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Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators, BK35

1. pee biete 120 Application Procedures cos eom dale us AA 125 Disposal of pesticides and containers sssssssseee 127 Personal cleanliness and wash up facilities 128 7 Precautions for specific pesticide applications 131 Introduction d oeste aede tte inte 133 Field and orchard application o e edere 134 Landscape applicationem R yd edited eds 137 eulviculture applicabliotisusu s aser eis ae eee eae 140 Aerial appli cati n sis ott tap eel a a ala depu 144 Structural pesticide applications soto ute oo ad ta ens 148 aaa yaa MEUS 153 WOOD dreat menos edades ete d d Adla 162 8 Protecting re entry workers 167 livicveles e dio PPM 169 VYar ns ibri a a in 170 Restricted entry interval s d sis daaa b d dn 173 BE Proced UreS b n EL BD A S 174 ECS ption S cene aa ia EERE dl 175 9 Emergency procedures sss 55 177 Introductions o VIAE Pus daos pde dose eoe ced e PR OP UE 179 POISONING a adlad SNE EA ead E OS ea EASE 180 R eene ED D EET T 185 Pesticide spills peti petites ARE a 187 10 Maintenance and calibration of application equipment 2 eene ee een 189 Th maintenance progra 191 EQUA MICH Cal DEACON oec opto eo Du Da bed ass
2. sasa un ana ua uan 25 Introduction ii aaa io d n d de diete dpa lu dpes 27 Classifying by target organism scio eee o giat en es Was np e 28 Classifying by formulation sini ig ei pitt a inet 29 Classifying by chemical family is i eon ee putet b teet s 31 4 Routes of entry and health effects 33 Routes of entry how pesticides enter the body 35 Health effects eov vcre e aes Sees FER e aa dH dn aa a 38 5 Pesticide hazard evaluation 53 ntr d cti m zz Ru ee e de ree tede teg s hi 55 Pesticide espoir 57 AMmo ntof pesticide eo a n ON ASEA ERU 58 Pesticide eene 59 Amount of pesticide in the dip RR y Eds 61 Warning properties ooo nina aide cic ARE ARDA bar 65 Igi ds 67 Mixing loading and application equipment 72 6 General precautions when working with pesticides 85 Introductionis oe ac ds as doe ene RR AR RR dad CREE NS ER VER RE dawg nee 87 Ihe pesticide safety program ouem Ree D I 88 Personal protective CquIpment suse osi cies pim pia p pico OT qe 92 Transport of pesticides cs a eder 110 Pesticidestora e P 111 Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators V Mixing and loading procedures I UU 119
3. Information WHMIS Classification optional Product Use Manufacturer s Name Supplier s Name Street Address Street Address City Province City Province Postal Code Emergency Telephone Postal Code Emergency Telephone SECTION 2 Hazardous Ingredients Hazardous Ingredients CAS Number LD of Ingredient LC of Ingredient specific specify species and route specify species SECTION 3 Physical Data Physical State Odour and Appearance Odour Threshold ppm Specific Gravity Vapour Density air 1 Vapour Pressure mmHg Evaporation Rate Boiling Point C Freezing Point C pH Coefficient of Water Oil Distribution Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 21 SECTION 4 Fire and Explosion Data Flammability If yes under which conditions O ves No Means of Extinction Flashpoint C and Method Upper Flammable Limit 6 by volume Lower Flammable Limit by volume Autoignition Temperature C Explosion Data Sensitivity to Impact Explosion Data Sensitivity to Static Discharge Hazardous Combustion Products SECTION 5 Reactivity Data Chemical Stability If no under which conditions El ves El No Incompatibility with Other Substances If yes which ones El ves CJ No Reactivity and Under What Conditions Hazardous Decomposition Pr
4. are sweet smelling Some but not all organochlorines have mild odours Many fumigants have distinctive odours but some such as methyl bromide and sulfuryl fluoride are basically odourless unless mixed with an odourant such as chloropicrin The odour of a given pesticide can only be detected when it gets to a level or concentration in the air at which a person would notice the smell This level is called the odour threshold Pesticides with good warning properties are noticed by the senses at a level in the air well below the level of chemical that can cause ill health effects The warning properties of many pesticides may be rated GOOD FAIR or POOR by comparing odour thresholds with WorkSafeBC s eight hour exposure limits as follows Warning properties Odour threshold is less than one tenth of the exposure limit Odour threshold is between one tenth of the exposure limit and three times above it Substance is odourless or the odour threshold is at least three times above the exposure limit The rating system provided here is meant only as an approximate guide If for example a particular pesticide can cause serious health effects at any level above the exposure limit then the warning properties of that pesticide should be considered to be POOR if the odour threshold of that pesticide is higher than the limit To assess warning properties check the pesticide MSDS for odour and odour threshold information I
5. For details contact agencies such as the Ministry of Environment Transportation and storage Vehicles that hold pesticide on a more or less continuous basis should be considered as mobile storage facilities and appropriate precautions need to be taken Refer to Chapter 6 of this manual for more information Personal protective equipment and clothing Using the information provided in Chapter 6 of this manual match protective equipment to the hazard encountered The structural pest control industry in particular should note the following e Fumigants fogs and dusts represent the highest inhalation hazards It is unsafe to apply any of these materials without respiratory protection e Because gloves are donned and removed so frequently in a typical workday it is important to minimize skin contact with the contaminated outside surfaces of gloves Three suggested alternatives are Wash exterior of gloves before removal Wear gloves large enough for easy removal Wear a pair of light disposable gloves inside the outer gloves Discard the disposable gloves after each use Keep spare clothing in case of contamination e Do not place contaminated protective equipment and clothing in the passenger compartment Contamination of upholstery can result e Avoid placing respirators on the dashboard Ultraviolet light will cause premature deterioration of rubber parts Communication with the workforce at pesticide application site All w
6. Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 133 Field and orchard application A proper pest control program must be well planned The choice of control procedure is important Both administrative control measures such as crop rotation moisture control etc and biological agents such as predator mites and parasitic wraps may provide alternatives or supplements to chemical methods Safe procedures for mixing and loading Before handling a pesticide read the product label consult the safety data sheet and wear the right personal protective equipment See Chapter 6 for details Closed mixing and loading systems have been shown to reduce pesticide exposure Commercial designs of closed systems are available and the engineering principles are simple Use a sharp knife or other cutting implement to open paper containers do not tear them Stand upwind while opening Mix pesticides in good light and with adequate ventilation To reduce dust exposure pre mix wettable powders with a small amount of water before adding to mixing tanks Fill mixing tanks half full with water before adding pesticide concentrates Pouring concentrates or slurries into large mix tanks may be dangerous because of the height of the tank opening It is essential to keep pesticide containers below eye level to minimize the chance of splashes onto the face Work platforms or pumping systems can help eliminate this hazard Do not contaminate drinki
7. e Adequate emergency facilities including first aid kids as well as emergency washing and spill cleanup equipment Vehicle design If vehicles in remote locations serve as mobile pesticide storage facilities design features must include e Locked pesticide storage compartments Separation of pesticides from passenger areas food and protective gear Containment of pesticides in case of vehicle accidents e Wash up facilities where necessary Refer to Chapter 6 for detailed information on mobile pesticide storage facilities Size of concentrate containers Smaller containers can be handled more safely than larger containers Containers in the range of 5 to 25 litres 1 to 5 gallons may provide a reasonable compromise between safety and volume needs Mixing and loading area Ensure that the central mixing and loading area is provided with e An adequate supply of water for cleanup and emergencies e Adequate equipment for dealing with spills Recommended containers include metal drums with lids that can be securely attached Drums must be labeled with the name of chemical contents e Adequate separation from eating areas A distance of seven metres may be enough if the mixing area is downslope and if there is little likelihood of drift from mixing and loading procedures Otherwise longer distances may be required Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 141 Personal protective equipment Wear personal protective
8. Consult with the nearest office of this agency for information on disposal WorkSafeBC s mandate includes the protection of workers during and following the disposal process The following sections outline safe disposal practices for pesticides and containers Unused pesticides Carefully figure out your pesticide requirements to ensure minimal waste Unless they are very old or deteriorated unused pesticides should be used or recycled as long as it is legal to do so Pesticide wastes should be properly disposed of at a special waste management facility Disposal of large quantities of special wastes from commercial firms or farmers should be arranged through the firms that provide this service Requests can be referred directly to such companies or to the Ministry of Environment It is unsafe to dispose of pesticides or other wastes such as rinses from spray tanks in the catchment area of water sources such as dugouts and wells Serious contamination of drinking water may result Pesticide containers When empty immediately rinse glass plastic and metal containers using the triple rinse or jet rinse techniques Triple rinse Rinse container with the appropriate solvent usually water Fill the container about one quarter full replace closure shake and pour the rinse water into the spray tank and drain thoroughly Repeat twice Jet rinse Invert the container and drain into the spray tank Puncture the bottom area of the cont
9. Encapsulated pesticides are likely to result in lower dust and vapour hazards during application Encapsulated pesticides last longer in the environment than non encapsulated varieties Overheating of such pesticides may cause the capsules to rupture Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 59 Strength of formulation Strength refers to the amount of active ingredient in the total pesticide formulation The stronger the formulation the more hazardous it is The strength of formulations in commercial containers is given on the container label immediately following the word Guarantee If before application the material in the container is diluted with a material such as water the hazard is reduced accordingly Handling undiluted pesticides such as during mixing and loading activities can be even more hazardous to workers than the actual spraying One study of worker exposure to azinphos methyl in the Canadian tree fruit industry found that air levels of pesticide in the mixing area were four times higher than during spray operations Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 60 Amount of pesticide in the air What levels of pesticide am 1 likely to breathe in the air Four basic factors affect pesticide levels concentrations in the air type of formulation spray particle size wind speed and pesticide evaporation Type of formulation Dusts dry wettable powders and gas fumigants are more likely to remain
10. If the chemical is fed to the test animal is it referred to as the oral LD if applied to the skin the dermal LD The dermal LD is generally greater than the oral LD Pesticides can be put into one of three acute toxicity groups on the basis of LD s as follows Acute toxicity groups for pesticides Toxicity group Oral LD Dermal LD Very toxic 0 50 mg kg 0 200 mg kg Moderately toxic Over 50 500 mg kg Over 200 1 000 mg kg Slightly toxic Over 500 mg kg Over 1 000 mg kg NOTE To classify a pesticide for which both oral and dermal LD s are given choose the more restrictive category For example glufosinate ammonium which has an oral LD of as little as 416 in mice moderately toxic and a dermal of 2 000 or more slightly toxic is considered overall to be a moderately toxic pesticide Where a range of LD s is reported for a given route of exposure choose the lowest number To put LD numbers in human terms consider the following examples Azinphos methyl is a very toxic pesticide with an oral LD of 7 A fraction of a teaspoon of pure active ingredient if swallowed by an adult could induce death For the moderately toxic chlorpyrifos with an oral LD of 82 the fatal dose of pure material is predicted to be as little as one tablespoon 15 millilitres For the slightly toxic simazine oral LD 5 000 the fatal quantity of pure pesticide may be about 16 fluid ounces 0 5 litre These
11. It is not for number use by homeowners or other uncertified users May be fatal if swallowed Avoid contact with eyes and skin Avoid breathing spray mist or vapours Wash thoroughly after handling and before eating or drinking Wear protective coveralls and chemical resistant gloves during mixing loading application and cleanup activities Wear NIOSH g Directions approved respirator when spraying or during other activities where there is exposure to mist or vapours The days to for use harvest interval is 14 days The restricted entry interval is 72 hours See attached pamphlet for information on application with specific crop types DISPOSAL Triple rinse the empty container Make the container unsuitable for other use Dispose of the container in accordance with provincial requirements For information on the disposal of unused product contact the manufacturer or provincial regulatory agency Contact the manufacturer and applicable provincial regulatory agencies in case of a spill and for cleanup of spills FIRST AID AND TOXICOLOGICAL INFORMATION Symptoms of poisoning include headache weakness blurred vision nausea cramps excess sweating vomiting convulsions and coma First aid In case of poisoning h First aid and IMMEDIATELY contact the first aid attendant for the worksite and if not available call a physician or a poison control toxicological centre Take label MSDS or product name and Pest Control Products Act registration
