plant commodities are grown for commercial or research production that has been treated with a pesticide, or had a restricted entry interval (REI) in effect, within the last 30 days. A treated field includes associated roads, paths, ditches, borders, and headlands, if the pesticide was also directed to those areas.
Greenhouse
Agricultural Field
Enclosed Space
Outdoor

3. Restricted Entry Interval (REI)
If the label has an EPA Registration Number:
Restricted entry intervals are established to limit the exposure of pesticide residues to workers or other persons not involved in the application of a pesticide.
In general, workers may not enter the area without the required training, notification and Personal Protective Equipment.
More on Early Entry in later slides.

4. What if No REI on Label? Must follow State Regulations:
Allow 4 hours to elapse after completion of the application
Ventilation Criteria has been met
For example: FIFRA 25b material.
REIs may not be clearly stated on the label or may not be stated at all.
However, California State requirements must still be met.
This includes:
Entry after 4 hours after the completion of the application
Spray has completely dried (contact work)
Ventilation Criteria has been met.

5. Worker Safety Inspection
*Introductions*
Firm Inspected
Permittee/Grower
Supervisor
Commodity
Site ID/ Location
Lets begin talking about the Field Worker Safety Inspection: Field Worker Safety (FWS) Inspections are performed to determine that fieldworker employers are protecting their workers. Protection of fieldworkers is mandated by the federal Worker Protection Standard and includes properly training workers, providing required notifications and information and assuring that workers have suitable protective clothing and equipment and adequate means of decontamination.
Upon arriving at a treated field, we introduce ourselves and gather information by speaking, holding a dialogue, or interviewing field workers, foremen, supervisors.
It is more than just a check list inspection.
Information must be relayed from property operator to supervisors to foremen to workers.

6. Notification of pesticide applications
Communication between
Growers
Applicators
& Workers
- Is a key component in preventing accidental exposure and illness.
Lack of communication has resulted in incidents resulting in exposures and illnesses.
How do you plan on notifying your workers of pesticide applications? In person, written notification, posting?
Employees who may enter or walk within a ¼ mile of the application or REI must be notified.
Includes Location and description of the area
Re-entry interval
Instruction not to enter

7. Decontamination Facility:
Paper Towels
(Disposable/Single Use)
Soap
(No hand sanitizers)
Water
(Adequate & Sufficient)
* One Gallon/Worker*
Decontamination materials shall be located together at the decontamination site
No gels, hand sanitizers
Water shall be adequate that it will not cause injury or irritation when decontaminating
1 gallon of wáter per field worker at the start of the day
Must be no more than ¼ mile away from treated field.
Example: Portable bathroom with a hand washing station

8. Hazard Communication: A-9
When working in “treated field”:
Employer shall “Display” a copy of completed A-9 Leaflet at the Worksite & Permanent Decontamination Facilities
Inform employees where A-9 is kept.
A-9 informs workers of pesticide records and planned emergency care
Must be at the worksite in a central location where employees frequently see/visit
Read to employee in a language he/she could understand

9. “Display”
To make information available to the employee without having to make a specific request of any person.
An employee shall not be hindered or impeded from examining documents.
"Display" means to make information available to the employee so that the employee may readily see and read the document, during normal business hours, without having to make a specific request of any person. An employee shall not be hindered or impeded from examining documents that are required to be displayed.

10. A-9: Worker Rights
Location of pesticide records and safety data sheets Must be specific.
Put myself in a workers shoes and try to determine if this description is enough to find the displayed information.

11. A-9: Medical Care
By complete, we mean that information must be filled out.
Looking for Name, Address and Phone Number of the nearest facility.
911 is not acceptable

12. Emergency Medical Care Facility
Reasonable grounds to suspect pesticide illness or exposure
Employees must be taken to a physician immediately
Do not let employees experiencing symptoms drive themselves
Remove employees from treated field
Must be planned for in advance
Employees must know to notify supervisor.
Name, address and phone number of nearest medical facility capable of delivering care is made available to supervisors, foremen and employees.
911 is not an aceptable answer

13. Worker Safety Training
Prior to working in a “treated field”:
Employees shall be trained in Pesticide Safety within the last 12 months in a manner the employee understands by a qualified trainer

14. Qualified Trainer
The trainer shall be qualified as one of the following:
A California certified applicator
Possession of a County Biologist License in Pesticide Regulation or Investigations & Environmental Monitoring issued by CDFA
Completion of the “Train the Trainer” program given by the UC Extension IPM.
Agricultural Pest Control Advisor
*Area must be free of distraction*

15. Training Records
Training documented & records retained by the employer for 2 years & made available upon request
Employee must print and sign their name.
Must be a qualified trainer

16. Training Topics: REI, Posting, Notification Routine Decontamination
Where pesticides are encountered

17. Common signs & symptoms
Training Topics:
Routes of Exposure
Common signs & symptoms

18. Training Topics: Warning of taking pesticide containers home
Location of Displayed Information

19. Training Topics: Emergency Medical Care Workers’ Rights
Prevention, Recognition & First Aid of Heat-illness

20. Training Topics: Training topics are listed in 3 CCR 6764
On DPR website:
Contact our office for complete list of training topics

21. Application Specific Information Display
Within 24 hrs. after completion of a pesticide application, the employer shall “display” the following information:
Location/Site ID
Date & Time (start & end)
Pesticide Name & Active Ingredient,
EPA Registration No. (if applicable)
Restricted Entry Interval (if applicable)
maintain in a central location (office)
applicable PSIS
pesticide use records
MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets)

22. Location of Application Specific Information Display
Using the A-9, Workers should be able to determine & locate the displayed information.

23. Application Specific Information Display

24. Examples
*Unimpeded Access*

25. Ventilation Requirements
Until the concentration is measured and does not exceed the label standard
When a greenhouse application involves a pesticide with label directions that require respiratory protection and is applied in as a fumigant, smoke, fog, mist, or aerosol, it must be ventilated until:
-The concentration is measured and found not to exceed any pesticide label standard.

26. Ventilation Requirements
If there is no label standard you may do the following…

27. Ventilation Requirements
2 hours of mechanical ventilation Using exhaust fans, overhead fans, etc. OR
One of the following has occurred if there is no label standard:
1) 2 hours of mechanical ventilation
2) 4 hours of passive ventilation
3) 24 hours with no ventilation
4) Any combination of percentage portions of each method the sum of which equals 100%

28. Ventilation Requirements
4 hours of passive ventilation Open side vents, roof vents, doors, retractable walls, etc. OR
One of the following has occurred if there is no label standard:
1) 2 hours of mechanical ventilation
2) 4 hours of passive ventilation
3) 24 hours with no ventilation
4) Any combination of percentage portions of each method the sum of which equals 100%

29. Ventilation Requirements
24 hours with no ventilation
One of the following has occurred if there is no label standard:
1) 2 hours of mechanical ventilation
2) 4 hours of passive ventilation
3) 24 hours with no ventilation
4) Any combination of percentage portions of each method the sum of which equals 100%

30. Early Entry Requirements
Employers must provide training & label required PPE to early entry workers when entering an area with an active REI.
Workers must be told they will be doing Early Entry Work
REI has not expired
PPE must be worn
Have 4 hours pass
Depending on the activity, only a certain amount of hours per day allowed for early entry work.
More information, please contact our office. (Read the Label)

31. 1428 Abbott Street, Salinas, CA 93901
Questions?
For more information about worker safety requirements, please contact our department at:
Phone:
Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
1428 Abbott Street, Salinas, CA 93901