12. Tanks are typically more than 122 cm 4 ft deep and need to be provided with guardrails or other means of guarding Personal protective equipment The necessary equipment will vary with the job For example a substantial range of equipment including respiratory protection is likely needed for a worker who enters a pressurized vessel to attach a pull out line However for a worker who handles treated lumber the necessary measures would be less extensive involving protection such as chemical resistant gloves Confined spaces Some treatment vessels may be confined spaces If it is necessary for workers to enter such spaces for example in maintenance operations then the requirements of Part 9 Confined Spaces of the OHS Regulation would apply Safety in welding and similar operations Treatment chemicals need to be cleaned from metal surfaces before any welding burning or cutting operation is done on those surfaces Control of hazardous wastes In treatment areas chemicals may drip onto sawdust or onto the surface of the ground These wastes need to be properly controlled Specialized waste service providers may be of assistance Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 166 Protecting re entry workers This chapter includes the following sections Introduction e Warning signs Restricted entry intervals Entry procedures e Exceptions Introduction Protection of workers who enter spray sit
13. and should not be stored on wooden shelves Some pesticides and water Pesticides such as dazomet and aluminum phosphide will release toxic gases on contact with water Maneb and mancozeb are combustible on contact with water Ensure such pesticides are stored away from all sources of water Pesticides and corrosives Many pesticides are incompatible with corrosives such as strong acids or caustics Keep corrosives separated from such pesticides Some pesticides and metal Pesticides such as difenzoquat methyl bromide and paraquat will produce flammable hydrogen gas on contact with galvanized metal Make sure to prevent contact between such pesticides and metals Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 115 2319 319 5eonoeid 2082 40 5 seunpaooid ueuudinbe euosjed ATINV4 SALON AI34VS 1V2IW3H2 219 pl n sul 5512 1534 1394 1 21X0 10 Ajayesapouu Aguis d oo ALIDIXOL 3112 qasvH2und ALLLNWNO AYOLNAANI 39VIOLS AGIDILSAd 31va 3sVH2ufd 1N3IQ385NI 3ALL2V 40 3WVN T1V2IW3H2 3WVN3aavul Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 116 Never store personal protective equipment food or food utensils with pesticides Always store pesticides in the properly labelled container with the label clearly visible A good practi
14. enzyme that is essential in the transmission of nerve impulses Cholinesterase affected for up to 2 3 weeks Almost identical to OPs but cholinesterase is affected only for about 24 hrs Can be absorbed through skin lungs or mouth Brain stimulant leading to convulsions and lung failure Acute poisoning symptoms Mild headaches weakness blurred vision excess perspiration nausea vomiting excess Salivation feeling of constriction in throat Severe muscle twitching constriction of pupils bluish skin convulsions coma death Acute symptoms resemble those caused by OPs Nausea restlessness tremors muscular weakness convulsions coma Some OPs such as methamidophos have caused chronic nerve damage All OPs can cause cumulative acute effects if exposure is repeated day after day A simple blood test can be used to check for cholinesterase interference by OPs Repeated daily exposure does not cause cumulative effects Often stored in fat where they may be inactive 48 Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators Table 5 Health effects of some major classes of pesticides continued Classes Examples Nature of toxic effect Acute poisoning symptoms Comments FUNGICIDES Carbamates Carbamates All are skin irritants Do not 1 Skin irritation Exposure to some dithiocarbamates CB Thiophanate methyl inhibit cholinesterase like may lead to skin carbamate insectic
15. for safe re entry to an orchard treated with a high volatility insecticide Entry before the expiry of the restricted entry interval should be limited to the following circumstances No contact entry No contact entry means that workers may be permitted to enter provided they have no contact with anything that has been treated by a pesticide or is contaminated by a pesticide Specific duties of short duration In this case a worker may be permitted to enter to perform specific duties of short duration These duties should not exceed one hour and should not involve hand labour that may cause substantial contact with contaminated surfaces Acceptable duties include the operation moving or repairing of equipment other than equipment related to the preparation and application of pesticide Apart from the issue of restricted entry intervals if the employer authorizes a worker to enter a building or structure in which any pesticide including a fumigant has been applied the employer must ensure that e Where practicable the treated area of the building is ventilated and the atmosphere has been tested or otherwise evaluated by a qualified person and declared safe to enter If a worker may be incapacitated after re entry provision has been made for rescue Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 174 Exceptions The Regulation states that in some circumstances of limited hazard it may not be necessary to post warni
16. materials away from sunlight Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 95 Protective gloves apron and boots Protective hat spray suit and boots Note For information on disposable glove removal procedures see the WorkSafeBC publication Controlling Exposure Protecting Workers from Infectious Disease BK129 available at WorkSafeBC com Gloves Selection and use Never handle pesticides without gloves and never use leather or cloth gloves with liquid formulations Canvas gloves which permit pesticides to come in contact with the skin can increase the chance of exposure Chemical resistant gloves are available in a wide variety of materials that include natural rubber neoprene nitrile polyethylene PVC and PVA Although materials such as neoprene have good acid and solvent resistance properties no one single material is likely to provide protection against all types of pesticides See Table 13 for details Also check the pesticide MSDS for recommendations on gloves The sample MSDS in Chapter 2 of this manual shows gloves covered in Section 7 Preventive Measures Ensure that gloves are durable as well as chemical resistant For example PVA is one of the best materials for protection against emulsifiable concentrate solvents such as xylene However PVA tends to dissolve in water and would quickly deteriorate when used with water based formulations Do not u
17. one floor below Methyl bromide had escaped through an opening in the warehouse and drifted down through a feed hopper to the workstation Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 159 Note When handling methyl bromide remove items such as rings and watches that could trap the fumigant against the skin Prolonged contact of methyl bromide with the skin can produce severe blisters Wear impervious clothing gloves and face shields 20 cm minimum when there is any possibility of skin contact with liquid methyl bromide Wash exposed skin immediately after methyl bromide exposure Safe practices for space and spot fumigation include Sealing Adequately seal the space to be fumigated against leakage through openings that lead to areas where unprotected workers may be present Sealing materials include masking tape heavy kraft paper sheeting caulking compounds plastic sealants and heavy polyethylene sheeting Sheeting of 4 5 mil thickness offers better tear resistance and is more impervious than thinner varieties Removal If adequate sealing cannot be ensured two options are available move unprotected persons who may be in the vicinity to a safe location or move the material to be fumigated to a location that is a safe distance from people For furniture and other items that can be moved a means of ensuring safety is to provide treatment in an airtight fumigation chamber A properly designed chamber fea
18. pressure reaches the atmospheric pressure the liquid is at its boiling point Source Fred Scaffidi Assessing Hazards Importance of Vapour Pressure Transport Canada Table 8 Relative vapour pressures of pesticides Relative vapour pressure VERY HIGH Above 100 millimetres of mercury mmHg Pesticide name Acrolein Hydrogen cyanide Methyl bromide Phosphine Sulfuryl fluoride HIGH 10 to 100 mmHg INTERMEDIATE 0 01 to 10 mmHg Dichloropropenes Dimethoate Formaldehyde Carbaryl 2 4 D Dichlorvos LOW 0 0001 to 0 01 mmHg Diazinon Methamidophos Sulfotep Triallate VERY LOW Below 0 0001 mmHg Acephate Atrazine Azinphos methyl Captan Carbofuran Chlorpyrifos 2 4 D amine Diquat Malathion Paraquat Pentachlorophenol Picloram Warfarin Zineb Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 64 Warning properties Am I able to smell or sense the pesticide before it gets to levels in the air that could be dangerous Many pesticides that evaporate into the air provide a warning of their presence by their smell or by producing irritation of the eyes nose or throat Pesticide odours can vary somewhat with the chemical class of pesticide As shown in Table 9 organophosphates tend to have strong odours variously WM described as garlic like sulfur like etc Among the carbamates the insecticides are often almost odourless whereas a number of the herbicides
19. the wider the angle the greater the possibility of drift Nozzle material is a major determinant of resistance to wear Tungsten carbide and stainless steel tips are more resistant than those made of plastic or brass A number of nozzle design concepts have been developed that can help reduce the hazard to the applicator These include Amnti drip nozzles These are designed to eliminate all drip when pressure to the boom is shut off Two anti drip designs include The nozzle strainer check valve The diaphragm check valve Amnti drift nozzles These may help reduce drift when operated under the conditions specified by the manufacturer Quick release nozzles These are designed for quick nozzle changes and may be helpful to applicators who must change nozzles regularly h Triggers Where the hydraulic application unit employs a hand spray gun the trigger assembly itself is a hazard point Safety problems that may develop with triggers include accidental discharge valve leakage onto the operator and tendinitis from repeated trigger use Specific safety features can help deal with such problems Possible safety problems Good safety features Accidental opening by bumping trigger Trigger guard Adequate spring force against trigger Leakage from trigger valve onto operator Well designed and maintained seals Tendinitis from squeezing trigger Over centre action on trigger Comfortably shaped handle and trigger i j Shut
20. 2 190 SLIGHTLY Quintozene PCNB Fungicide ON 1 650 SLIGHTLY Resmethrin Insecticide PY 1 100 SLIGHTLY Rotenone Deritox Insecticide ML 132 MODERATELY Sethoxydim Poast Herbicide ML 2 700 SLIGHTLY Silica aerogel Drione Insecticide IN 3 160 SLIGHTLY Simazine Herbicide ON 5 000 SLIGHTLY Sodium chlorate Atlacide Herbicide IN 1 200 SLIGHTLY Sodium fluoride Insecticide IN 75 MODERATELY Sodium pentachlorophenate Fungicide wood preserv OC 210 MODERATELY Spirodiclofen Envidor Insecticide OC 2 000 SLIGHTLY Streptomycin Fungicide ML 9 000 SLIGHTLY Strychnine Rodenticide ML 30 VERY Sulfaquinoxalime Rodenticide ML 1 000 SLIGHTLY Sulfosulfuron Herbicide ON 5 000 SLIGHTLY Sulfotep Plantfume Insecticide OP 5 INHALATION HAZARD The toxicity of gases is measured as a lethal concentration LC Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 46 Table 4 Acute toxicities of pesticides continued Chemical name Trade name Sulfuryl fluoride TCMTB Busan Tebufenozide Confirm Terbacil Sinbal Terbufos Counter Major use Target pest Insecticide Fungicide wood preserv Insecticide Herbicide Insecticide Chemical family 100 1 590 5 000 5 000 1 6 Acute toxicity rating INHALATION HAZARD SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY VERY Tetrachlorvinphos Tetramethrin Thiabendazole Mertect Thiophanate methyl Easout Thiram Arasan Arborgard Insecticide Insecticide Fungicide Fungicide
21. Control agents for fabric pests and parasitic pests tend to be of low to moderate acute toxicity and of relatively short persistence On the other hand many rodenticides are highly toxic Some of the major hazard concerns in the industry include the following The length of exposure of pesticide applicators An applicator may work 6 to 12 application sites per day throughout much of the year Transportation and storage difficulties Applicators often work from vehicles such as compact trucks in which pesticides application equipment and personal protective gear are stored It is important to prevent inhalation of pesticide by the driver pesticide contamination of personal protective gear in the vehicle and spillage of pesticides on workers in case of a vehicle accident Communication Communication between the applicator and the workforce at the site of application may be difficult Applicators often work at jobsites when other workers are not present Safe work practices All procedures for the safe application of pesticides found elsewhere in this manual apply to the structural pest control industry In addition however the following specific points are emphasized Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 148 Alternatives to pesticides A number of non chemical strategies are available including e Habitat management e Physical controls e Pheromones for monitoring or mass trapping Biological control agents
22. If the pesticide releases any appreciable vapour or is a gas do not use only a dust mist filter Since most pesticides give off vapours at least a combination of chemical vapour and dust mist filtration is necessary If the pesticide causes eye irritation a full facepiece respirator should be used Full facepiece designs also help reduce skin exposure to pesticides If levels of pesticide are substantially above exposure limits a full facepiece air filtering or supplied air respirator should be considered If IDLH conditions exist or there is an oxygen deficiency only SCBAs should be used or airline supplied air respirators if provided with a five minute reserve air bottle IDLH conditions include those where the concentration of the air contaminant is such that it could cause escape impairing symptoms if the worker were exposed IDLH levels are shown for some fumigant pesticides in Table 14 Oxygen deficiency exists when atmospheric oxygen levels are less than 19 5 percent In firefighting situations use only SCBAs Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 103 Table 14 IDLH levels for some fumigant pesticides Pesticide IDLH level Chloropicrin Formaldehyde Hydrogen cyanide Hydrogen sulphide Methyl bromide Phosphine Sulfuryl fluoride Levels refer to parts of air contaminant per million parts of air Source NIOSH OSHA Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards 2005 All IDLH values represent judgments and should
23. Pentachlorphenol Propachlor Pyrazon Triallate Alachlor Atrazine Bromoxynil Dicamba Dichlobenil Diuron Fenuron Isopropalin Linuron Metabromuron Metribuzin Monolinuron Monuron Prometryne Pronamide Simazine Trifluralin Arsenic Borate Bromacil Chlorate Diquat Paraquat Picloram Tebuthiuron Terbacil Sources include Biodegradation of Pesticides Matsamura and Murti 1982 Metabolism of Pesticides U S Dept of Interior 1980 Environmental Fates and Impacts of Major Forest Use Pesticides EPA 1981 1 Time estimates are approximate and will vary somewhat with various environmental factors Estimates apply to moist fertile soils under field conditions in moderate summer temperatures 2 At higher rates of application some of these chemicals may persist for more than 12 months 3 At lower rates of application some of these chemicals may persist for less than 12 months 4 Although this chemical may remain unchanged for a long time it is absorbed so tightly to many soils that it may become biologically inactive within a short period Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 70 Table 12 Persistence of fungicides in soil Fungicide Half life days Comments 3 65 or more Decomposes rapidly in moist conditions More persistent in dry acidic soils Chloroneb 30 90 Application rate 2 25 kg ha Chlorothalonil Long half life Little breakdown noted on plant leaves Thiram More than 40 Not dete
24. Personal protective equipment Personal protective equipment should only be used as a means of hazard control if other means such as substitution engineering and administrative controls are not sufficient to protect workers Because of the nature of the hazards involved with pesticides and their means of application personal protective equipment is often needed Under the Regulation if a worker mixes loads or applies pesticides or if a worker cleans maintains or handles equipment materials or surfaces contaminated with pesticide residues the employer must ensure that The worker is provided with and wears suitable protective clothing and equipment Contaminated protective clothing and equipment is stored in a secure place and not used until it is laundered or otherwise cleaned e If required adequate facilities or services to launder contaminated protective clothing are available e At least one change of outer protective clothing for each worker is available at the work site A change room or sheltered place is provided where workers can change clothes and store personal clothing while wearing protective clothing The employer will also need to ensure appropriate personal protective equipment is provided to other workers who may be exposed to pesticides such as workers who re enter treated areas Depending on the circumstance personal protective equipment will include any of the following e Clothing e Gloves H
25. V8X 5H2 Phone 250 881 3418 1 800 663 7593 Fax 250 881 3482 Head Office Richmond Prevention Information Line Phone 604 276 3100 1 888 621 7233 621 SAFE Administration 6951 Westminster Highway Phone 604 273 2266 Mailing Address PO Box 5350 Stn Terminal Vancouver BC V6B 5L5 After Hours Health amp Safety Emergency 604 273 7711 1 866 922 4357 WCB HELP R06 06 2 10 09 Printed in Canada BK35
26. aaa a 196 Emergency telephone numbers 202 Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators Vi Introduction This chapter includes the following sections How to use this manual Pests and pesticides Worker health and safety Pesticide legislation How to use this manual This manual deals with the health and safety of workers who work with or near pesticides It is meant for all industries including e Agriculture e Silviculture e Structural pest control e Wood treatment e Aerial application e Landscaping The manual also focuses on the health and safety of e Workers who re enter treated areas or who handle treated materials e Emergency response teams that deal with pesticide spills or fires e First aid personnel and medical staff who deal with poisonings The manual has ten chapters The first five provide basic information upon which to build a pesticide safety program Topics covered include sources of information on pesticides classification of pesticides toxic effects and equipment hazards The last five chapters deal with implementation of a pesticide safety program including e Choice of hazard controls e Selection of personal protective equipment Transport and storage of pesticides Safe mixing loading and application practices e Site re entry emergency and maintenance procedures This manual may be used jointly with documents such as the H
27. application program is completed Safe practices for flaggers e Because of their high potential for pesticide exposure flaggers may be required to wear substantial protective equipment including respirator Note impervious hal or hood suit gloves and boots It is necessary that Part 29 Aircraft a seal be provided between gloves and the sleeves of the spray unit Operations of the Several sealing devices are marketed for this purpose Occupational Health e Warn all people who may be exposed to pesticide drift to move to a and Safety Regulation safe distance includes a requirement When the aircraft is lined up and well before the aircraft reaches your for personal protective equipment for flaggers work area move over to the next position e Never turn your back on an oncoming aircraft To protect others stay at the site until the application is complete Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 147 Structural pesticide application The structural pest control industry is largely concerned with insect and rodent pests that may be present in space enclosing structures such as warehouses restaurants food storage facilities and homes The nature of the hazard The hazards associated with structural pesticides can depend on the type of pest controlled For example a number of the wood decay insect control agents can be persistent Control agents for food storage pests include the highly toxic fumigant gases
28. can help ensure worker safety in case of a vehicle accident One particularly useful type of canopy is the space cab utility canopy which provides a series of lockable compartments along each side of the canopy The space cab also provides an interior space accessed from the rear for storage of equipment and bulk pesticides Compartments can be used to provide separate storage for personal protective gear wash water first aid and incompatible chemicals Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 118 Mixing and loading procedures Qualifications and training As outlined at the beginning of this chapter mixers and loaders must be properly qualified and trained Pesticide information Before handling a pesticide read the product label and consult the material safety data sheet Personal protective equipment Before handling a pesticide put on the proper personal protective equipment In many mixing and loading procedures necessary protective equipment includes Chemical resistant footwear Chemical resistant apron e Coveralls Chemical resistant gloves e Face shield Respirator Emergency facilities Ensure that proper emergency facilities including washing facilities and first aid equipment are provided Emergency phone numbers must be made available at the mixing and loading site Closed systems Closed mixing and loading systems have been shown to reduce worker exposure to pesticides and m
29. carrier such as kerosene Exist as a gas vapour or smoke May be produced from contact of a solid chemical with water or from evaporation of a liquid or may be sold as pressurized gases in cans Organic liquids such as xylene can be highly flammable They may also cause drowsiness in highly exposed workers and can increase pesticide penetration of skin In dry form can drift easily and be inhaled More physically corrosive to application equipment than ECs Tend to persist longer in the environment and are more easily dislodged from foliage than ECs Capsule increases persistence Less hazardous to applicators than some other formulations May rupture if overheated Fogs drift easily Oil based fogs present fire hazards Often highly toxic Drift easily and can affect workers far from application site unless control steps are taken Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 30 Classifying by chemical family Most pesticides in use are chemicals Many of them can be grouped into a relatively small number of chemical families A chemical family is a group of chemicals that have a similar chemical composition and as a result have similar properties including hazards for workers In order to use pesticides safely it is necessary to understand some basic facts about chemical families An understanding of chemical families can be used to predict e Symptoms of poisoning Treatment of poisoning e Persi
30. facilities For the storage of bulk or reserve quantities of pesticides the employer must supply a storage facility that meets the design criteria stated in this manual e Factors to be considered in the facility design include maintenance of minimal quantities compatibility of pesticides strength of shelving materials and containment of spills Safe pesticide storage involves both storage facility design and safe practices in the storage facility Special consideration must also be given to mobile storage facilities Facility design Factors to consider when designing a storage facility include location building materials entrances ventilation plumbing lighting and insulation Figure 12 shows the recommended layout of a pesticide storage shed Location e Always store pesticides in a facility separated from work areas and habitation e Depending on the quantity of pesticides the facility may be a cabinet room or shed For larger quantities of pesticides a shed completely removed from buildings such as barns houses and warehouses is preferred In case of fire the loss of a small shed is far less costly than a larger structure such as a barn or warehouse e Do not store pesticides in a basement Dangerous vapours and gases are more difficult to ventilate from a basement than from a ground level structure e Selecta storage site as far as possible from human and animal habitation and on the downwind side Standard
31. in the air after application than other types of formulations Encapsulated pesticides generally permit less release in the air than non encapsulated varieties e Size of spray particle The ability of a spray mist to drift depends to a great extent on the size of the spray particles As shown in Table 7 very fine particles can drift a kilometre or more in fairly still air whereas coarser sprays can be expected to settle out within 10 15 metres of the point of application This is why high pressure fine insecticidal sprays present a far higher drift hazard than coarse herbicide applications e Wind speed Wind speed drastically affects spray drift A study showed that in an 8 km h 5 mph wind the drift of an insecticide from a boom sprayer was about 30 metres But when the wind speed was doubled to 16 km h the drift was about 10 times farther This is why it is recommended that spraying not be done in wind speeds of more than 8 km h Table 7 Drift potential of pesticide particles Source Twelfth Annual Report of the Canada Committee on Agricultural Meteorology to the Canadian Agricultural Coordinating Committee Ottawa Ontario January 27 28 1971 with figures converted to metric Distance of drift carried by a Particle diameter Particle 5 km h wind while falling from in microns type a height of 3 metres 400 Coarse spray 2 7m 150 Medium spray 7m 100 Fine spray 15m 50 Very fine spray 54m 20 Fogs 367m 10 Dusts and aeros
32. is not available Write down and bring along the name of the product the active ingredient and its concentration along with the Pest Control Product PCP registration number from the label 10 Report the incident to WorkSafeBC using the contact information In the Regulation Section 3 16 Basic requirements http www2 worksafebc com publications OHSRegulation Part3 asp SectionNumber 3 16 Schedule 3 A Minimum levels of first aid http www2 worksafebc com Publications OHSRegulation Part3 asp Schedule3A OHS Guideline G3 16 First aid assessment http www2 worksafebc com Publications OHSRegulation GuidelinePart3 asp SectionNumber G3 16 1 provided on the inside front cover of this manual First aid kits The types of first aid supplies equipment and facilities required at a worksite vary depending on The number of workers per shift level of risk of injury to workers e The surface travel time from a hospital The Regulation and the associated OHS Guidelines establish the basic requirements for first aid equipment and supplies Refer to these resources to determine the requirements for your worksite The following items should be included in a first aid kit e Syrup of ipecac to induce vomiting e Activated charcoal to absorb pesticide e Plastic bottle of clear water to mix with charcoal Cups for drinking Sufficient clean water for flushing eyes and skin e Pair of clean impervious g
33. litres or gallons Determine the amount applied per hectare or acre using one of the following formulas Litres per hectare Litres used in test x 400 Gallons per acre Gallons used in test x 160 Make up the formulation so that the active ingredient is applied at the correct rate per hectare or acre Alternatively for a given formulation adjust your walking speed to get the right rate of coverage Boom sprayers A simple method for calibrating boom sprayers is the refill method The following description of the refill method is drawn in part from the Agriculture Canada publication Field Sprayers 1 Select nozzles nozzle arrangement and operating pressure for desired spray characteristics To check individual nozzle performance fill the tank about half full with water Catch the output of each nozzle for one minute and measure this water with a measuring cup Any nozzle tip that delivers more than 10 percent above its rating should be replaced Special calibration cups are available to help with this procedure Replace the whole set of tips when measurement indicates appreciable wear Set out two stakes 200 metres 660 feet apart in the field Pick a level spot and fill the sprayer tank with water Operate the sprayer to ensure that the supply lines and boom are full before conducting the calibration test Record the water level on a measuring stick Spray between the stakes in both directions at a definite speed an
34. minimize blowback and remove or brush into cracks any dust remaining on exposed surfaces If the dust is combustible put out all flames and pilot lights and shut down spark producing equipment in the treated area Liquid spray applications Shake hand spray equipment containing emulsions and wettable powders before starting each job Agitate wettable powder formulations often during application Apply pesticide at low pressure to prevent back splashing When treating exposed surfaces use light applications to prevent runoff Recommended pressures are 20 psi 1 4 kg cm for crack and crevice treatments and 30 45 psi 2 3 kg cm for fan sprays Wipe up and if possible decontaminate all spills and splashes immediately Dispose of soiled towels and rags safely Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 150 e With compressed air hand held tanks always place applicator gun in the support mount on the side of the tank after each use A safe practice is to stamp nozzle codes on the side of the multiple nozzle heads so that nozzles can be set when viewing the assembly from the side Do not apply water based pesticides near hazard points in electrical circuits e Do not apply oil based or other flammable pesticides near sources of ignition such as pilot lights of stoves and gas refrigerators Bait programs Tamper proof enclosed bait boxes are far less hazardous than open boxes It is a safe practice to provide warn
35. must be observed Antisapstain applications unless the label specifies otherwise In such cases the area of application must be clearly identified to workers and entry into the area must be restricted to authorized personnel Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 175 Emergency procedures This chapter includes the following sections Introduction Poisoning e Fires Pesticide spills Introduction Procedures must be established to address three basic types of possible emergencies pesticide poisoning fires and spills Written procedures for managing emergencies must be developed for each hazardous substance at a workplace as required by section 5 2 c of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation Ensure that all supervisors and workers who work with or around pesticides are trained in these procedures as required by sections 5 2 d and 5 7 of the Regulation Notify WorkSafeBC immediately if an accident results in death or a critical condition or in the event of a major release or spill of toxic material Pesticide spills must be reported to the Provincial Emergency Program Emergency telephone numbers are provided on the last page of this manual Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 179 Poisoning Information in this section addresses first aid procedures first aid kits antidotes for poisoning and cholinesterase tests Information to assist with developing first aid procedures ma
36. necessary measures so that pesticides are not a hazard to other workers Notify neighbors so children and pets may be kept away from the treated area See Chapter 8 for details Do not exceed recommended application rates If those rates do not control a pest consult with the appropriate authorities such as the B C Ministry of Agriculture the B C Ministry of Environment or Agriculture Canada Use minimum operating pressures Recommended pressure ranges are 200 275 kPa 30 40 psi for herbicides and 500 2 100 kPa 75 300 psi for insecticides or fungicides Use the proper nozzle for the job Cone spray patterns are not meant for herbicides Nozzle and swirl plate dimensions are particularly important in low volume air blast operations Specialty anti drift nozzles are available for spray applications Other useful design features include quick release nozzles and anti drip valves See Chapter 5 for details Use nozzles with the minimum possible spray angle The wider the angle the greater the possibility of drift With boom applicators use the minimum possible boom height to minimize the potential for spray drift Consider the use of wick applicators and similar devices to cut down on any potential for drift Do not spray pesticides at unsafe speeds The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture provides recommended travel speeds for the tree fruit industry in its Guide for Spraying Fruit Trees fact sheet which can be found at www omafra gov on c
37. necessary to alter vehicle speed or the flow rate through the applicator unit to obtain the desired application rate A sprayer should be calibrated at the beginning of the spray season and at times throughout the season depending on nozzle wear Nozzle wear a major cause of over application is most likely e With wettable powders e With high pressure applications e With less durable tips such as brass e At nozzles closest to the pump If calibration information is not available for example if the supplier has gone out of business you may wish to use the calibration instructions provided in the remainder of this chapter Instructions cover five major types of application systems Backpack units Boom sprayers Air blast sprayers e Granular applicators e Aircraft Backpack units 1 Mark out an area of 5 metres by 5 metres 25 square metres The area should have terrain and foliage similar to the area being treated 2 Fill the sprayer with water and pump up the sprayer to the desired operating pressure Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 196 Determine the time needed to spray the area of 25 square metres walking at the same speed you plan to use in spraying the actual area to be treated Either measure the amount of water needed to refill the sprayer or measure the spray from the nozzle while spraying for the same amount of time it took to cover the test area Measure the amount of spray in
38. off and selector valves Ensure that valves function properly and do not leak Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 82 Equipment used to pull sprayers Many boom and air blast units are designed to be drawn by tractors Hazard points on such vehicles include exposed shafts sprockets and drive belts that must be adequately guarded Ensure that the power take off PTO is fully guarded at all times and necessary warning signs are in place Guards must cover the tractor stub shaft master shield and revolving power shaft floating shield as well as any revolving shaft on the application machinery Roll over protective structures ROPS and seat belts on tractors are vital in reducing hazards faced by the operator The Farm and Ranch Safety and Health Association www farsha bc ca offers several publications on working safely with farm machinery Fumigation equipment Fumigant materials may be applied in solid liquid or gaseous form For example solid tablets or pellets containing aluminum phosphide may be spread in the area to be fumigated Over time these materials will react with moisture to produce phosphine gas Low volatility liquid fumigants such as dichloropropenes may be applied with a pressure fed applicator with a pump and metering device or by a gravity flow unit Highly volatile fumigants are handled in pressurized containers or tanks Hazard points Hazard points associated with pressurized containers
39. paper containers on the top shelf small metal and plastic containers on the Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 114 middle shelf and large metal and plastic containers on the bottom If any glass containers are used they are least likely to break in the event of a fall if placed on the bottom shelf Bottom shelves should also be used for large containers such as drums where space permits An alternative practice is to place drums on pallets next to the wall Always separate incompatible pesticides and chemicals In some pesticide publications the term incompatible is used to describe two or more pesticides that reduce each other s effectiveness if applied at the same time However from a health and safety perspective the term incompatible describes those chemicals which on contact with each other can create a hazardous condition such as a fire explosion or release of toxic gases Such chemicals must be separated from each other in storage areas to minimize the chance of mixing in case of spills Examples of incompatible chemicals include Combustible pesticides and oxidizers Most pesticides are easily ignited or oxidized This is especially true of organophosphate insecticides Keep such pesticides away from oxidizers such as The pesticides cyhexatin dodine and sodium chlorate Ureabor Fertilizers that contain ammonium nitrate m Cleaning agents such as bleach WARNING Ureabor is a very strong oxidizer
40. predictions are approximate because it is difficult to know if a person will react to a chemical in the same way as a rat or mouse When pure pesticide is diluted the amount required to cause a fatality is correspondingly increased For more information on acute toxicity of specific pesticides refer to Table 4 in this chapter Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 39 Note The smaller the LD of a pesticide the more acutely toxic it is help predict acute toxicity only They do not measure the ability of a pesticide to cause chronic health problems The toxicity of gases is measured as a lethal concentration LO Chronic long term effects Chronic problems resulting from exposure to some pesticides can include a variety of effects such as e Skin or lung sensitization e Nerve liver or kidney problems Cancer reproductive problems or other effects in some cases Chronic effects may be due to exposure to the active ingredient or to a formulant that has toxic properties For example the active ingredient alachlor is a skin sensitizer Toluene diisocyanate TDI is a formulant and is both a skin and respiratory sensitizer Chronic effects typically occur in one of three ways As a complication of acute poisoning For example leptophos an organophosphate insecticide may produce persistent nerve damage after an incident of acute poisoning Asa slowly progressive condition without a
41. pressurized cans are an example The corroded hand symbol indicates that the pesticide is CORROSIVE to the skin The chemical is either acid or alkali caustic and can burn the skin The warning symbol on the label for Pestkill identifies the product as a DANGEROUS POISON g Directions for use This section gives general information on how to use the product to safely control pests It may include days to harvest pre harvest intervals which are minimum time periods between the application of the pesticide and the harvest of crops These intervals are required in order to protect consumers from eating crops with high levels of pesticides Due to space constraints directions for use may sometimes be found in a pamphlet attached to the label Days to harvest intervals are not to be confused with restricted entry intervals or re entry intervals which are the periods of time that must pass before workers not wearing suitable personal protective equipment Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 16 are permitted to enter a work area such as a field orchard or building where pesticides have been applied For the label in Figure 1 a restricted entry interval of 72 hours is specified First aid and toxicological information This section provides a brief summary of poisoning symptoms and first aid advice Information in Figure 1 emphasizes quick action to wash the victim It also warns against inducing vomiting unless to
42. procedures Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 117 Note When considering storage practices check the pesticide MSDS for information on issues such as flammability chemical stability and incompatibility along with recommendations on storage practices The sample MSDS in Chapter 2 of this manual covers these matters in Sections 4 5 and 7 of the data sheet Also ensure that storage practices meet requirements of environmental authorities Mobile storage facilities In the structural pest control and silviculture industries pesticides are frequently transported for extended periods of time in one vehicle As a result the vehicle becomes a mobile storage facility and appropriate precautions need to be taken Hazard concerns include Prevention of driver s inhalation of harmful levels of pesticide e Adequate containment of pesticides in case of vehicle accident Prevention of pesticide contamination of personal protective clothing and respirators e Provision for storage of contaminated protective clothing away from driver or passenger areas e Provision of adequate quantities of wash water if the application site is far away from a running water source From a safety viewpoint a pick up truck with a canopy offers the most advantages Cars and station wagons are not recommended The containment of pesticides in a locked truck canopy eliminates worker exposure to pesticides during driving and
43. protection The rest of this section provides general information on respirator types selection use and maintenance For detailed information on respiratory protection consult the WorkSafeBC manual Breathe Safer The manual can be viewed online at WorkSafeBC com Types of respirators Filtering facepiece respirators These units as shown in the graphic to the left cover the nose and mouth With this type of respirator the facepiece itself is a filter Typically these respirators are meant only for use against relatively low levels of air contaminants such as dusts and mist droplets Some designs may provide protection against vapours Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 100 Non powered cartridge respirators These respirators have cartridge assemblies that screw onto a facepiece Note that covers the nose and mouth half facepiece or that covers the nose Some respirators are mouth and eyes full facepiece provided with canisters which operate on the same principle as the smaller cartridges but provide more filtration capability Depending on the design canisters may be attached to the facepiece or worn on the body Half face respirator left and full face respirator right Cartridges may be designed to protect against particulates Some cartridges also provide protection against some pesticide vapours and gases To be fully effective against pesticide spray the filter must be effe
44. sign that could be found on a shipping container The sign includes cautions in Spanish Figure 19 Prohibited entry warning sign Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 171 Note The obligation to post signs for moderately or very toxic pesticides is a minimum standard required by the Regulation Employers may also post signs for the application of slightly toxic pesticides Warning signs for other pesticide applications Warning signs for the application of moderately and very toxic pesticides other than fumigants in enclosed spaces must display The skull and crossbones symbol The word WARNING in a language that can be readily understood by workers and in letters large enough to be read at a distance of 8 metres 25 feet e The name of the pesticide The date of application The date of expiry of the restricted entry interval Instructions to obtain permission to enter if entry is needed before the expiry date Figure 20 provides an acceptable warning sign to cover these circumstances WARNING NAME OF PESTICIDE DATE OF APPLICATION DO NOT ENTER UNTIL ENTRY BEFORE THIS TIME IS PERMITTED ONLY IF PROPER PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT IS WORN AND IF PERMISSION IS OBTAINED FROM Figure 20 Restricted entry warning sign Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 172 Restricted entry intervals Along with warning signs the use of proper restricted entry intervals is one
45. the spill is inside an enclosed area such as a room or shed ventilate the area At minimum open doors and windows If explosive levels of flammable materials may be present in the air ensure the ventilation system is explosion proof During cleanup do NOT wash away spilled material This only spreads the pesticide Use the B A N system Barricade or dike the spilled chemical to prevent its spread Absorb or soak up as much liquid material as possible Absorbents include clay vermiculite and cat litter Commercial absorbents are also available that both absorb liquid and suppress vapours Flammable absorbents such as sawdust rags and paper are less desirable than non flammable varieties m With dusts wet down before sweeping Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 187 Dispose of the absorbent safely A recommended practice is to place absorbent in sealed watertight drums The Regulation requires workplace labels for containers of hazardous wastes Consult the nearest office of the Ministry of Environment for information on waste disposal procedures Neutralize any remaining residues If possible use a long handled brush to scrub the spill area to help minimize inhalation of vapours Consult the pesticide label and MSDS to determine specific neutralization techniques The following general comments will serve as guides Many organophosphate pesticides such as diazinon and azinphos methyl can be det
46. they apply i e the restricted entry interval In some cases it may be appropriate to leave the sign in place beyond the minimum period for example if an allergenic pesticide such as alachlor or dichlorvos is involved provided that the signage indicates the reason for continued posting Warning signs for protection against fumigants in enclosed spaces differ from those that are acceptable in other pesticide applications Warning signs for fumigants in enclosed spaces Fumigants in enclosed spaces can represent a severe inhalation hazard To address the risk an acceptable sign will need to display A skull and crossbones symbol The words DANGER DEADLY FUMIGANT GAS KEEP OUT in a language that can be readily understood by the workers and in letters large enough to be read at a distance of 8 metres 25 feet The name of the fumigant e The name of the applicator Emergency telephone numbers for both day and night Figure 19 provides an acceptable warning sign for fumigants in enclosed spaces Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 170 cess DANGER PELIGRO POISON GAS AREA UNDER FUMIGATION WITH METHYL BROMIDE PRECAUCION AL USUARIO Si usted no lee Ingles no use este producto hasta que la etiqueta le haya sidoe explicada ampliamente DO NOT ENTER NO ENTRE Fumigation Date Company Name Business Address Certified Operator in Charge Telephone Day A typical fumigant prohibited entry
47. toxin then the employer must develop procedures that may include protective reassignment of the worker Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 89 Personal protective equipment Personal protective equipment includes protective clothing gloves headgear eye protection and respirators This type of protection is only appropriate as the primary means of hazard control in cases where other means such as substitution engineering and administrative controls are not practicable or sufficient or in temporary or emergency conditions Hazard controls must be in place for all aspects of pesticide use in the workplace including e Transportation e Storage Mixing Loading Application Re entry to treated areas Inspections and investigations A complete pesticide safety program includes routine safety inspections of the workplace Under the Regulation inspections must be done at intervals that will prevent the development of unsafe working conditions Where feasible inspections will include the participation of the joint occupational health and safety committee or worker health and safety representative as applicable In the event of accidents or other incidents the employer needs to ensure that investigations are made as required under the Workers Compensation Act to identify causes of the incident and to ensure corrective measures are put in place to prevent recurrence Emergency procedures These must be est
48. use Respiratory protection Appropriate respirators must be worn by workers who may be exposed to harmful levels of pesticides in the air WorkSafeBC has established exposure limits for many pesticides and formulants These limits are listed in the Table of Exposure Limits for Chemical and Biological Substances which can be accessed at WorkSafeBC com If a worker is likely to be exposed to levels of chemical in air above exposure limits steps must be taken in order to ensure worker safety Engineering controls such as ventilation systems or enclosed cabs are the preferred way of reducing worker exposure to contaminants However in some pesticide applications especially outdoors such controls may not be feasible In such cases respirators must be used Proper respirators are those which are of a type approved by an agency acceptable to WorkSafeBC and which are effective against the air Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 99 Note Some approvals are for protection against fumes which are small metal particles that condense in the air from hot metal operations such as welding The term fume must never be confused with the term fumigant Fumigants are generally gases or vapours Note Dust masks i e masks with one strap are not respirators and are not acceptable to WorkSafeBC for use with pesticides Filtering facepiece respirator contaminants in question The U S National Institu
49. Fungicide 1 000 1 010 3 100 7 500 375 SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY MODERATELY Triallate Avadex Trichlorfon Dipterex Neguvon Triclopyr Garlon Trifluralin Treflan Triforine Funginex Herbicide Insecticide Herbicide Herbicide Fungicide 675 450 713 3 700 6 000 SLIGHTLY MODERATELY MODERATELY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY Warfarin Zinc naphthenate Cuprinol Zinc phosphide Mouse Bait Z phos Zineb Ziram Rodenticide Fungicide wood preserv Rodenticide Fungicide Fungicide 185 4 920 46 1 000 1 400 MODERATELY SLIGHTLY VERY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY Zoxamide Note Fungicide 5 000 SLIGHTLY Oral LD s in Table 4 are based on information from the Handbook for Pesticide Applicators and Dispensers B C Ministry of Environment 2005 and from the Pest Management Regulatory Agency of Health Canada 47 Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators Table 5 Health effects of some major classes of pesticides Classes Nature of toxic effect Comments INSECTICIDES Organophosphates OP Carbamates CB Organochlorines 0C Examples Azinphos methyl Chlorpyrifos Coumaphos Diazinon Dichlorvos Malathion Methamidophos Sulfotep Terbufos Carbaryl Carbofuran Methomyl Pirimicarb Dicofol Diflubenzuron Endosulfan Toxaphene Can be absorbed through skin stomach and lungs OPs interfere with cholinesterase a body
50. Practices for Pesticide Applicators 111 If possible choose a shady site Select a site where surface runoff water used to fight a pesticide fire will not contaminate a surface water body or well Ensure the storage area is above the highest recorded flood level Building materials Whenever possible use fire resistant materials Gypsum board interiors are preferable to wood panelling Paints or other sealants should be used on absorbent surfaces A concrete floor with curbs to contain spills is preferred to wood Paints or other sealants should be used on absorbent floor surfaces Explosion proof wiring switches and fixtures are necessary for storage of flammable pesticides Entrances Provide locks on entrances Securely attach warning signs outside or next to all entrances Signs should effectively communicate DANGER to anyone who cannot read or understand English Ventilation If the storage facility is not used as a mixing area a reasonable level of ventilation is six air changes per hour For a facility 3 metres about 10 feet high this would mean about 30 litres per minute 1 cubic foot per minute of ventilation for every one tenth of a square metre 1 square foot of floor area If mixing is done indoors additional ventilation will likely be required For small quantities of pesticide natural ventilation may be sufficient Structures with no vapour barriers or weather stripping may have natural air leakage of one
51. STANDARD PRACTICES FOR PESTICIDE APPLICATORS WORK BC WORKINGTO MAKE A DIFFERENCE worksafebc com About WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC the Workers Compensation Board is an independent provincial statutory agency governed by a Board of Directors It is funded by insurance premiums paid by registered employers and by investment returns In administering the Workers Compensation Act WorkSafeBC remains separate and distinct from government however it is accountable to the public through government in its role of protecting and maintaining the overall well being of the workers compensation system WorkSafeBC was born out of a compromise between B C s workers and employers in 1917 where workers gave up the right to sue their employers or fellow workers for injuries on the job in return for a no fault insurance program fully paid for by employers WorkSafeBC is committed to a safe and healthy workplace and to providing return to work rehabilitation and legislated compensation benefits to workers injured as a result of their employment WorkSafeBC Prevention Information Line The WorkSafeBC Prevention Information Line can answer your questions about workplace health and safety worker and employer responsibilities and reporting a workplace accident or incident The Prevention Information Line accepts anonymous calls Phone 604 276 3100 in the Lower Mainland or call 1 888 621 7233 621 SAFE toll free in British Columbia To rep
52. TLY SLIGHTLY VERY SLIGHTLY Cypermethrin 2 4 D Daminozide Alar B Nine Dazomet Basamid Mylone Deet Insecticide Herbicide Growth regulator Fungicide nematicide Insecticide 251 300 MODERATELY MODERATELY SLIGHTLY INHALATION HAZARD SLIGHTLY Deltamethrin Desmedipham Diazinon Dicamba Dyvel Dichlobenil Casoron Insecticide Herbicide Insecticide Herbicide Herbicide MODERATELY SLIGHTLY MODERATELY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY Dichlofluanid Dichloran Botran Dichloropropene Telone Dichlorvos Diclofop methyl Hoe Grass Fungicide wood preserv Fungicide Fungicide nematicide Insecticide Herbicide MODERATELY SLIGHTLY INHALATION HAZARD VERY SLIGHTLY Dicofol Kelthane Didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride Difenzoquat Avenge Diflubenzuron Dimethoate Cygon Rogor Insecticide Fungicide wood preserve Herbicide Insecticide Insecticide MODERATELY MODERATELY MODERATELY SLIGHTLY MODERATELY Dinocap Karathane Mildex Diphacinone Diquat Reglone Weedrite Diuron Karmex Dodemorph acetate Fungicide Rodenticide Herbicide Herbicide Fungicide 43 Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators SLIGHTLY VERY MODERATELY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY Table 4 Acute toxicities of pesticides continued Chemical name Trade name Dodine Cyprex Equal Endosulfan Thiodan Endothall Des i cate EPTC Eptam Eradicaine Ethephon Ethrel Maj
53. Table 4 and for convenience they are included in the Chemical family column Inhalation hazards of fumigants may be significant regardless of LD s which are based on oral or dermal exposure and this is reflected in the last column of Table 4 Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 41 Table 4 Acute toxicities of pesticides Chemical name Trade name Abamectin Agri Mek Avid Acephate Orthene Ortran Acrolein Alachlor Lasso Allethrin Major use Target pest Insecticide Insecticide Herbicide Herbicide Insecticide Chemical family Acute toxicity rating VERY SLIGHTLY VERY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY Alpha chlorohydrin Epibloc Aluminum phosphide 4 aminopyridine Avitrol Amitraz Apivar Mitak Amitrole Amizol Cytrol Rodenticide Insecticide Repellent Insecticide Herbicide 400 1 100 MODERATELY INHALATION HAZARD VERY MODERATELY SLIGHTLY Ammoniacal copper arsenate ACA Ancymidol A rest Arsenic pentoxide See CCA Atrazine Aatrex Azamethiphos Fungicide wood preserv Growth regulator Herbicide Insecticide 8 2 000 1 780 1 040 VERY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY Azinphos methyl Guthion Sniper Bacilius thuringiensis Dipel Thuricide Bensulide Bentazon Basagren Boric acid Boracic acid Insecticide Insecticide Herbicide Herbicide Insecticide 7 15 000 770 1 100 3 000 VERY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY Bro
54. a english crops facts 00 035 htm Do not misapply pesticide because of unnecessary overlap in spray patterns Swath edges on grain crops turfs etc can be marked with devices that apply materials such as aluminum particle suspensions foam or latex paints Switching off the applicator while turning at the end of a spray swath can help avoid over application of pesticides on the inner area of the turn Blank off any nozzles not needed Where appropriate use thickening agents to reduce the likelihood of drift Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 135 As a general rule do not spray if wind speed is more than 8 km h 5 mph or if air temperature is above 30 C To minimize any contact with pesticide drift wherever possible begin the application on the downwind side of the field and proceed at right angles to the direction of the wind i e cross wind See Table 17 for information on assessing wind conditions e If there is a chance that water spray may contact exposed electrical equipment for example when air blast operations are carried out near stingers take appropriate precautions Refer to the next section Landscape application for details of safety procedures After the application of pre emergent herbicides on dry soil wetting the soil periodically can help ensure that pesticide contaminated dusts are not produced e With backpack units Wherever possible place the unit on a waist high surface such as
55. a table tailgate etc before slipping into the shoulder straps to minimize the chance of spill while putting the unit on Take the unit off using a similar procedure Always walk upright to avoid any leakage through filling caps or air bleed holes Never walk backwards while carrying such units Table 17 Wind observation chart Beaufort wind scale code number Wind velocity km h Wind description Less than 2 Observation Leaves hang motionless Grasses motionless Light air Leaves and grasses move gently Light breeze Very small branches move Leaves move rapidly Tall grasses swaying Gentle breeze Smaller branches move Billowing fields Moderate breeze Fresh breeze Large branches move Large branches move strongly Small trees less than 5 metres high move Strong breeze Large trees higher than 5 metres move Moderate gale Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 136 Large trees move vigorously Landscape application The nature of the hazard Landscape pesticide application programs may be used in parks and school grounds along road rights of way on cemetery lawns golf courses and the like Some hazards that may be of particular concern include Large quantities of chemicals may be used and safe storage requirements may be extensive Spray programs may be carried out in densely populated areas and require that particular
56. ablished in the event of a poisoning spill or fire All workers who may be affected must be properly trained in the procedures and the use of the equipment First aid capability must be provided on site as required by the Regulation Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 90 Health surveillance In some cases it may be necessary to establish a health surveillance program in order to monitor and ensure worker well being Chapter 9 of this manual includes information on a cholinesterase monitoring program which can provide a means of health surveillance for workers exposed to organophosphate and carbamate insecticides Records Under the Regulation the employer must maintain a record of pesticide applications that includes e The pesticide used and the location of application e The date and time at which the application was completed The date on which workers were allowed to re enter e If applicable the type of crop treated the rate of application and the number of acres or hectares treated Records may also be required by environmental and other authorities The remainder of this chapter will deal with general control measures for the protection of workers including e Personal protective equipment e Pesticide transport and storage e Mixing and load procedures e Application procedures e Disposal of pesticides e Personal cleanliness and wash up facilities Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 91
57. ain hats and wide brim safety hats If a standard safety helmet with a narrow brim is used adding a rain trough raised lip around the bottom edge of the helmet can help prevent pesticide from dripping onto the neck Bill caps do not provide adequate protection e Neck capes that attach to the back of some helmets are available to reduce spray drift contacting the neck Sweatbands must be made of plastic or other non absorbent material Do not use bands of leather or cloth Care e Wash and dry headgear after use Store in a clean location away from direct sunlight Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 97 Eye protection Selection and use Chemical resistant goggles must be worn when there is a chance of chemical drift into the eyes e g during spray applications Good non fogging designs are available Do not use goggles that are meant only for protection against physical hazards from grinding and cutting Hoods helmets with visors and full facepiece respirators can also be used to provide eye protection in such situations Face shields protect the eyes and face when there is a likelihood of splash from one direction and may be particularly useful during mixing and loading operations Visors are sold in a range of sizes and Chten icalresistant goggles shapes and should be selected to provide the maximum coverage of the face and neck Eye protection must meet the require
58. ainer with the jet rinse and spray for 30 60 seconds Multiple washes do not completely clean residues from pesticide containers Follow Ministry of Environment requirements and recommendations to ensure that washed containers are either returned to the supplier or are destroyed and disposed of in an approved manner Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 127 Personal cleanliness and wash up facilities Immediately cleanse any body area contaminated with pesticide Wash hands and face after pesticides are handled and before break periods or lunch Wash thoroughly when finished for the day and change into clean clothing e Wash contaminated clothing before re use Hot wash temperatures of at least 60 C are advised Bleach and detergent are particularly useful when washing clothing contaminated with carbamates and organophosphates It is a good practice to wash clothing made of absorbent materials such as cotton more than once if heavily contaminated with pesticide Never wash contaminated clothing with other laundry e Avoid eating drinking or smoking when working with pesticides e Make sure enough soap and water is available for routine cleanup Shower facilities must be available for mixers loaders applicators and flaggers to wash effectively at the end of the work period Arrangements must be made to ensure that such workers have clean clothing and are provided with appropriate clean protective equipment at the beginning o
59. al with the tab end outside the ear With foam or sponge type disposable plugs roll the plug between the thumb and forefinger before inserting Then lift the ear up and back and insert the plug well into the ear canal using a twisting motion Hold the plug in until the material expands If you feel pain when inserting plugs see your doctor You may have an ear infection or wax buildup in the ear For further information on hearing protection consult the WorkSafeBC publication Hear for Good which is available at WorkSafeBC com Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 109 Transport of pesticides Legislation on the transport of pesticides and other dangerous goods on public roadways includes the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act Transport Canada and related provincial environmental legislation In addition the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation has requirements that apply to vehicles used by workers Some safe pesticide transportation practices include Attach warning placards to the vehicle that identify the hazardous contents being transported as required by relevant federal and provincial legislation Carry a spill cleanup kit that includes items such as a shovel and chemical neutralizer Ensure that the driver is trained in emergency spill procedures Inspect containers for defects prior to transport Do not accept materials in rusted dented or otherwise defective containers Never transport pes
60. and pressure Alternatively adjust the nozzles pressure or speed of travel to produce the correct application rate Note If it is not practical or convenient to use calibration stakes 200 m 660 ft apart and a shorter distance is necessary use the longest possible distance between stakes to obtain an accurate calibration Calculate the ground speed by using the following formula 1 440 Time in seconds to travel 400 m Kilometres per hour or 900 Time in seconds to travel 1 320 feet Miles per hour Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 198 Calculate the application volume as follows Litres added x 25 x 400 Boom length m x Distance travelled m Litres per hectare or Gallons of water added x 33 x 1 320 Boom length ft x Distance travelled ft Gallons per acre Air blast sprayers 1 Predict the rate of nozzle discharge at the normal operating pressure from information available from the service manual or distributor Check the actual output per minute of the sprayer by measuring the amount of water discharged from the tank during a timed period of operation If the actual output is substantially above the predicted output nozzle wear may be the problem If necessary replace nozzles and repeat step 2 Establish the desired speed for the tractor and sprayer If the tractor is not equipped with a low speed speedometer determine the number of tree spaces per
61. andbook for Pesticide Applicators and Dispensers B C Ministry of Environment which provides information on pesticide selection and environmental precautions B C crop production guides Ministry of Agriculture and Lands e Forest Pesticide Handbook of British Columbia Ministry of Forests and Range For farmers and ranchers Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators should be considered a companion to other WorkSafeBC publications on health and safety in agriculture Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators s Pests and pesticides A pest is a troublesome or destructive animal insect plant or mold A pesticide is a product used to kill or control pests There are about 6 000 different brands of pesticides in Canada In some cases biological controls such as insects bacteria and viruses are alternatives to chemical pesticides Because pesticides are designed to harm living organisms they can harm people as well as pests The safe use of pesticides is in everyone s interest Whenever workers handle or work near pesticides measures must be in place that address the hazards involved and protect worker health and safety Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 4 Worker health and safety A review of compensation claims has shown that about half of all cases of occupational disease attributed to pesticides involved mixers and applicators The rest of the cases involved other workers such as emergency respons
62. arfarin Nature of toxic effect Main route for severe poisoning is ingestion Reduce clotting ability of the blood Acute poisoning symptoms Bleeding from nose gums and into urine and stools Possible skin bruising and bleeding of internal organs including brain Comments Vitamin K is an antidote FUMIGANTS FUM Methyl bromide Phosphine from aluminum phosphide and magnesium phosphide NOTE Fumigants are generally extremely toxic and are primarily inhalation hazards Toxic effects vary from one fumigant to the next See Chapter 7 for more information on fumigants Lungs the most important route of entry Can also enter by skin and mouth Extremely toxic by inhalation A lung irritant and central nervous system depressant Headache dizziness nausea coughing convulsions coma Also a severe skin irritant Coughing headache difficulty breathing Higher levels can cause pulmonary edema Not a skin irritant Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 51 Gas detection equipment includes colourimetric tubes Don t wear gloves rings etc that can trap methyl bromide against the skin Gas detection equipment includes colourimetric tubes Phosphine is flammable Pesticide hazard evaluation This chapter includes the following sections Introduction Pesticide toxicity Amount of pesticide Pesticide formulation Amount of pesticide in the air Warning propertie
63. ators 194 sjeu JosiAJedng u ye uonoy suon puoo np uonoedsur XON p dsul ned eonu quo 3u NOILO3dSNI Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 195 Equipment calibration Note The Workers Compensation Act requires suppliers to provide instructions for the use of equipment and to ensure supplied equipment is safe when used in accordance with the instructions It is expected that instructions on how to calibrate pesticide application equipment will be made available to the purchaser Check with your supplier for information on calibration if you don t already have it Calibrate spray equipment to ensure pesticides are not over applied Over application can create health hazards for fieldworkers Calibration is simply the adjustment of the machine to make it deliver the right amount of spray for a given area Equipment calibration is straightforward The equipment is operated at the desired pressure and speed over a known area and the amount of material applied is measured By a simple ratio the amount of material that would be applied per hectare or acre can be calculated This information can then be used to adjust pesticide formulations so that the desired amount of active ingredient will be delivered in a given area If the strength of the pesticide formulation cannot be adjusted it may be
64. be considered the maximum concentration from which one can escape without escape impairing symptoms and irreversible health effects Use and maintenance of respirators 1 Before use ensure the respirator is in good working order For example check the half facepiece chemical cartridge respirator as follows Particulate filter Check for NIOSH approval proper connection to the respirator and condition of filter Combination gas and particulate cartridge Check for NIOSH approval proper connection to the respirator and condition Gaskets Ensure these are in place and in good condition Inhalation valves Ensure these valve flaps are clean and lie flat against the inhalation port Exhalation valve Ensure valve guard is in place that valve functions correctly and that valve and seal are clean Facepiece Ensure that facepiece is clean and is not warped or cracked especially along the sealing surface that contacts the skin Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 104 Facepiece Headband Combination gas and particulate cartridge Gasket if applicable Exhalation valve and cover Figure 11 Diagram of a cartridge respirator 2 After putting on the respirator ensure there is an adequate seal between the facepiece and skin Quick field checks of the seal are the negative pressure inhalation check and positive pressure exhalation check The Regulation re
65. ber storage room etc in which high levels of fumigant gases may be present a self contained breathing apparatus or an airline respirator with an escape bottle is required Also such respirators are the only sure protection when working with fumigants with poor warning properties Protective clothing Various combinations of chemical resistant gloves boots pants jackets and eye protection should be used particularly when workers may be exposed to fumigants in their solid or liquid forms Worker checks It is not good practice to work alone when applying fumigants Deaths due to fumigant exposure have been recorded for virtually all kinds of fumigation procedures Worker check systems must be in place whenever required by Part 4 General Conditions of the Regulation Sources of ignition If flammable fumigants are used all sources of ignition at the worksite must be controlled Ignition sources include burning cigarettes gas fired heaters and electrical equipment Space and spot fumigation practices Space and spot fumigation techniques are particularly hazardous because the fumigation is carried out in enclosed airspaces that may trap the fumigant for extended periods of time and because of the possibility of drift to adjacent work areas not being fumigated Case example Forty eight hours after application of methyl bromide to a warehouse food processing workers were poisoned one severely while at their workstations
66. ce with paper containers is to place the containers in transparent plastic bags or other similar containers for extra security Inspect pesticide containers and contents regularly As a general rule pesticides have a shelf life of about two years Some pesticides such as naled and paraquat corrode metal containers Some pesticides can become explosive when dry To prevent problems record when pesticides are purchased make periodic checks of containers and contents and rotate stock The Pesticide Storage Inventory form page 116 will help with the management of stored chemicals Eliminate all defective containers If the original pesticide container breaks repackage the pesticide as follows Put it in a container that is similar to the original for example replace plastic with plastic An alternative with torn paper containers is to patch the tear and place it in a clear plastic bag secured on top Do not cover up the label Label any new container with a replacement supplier s label or a workplace label which shows the trade name common name concentration of the chemical PCP number safe handling information and reference to the MSDS where available Be prepared for emergencies It is a safe practice to provide emergency supplies such as a first aid kit and spill cleanup equipment at the pesticide storage area Emergency phone numbers should be displayed next to the telephone See Chapter 9 for details on emergency
67. ces for pesticide applicators a manual of health information and safe practices for workers who apply pesticides WorkSafeBC 2009 ed ISBN 978 0 7726 6210 1 1 Pesticides Safety measures 2 Pesticides Application Safety measures I WorkSafeBC II Title Manual of health information and safe practices for workers who apply pesticides SB952 5 572 2009 363 17792 C2009 906717 X Cover photo iStockphoto alohaspirit Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators Acknowledgments WorkSafeBC would like to thank everyone who contributed their time and expertise to the development of this document including Rex Eaton and the Farm and Ranch Safety and Health Association FARSHA Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators iv Contents 1 introduction ununun eren nan n 1 How to use this 1 3 Pests and Pesticides n adal s da i 4 Worker healtticand 5 Pesticide legislation 6 2 Sources of pesticide information 9 Tntrod ction 5 e oe o ieu deerat de AAA et ond do 11 LII E 12 Material safety data sheets 505 522 2 18 Worker education and Cra mings s s 24 3 Types of pesticides
68. chanical agitation is necessary Hydraulic agitation employs a return flow of liquid through an agitator line on the high pressure side of the pump to jet nozzles or a sparge pipe at the bottom of the spray tank If operated correctly a hydraulic agitation system may provide sufficient agitation for wettable powders Agriculture Canada has recommended 3 6 litres per minute of hydraulic agitation per 100 litres of tank contents Mechanical agitation that employs a rotating propeller or other similar device is a preferred means of agitating wettable powders Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 80 Pumps Pumps vary a great deal in capacity operating pressure resistance to wear and ease of repair When selecting a pump allow 25 percent reduction in capacity due to wear Pumps must meet additional volume demands if hydraulic agitation is used Pressure Pressure regulator and pressure gauge regulator The regulator may be either a relief valve or an unloader design For safe operation it should be matched to the pressure and volume flow characteristics of the application equipment Gauges on the output side of the pump are one of the most important safety features on the spray unit Dampened units usually are longer lasting than undampened designs An indication of malfunction is unexpected fluctuations in pressure readings Pressure lines Plumbing includes pipes and couplings Hose test pressures should be two tim
69. ctable after 40 days at application rates of 250 ppm More persistent at higher concentrations Sources include Biodegradation of Pesticides Matsumara and Murti 1982 Metabolism of Pesticides U S Dept of Interior 1980 Pesticides Studies in Man Hayes 1982 The half life is the time taken for the level of fungicide to be reduced to half of its original concentration It takes about three half lives to reduce the amount of fungicide to one tenth of original levels Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 71 Mixing loading and application equipment How do the type of equipment and the ways of operating it affect the likelihood I may be exposed to pesticide Mixing loading and application equipment is available in a wide range of designs Design differences may affect not only performance capabilities but also the hazard involved with equipment use Mixing and loading systems Despite what one might think mixing and loading a pesticide may be more hazardous than applying it More than one third of the pesticide illnesses reported by mixers loaders and applicators in California agriculture over a five year period occurred among workers who only mixed and loaded pesticides Open mixing and loading systems are more hazardous than closed systems Open systems include those where the operator pours pesticide into the receiving container or where this is done mechanically from one open container to anot
70. ctive against both particulates and vapours Cartridge respirators with half facepieces often provide adequate protection against most pesticides at levels around or just above exposure limits For levels well above these limits or where the pesticide causes eye irritation a full facepiece or a supplied air respirator may be necessary Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 101 Powered air purifying respirator Self contained breathing apparatus Powered air purifying respirators PAPRs A PAPR is a design of cartridge respirator that uses an electrically powered pump to draw air through a filter at a certain minimum rate The PAPR then delivers the air through a hose to either a tight fitting facepiece or to a loose fitting hood or helmet sometimes called an air hat With some models the pump and filter unit can be attached either to the person or to equipment such as tractors Research shows that PAPRs with properly fitted facepieces provide better inhalation protection than those fitted with helmets or hoods Some helmets and hoods may impair vision and their use in uneven terrain may be hazardous However hoods and helmets provide some protection against skin exposure and may also reduce noise levels from application equipment Note Breathing assist respirators are available on the market These units look like PAPRs but don t meet the NIOSH airflow specifications of PAPRs Ensure
71. cury Relative vapour pressure ratings of some common pesticides are provided in Table 8 Those with VERY HIGH vapour pressures above 100 mm of mercury are generally used as structural fumigants These pesticides have pressures that are sometimes greater than sea level atmospheric pressure which is 760 mm For example methyl bromide has a vapour pressure of about 1 900 mm of mercury Many of the HIGH vapour pressure pesticides between 10 mm and 100 mm are soil fumigants INTERMEDIATE pesticides in the range of 01 to 10 mm include some of the more easily evaporating insecticides such as dichlorvos and carbaryl LOW vapour pressure materials from 01 down to 0001 mm of mercury include a variety of pesticides such as some of the organophosphate insecticides Those with VERY LOW vapour pressure below 0001 mm of mercury include many of the herbicides fungicides and organochlorine insecticides Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 62 Vapour hazard The hazard of a vapour to workers increases as the vapour pressure rises However a pesticide with an intermediate or low vapour pressure can still be a significant inhalation hazard For example dichlorvos which is in the intermediate vapour pressure range is extremely toxic Because of its high toxicity even small amounts in the air are hazardous In some situations a pesticide liquid or mist may fill the air around it with the maximum amount of vapour poss
72. cy facilities such as wash water are at hand in the event of an accident When a worker is applying a pesticide particularly one that is very toxic it is necessary to periodically check the well being of the worker When a worker is applying pesticides in a greenhouse mushroom barn or similar enclosed space the work must be done in a manner that rescue can be carried out by a person equipped and able to do so Environmental procedures As a general rule do not apply pesticides if wind speed is more than 8 km h 5 mph or if air temperature is above 30 C Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 125 Note The B C Ministry of Agriculture and Lands has partnered with industry associations to offer a series of crop production guides The guides cover currently recommended practices for the production of specific crops Some guides include forms for recording details of pesticide applications For more information visit www agf gov bc ca cropprot prodguide htm Protection of other workers Before application begins post required warning signs at normal points of worker entry to the spray site Signs must warn of the danger and specify the required restricted entry interval Refer to Chapter 8 for details Ensure that other workers are moved to a safe area If practicable schedule pesticide application in buildings for times when the buildings are unoccupied Take all reasonable precautions to prevent drift
73. d pressure Turn the boom on as you pass the first stake and turn it off as you pass the last stake in each direction If the sprayer is not equipped with a low speed speedometer record the time required to travel 200 m 660 ft while spraying between the stakes Note the tractor gear used and mark the throttle setting Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 197 6 Carefully measure the amount of water required to refill the tank to the original mark on the measuring stick This is the amount needed for spraying a distance of 400 m 1 320 ft 7 To calculate the application volume in litres per hectare use the following formula Litres of water added x 25 Litres per hectare Boom length m To calculate the application volume in gallons per acre use the following formula Gallons of water added x 33 Gallons per acre Boom length ft Note Boom length as used in the formulas above is not the measured length of the spray boom pipe but the actual width of the spray swath For single coverage spraying the boom length is equal to the number of nozzles times the nozzle spacing 8 To calculate the speed of travel use the formulas 1 440 Time in seconds to travel 400 m Kilometres per hour or 900 Time in seconds to travel 1 320 feet Miles per hour 9 Make up the pesticide formulation to deliver the amount of active ingredient per hectare or acre at the established speed
74. d carbamates tend to decompose most easily in alkaline soils Tables 10 11 and 12 provide information on persistence periods for a number of e Insecticides on plants e Herbicides in soil e Fungicides in soil All estimates should be considered approximate because of the many effects of environmental factors on pesticide decomposition rates Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 69 Table 10 Persistence of some insecticides on plants Less than 2 weeks 2 vveeks 1 month More than one month Acephate Carbaryl Aldrin Azinphos methyl Carbofuran Chlordane Cyhexatin Chlorpyrifos Ethion Diazinon Endosulfan Fensulfothion Mevinphos Fenthion Heptachlor Pyrethrin Phosmet Sulfotep Toxaphene Trichlorfon Sources include Metabolism of Pesticides U S Department of the Interior 1980 Handbook for Pesticide Applicators and Pesticide Dispensers B C Ministry of Environment 1980 1 Persistence is evaluated as the capability to provide residual action against insects 2 No longer registered for use Table 11 Persistence of herbicides in soil Over 12 months 1 month or less 1 3 months 3 12 months Acrolein Amitrole Barban Cacodylic acid Chloroxuron Dalapon 2 4 D 2 4 DB Endothall Fluorodifen Glyphosate Metham Methyl Bromide Molinate Phenmedipham Propanil Propham Bentazon Butachlor Butylate Chloramben Chlorpropham Cycloate Diallate 2 4 DEP Diphenamid EPTC Mecoprop Naptalam Pebulate
75. dane Linuron Afolan Malathion Cythion Herbicide Fungicide insecticide Insecticide Herbicide Miticide Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 44 5 000 800 88 1 500 1 000 SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY MODERATELY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY Table 4 Acute toxicities of pesticides continued Chemical name Trade name Maleic hydrazide De sprout Mancozeb Mandipropamid Maneb MCPA Agritox Major use Chemical Target pest family Herbicide Fungicide Fungicide Fungicide Herbicide Acute toxicity rating SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY MODERATELY SLIGHTLY MCPB Cantrol Mecoprop MCPP Mesotrione Metalaxyl Ridomil Apron Metaldehyde Slug bait Herbicide Herbicide Herbicide Fungicide Molluscicide SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY Metam sodium Vapam Methamidophos Monitor Methomyl Lannate Nudrin Methyl bromide Methyl nonyl ketone Detour Fungicide wood preserv Insecticide Insecticide Insecticide Animal repellent INHALATION HAZARD VERY VERY INHALATION HAZARD SLIGHTLY Metiram Polyram Metribuzin Sencor Myclobutanil Nabam Dithane Kemtreet Naled Bromex Fungicide Herbicide Fungicide Fungicide Insecticide SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY MODERATELY MODERATELY Naphthalene acetamide Naphthalene acetic acid Napropramide Devrinol Naptalam Alanap Niclosamide Growth regulator Growth regulator Herbicide Herb
76. de access The ports are sealed shut during the treatment Hazard issues with this type of system include e Exposure of the mobile equipment operator particularly if it is necessary to enter the vessel to attach pull out lines Contamination of areas outside the vessel Other hazards include the pressures involved and any maintenance procedures that would require entry into the vessels Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 163 Overhead spray assembly Local exhaust ventilation Figure 18 Linear spray box treatment system Spray box systems In these types of systems lumber is typically fed through a box and sprayed briefly with chemicals while inside Spray boxes are often used for applying antisapstain agents during milling operations Three types of spray systems include Linear feed where the lumber is fed through end to end e Transverse feed where the lumber is fed through sideways e Car wash design Hazard issues with spray boxes include e Potential exposure of nearby workers to mists and vapours e Chemicals dripping from the lumber after it leaves the spray area Handling freshly treated lumber on green chains and in sorting operations Dip tanks In these operations lumber is typically dipped into tanks for short periods using a mechanical system that forces the lumber below the surface of the treatment chemical After raising the lumber out of the Standard Practices for Pestic
77. difacoum Talon Ratak Bromacil Bromadiolone Bromone Bromoxynil Brominal Captan Orthocide Rodenticide Herbicide Rodenticide Herbicide Fungicide 0 3 5 200 1 190 VERY SLIGHTLY VERY MODERATELY SLIGHTLY Carbaryl Sevin Insecticide CB 400 MODERATELY Carbathiin Arrest Fungicide ML 3 200 SLIGHTLY Carbofuran Furadan Insecticide CB 5 VERY Chlormequat Growth regulator OC 440 MODERATELY Chloroneb Demosan Fungicide ML 5 000 SLIGHTLY Chlorophacinone Rodenticide AC 20 VERY Chloropicrin Fungicide nematicide FUM 1 INHALATION HAZARD Chlorothalonil Bravo Daconil Fungicide ML 10 000 SLIGHTLY Chlorpropham Chloro IPC Herbicide ML 3 800 SLIGHTLY Chlorpyrifos Dursban Lorsban Insecticide OP 82 MODERATELY Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 42 Table 4 Acute toxicities of pesticides continued Chemical name Trade name Chlorsulfuron Chlorthal Dacthal CCA chromated copper arsenate Clopyralid Copper ethanolamine complex ACQ Major use Target pest Herbicide Herbicide Fungicide wood preserv Herbicide Fungicide wood preserv Chemical family Acute toxicity rating SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY VERY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY Copper naphthenate Cuprinol Copper oxychloride Copper 8 quinolate PQ8 Coumaphos Co Ral Creosote Fungicide wood preserv Fungicide Fungicide wood preserv Insecticide Fungicide wood preserv 450 10 000 13 725 MODERATELY SLIGH
78. e Marketing code Pesticide marketing codes specify one of the following DOMESTIC COMMERCIAL RESTRICTED MANUFACTURING Typically DOMESTIC products are less hazardous than COMMERCIAL or RESTRICTED products because of lower strength or toxicity Note that the term MANUFACTURING applies if the product is to be used only in the manufacture of other pesticides Products with this code are highly concentrated and they must not be applied Warning symbols Visual warning symbols on pesticide labels indicate the kind of harm that can result from pesticide misuse They can alert us to both the degree and the type of hazard Degree of hazard The degree of hazard is indicated by the shape of the symbol The eight sided stop sign is a DANGER alert and is used with the most hazardous pesticides The four sided diamond sign is a WARNING for a pesticide that is moderately hazardous The three sided triangle sign is a CAUTION that the pesticide is slightly hazardous Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 15 Type of hazard The type of hazard is represented by the type of picture within the symbol There are four types of hazards identified on labels The skull and crossbones symbol warns that the chemical is POISONOUS if taken into the body The fire symbol is a warning that the pesticide is FLAMMABLE or easily ignited The exploding grenade symbol indicates that the pesticide can EXPLODE Pesticides in
79. e equipment Control measures must be in place and matched to the level of hazard Employers must ensure that regular inspections are carried out to help ensure controls are effective e Emergency procedures Employers must ensure that emergency procedures are developed to handle emergencies such as poisonings fires and spills And if an incident occurs the employer must immediately undertake an investigation to prevent similar incidents in the future Training Employers must ensure that workers are educated in the hazards of pesticides and trained in safe work and emergency procedures Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators zb Pesticide legislation This manual is designed as a workplace information supplement to the requirements of statutes and regulations that control the use of pesticides in B C The major pieces of applicable legislation are as follows 1 Federal Pest Control Products Act PCPA The PCPA requires pesticides to be registered with the Pest Management Regulatory Agency PMRA of Health Canada before they can be imported manufactured sold or used in Canada If registered a pesticide is assigned a PCP registration number This number along with permitted uses must appear on the product label In 2006 the PCPA was updated to include provisions such as e Additional protection for children and pregnant women Improved public access to evaluation reports on pesticides A requirement for the PMRA
80. e pesticides are classified according to the type of pest they are meant to control As shown in Table 1 three of the most common types of pesticides are insecticides herbicides and fungicides Table 1 Types of pesticides by target organism Type of pesticide Target pest Example COMMON TYPES Insecticides Insects Malathion Herbicides Weeds or parts of crops Amitrole Fungicides Fungi molds mildews and plant disease Chlorothalonil LESS COMMON TYPES Avicides Birds Aminopyridine Miticides Mites Dicofol Molluscicides Snails slugs Metaldehyde Nematicides Nematodes Methyl bromide Rodenticides Rodents Warfarin Fungicides include many of the products used for anti sapstain and wood preservative applications in the wood products industry Examples include propioconazole and ACQ copper ethanolamine complex By grouping pesticides this way we learn that e Insecticides are often more likely to cause severe short term acute health effects than herbicides and fungicides A number of fungicides can cause skin irritation or allergy Many of the rodenticides reduce the clotting ability of the blood and can result in poisoning symptoms such as nosebleeds and severe back and stomach pains Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 28 Classifying by formulation Pesticides are almost never sold or used as pure active ingredients Usually the active ingredient is combined with other materials called for
81. e personnel and those who re entered buildings and fields after pesticides had been applied Safety must play a major role in every aspect of pesticide use from the proper choice of pesticides to their transportation storage mixing loading application and disposal Safety is also a key concern during re entry to treated areas equipment maintenance and emergency procedures There is a right way and a wrong way of doing anything The right way is the safe way There are a number of factors that contribute to a safe and healthy workplace such as Choice of pest control method Increasingly alternatives to pesticides are being developed for the control of pests Pesticides may be part of an integrated pest management program that involves other methods such as biological and administrative controls If a pesticide is to be used it must be selected with worker safety in mind Information Thorough and reliable information is a key to working safely with pesticides It is the basis for evaluating the hazards that workers face when working with pesticides Pesticide labels and material safety data sheets provide important information The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety and government agencies with responsibilities for pesticides can also provide helpful information e Control measures Types of controls include substitution of less hazardous materials engineering controls administrative controls and personal protectiv
82. e substance acidic or alkaline Do NOT make the patient vomit Do NOT neutralize Dilute immediately by giving the patient 1 to 2 glasses of milk or water If the pesticide is non corrosive or is a hydrocarbon petroleum product Poison Control may instruct you to induce vomiting by the following method Give 30 mL 1 oz or 2 tbsp of syrup of ipecac orally The dose for children under age 15 would be 15 mL 1 tbsp Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 180 Give 1 or 2 glasses of clear fluid water or juice 10 minutes after the ipecac is administered You may receive instructions to provide activated charcoal after the patient has stopped vomiting The dose would be 50 g 2 oz diluted in 250 mL 8 oz of juice or water The Poison Control Centre may instruct you to use activated charcoal immediately Do NOT administer activated charcoal to a patient who cannot swallow due to a decreased level of consciousness Patients who have ingested a hydrocarbon must be watched closely while they are vomiting to ensure that they do not inhale vomit into their lungs Do NOT make the patient vomit if any of the following conditions exist patient is too drowsy to sit up has a decreased level of consciousness or is convulsing The patient has ingested corrosive acids or alkalis The Poison Control Centre has not been consulted For treatment of a patient with a decreased level of consciousnes
83. e your voice to be heard to a person an arm s length away the noise is probably excessive If your ears ring or sound seems muffled when you shut down equipment you can be sure your hearing has been harmed at least temporarily Selection of hearing protection Two basic kinds of protective devices are earmuffs and earplugs Earmuffs consist of two padded cups that cover the ears and are held together by an adjustable headband Earplugs are devices that fit into the ear canal Plugs may be preferred if safety headgear interferes with earmuffs Earmuffs may provide warmth on cold days Note that some earmuffs have fluid filled cuffs and you should check the fluid freezing point for work in cold conditions WorkSafeBC requires that hearing protection be selected according to CSA Standard Z94 2 02 Hearing Protection Devices Performance Selection Care and Use Check with your supplier to ensure the hearing protection you are considering will provide adequate protection against the noise from your equipment Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 108 Use Earmuffs Ensure that other personal protective equipment e g hard hat eyewear and respirator and hair do not interfere with the seal between the cuff and the side of the head Ensure the tension of the headband is adjusted to hold the muffs snugly against the head Earplugs When fitting the flange type of reusable plugs the flanged part goes into the ear can
84. eadgear e Eye protection Footwear Respirators e Hearing protection Each of these is discussed in turn below Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 92 Protective clothing Selection The purchaser of any protective clothing should consider the following features Chemical resistance Different materials have varying abilities to resist penetration by pesticides It is generally true that garments made of neoprene or natural rubber are more resistant than garments made from spun bonded olefin cotton or polyester Surface coatings of polyethylene and resins can increase the chemical resistance of less protective materials Generally the thicker the material the more protection provided Refer to Table 13 for specific information on chemical resistance of various fabric coatings Short circuiting Inspect garments for any ways in which pesticides may penetrate weak points of protective gear Safety features include jackets that can be secured up to the neck pocketless exterior surfaces and non leak seams Some seam designs in lightweight materials may permit leakage especially under conditions where the fabric is stretched Washability Highly absorbent materials such as untreated cotton may be more difficult to clean than less absorbent materials Durability Refers to the ability to resist sudden tears gradual physical abrasion and the effects of sunlight A material such as neoprene has good durabil
85. eb Organochlorines Chemical family All contain chlorine Can be insecticides or fungicides The fungicides contain sulfur as well Other types Examples Insecticides Endosulfan Fungicides Captan Anticoagulant rodenticides Bipyridines Botanicals Inorganics Organonitrogens Phenoxy herbicides Warfarin diphacinone chlorophacinone Diquat paraquat Pyrethrin rotenone Lime sulfur sodium chlorate Atrazine simazine 2 4 D MCPA Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 32 Routes of entry and health effects This chapter includes the following sections Routes of entry how pesticides enter the body e Health effects Routes of entry how pesticides enter the body Pesticides can be absorbed into the body by three routes Through the skin dermal absorption Through the lungs inhalation By mouth through the stomach and intestines ingestion In typical work situations skin absorption is the major route of entry of pesticides into the body A review has shown that more than four out of five accepted compensation claims involved exposure of the skin Skin absorption Pesticides are formulated to be absorbed easily through the surface tissue of pests Similarly the skin is a major route of human exposure The ability of skin to absorb pesticide depends on a number of factors Skin condition Absorption is a particular hazard with skin that has been cut or sc
86. el of the receiving container Increase the separation where necessary e g in case of foaming Best used with rigid piping systems It is far more difficult to ensure an air gap with flexible hose 2 In line reverse chec Atmosphere vacuum breaker k valve assemblies Single check valve with atmospheric vacuum breaker unit Protective devices on hose bibbs and generally on the discharge side of the last control valve Must never be subjected to back pressure which can cause the check valve to modulate Install at the highest point in the system wherever possible Do not use with continuous pressure which may cause the valve to seize in the open position Pressure type vacuum assembly Spring loaded float and disk with independent first check valve For use in continuous pressure water systems Install at the highest point in the system whenever possible Effective against back siphonage only Does not assure protection against back pressure Should be installed at least 30 cm 12 in above the highest outlet on the non potable water system Double check valve assembly Two independent check valves in series Used in continuous pressure situations that may be subject to back pressure Do NOT use in high hazard situations Reduced pressure principle backflow preventer Two independent check valves with intermediate relief valve Use with all cross connections subjec
87. electrochemical or photoelectric detection Some devices are handheld while others are larger in design Accuracies can be substantial and the devices are often intrinsically safe i e they can be used in hazardous atmospheres Safe procedures with fumigants Information All persons who may be exposed to harmful levels of a fumigant are to be notified before use of the substance of its harmful characteristics and precautions required for safety Emergency procedures Before application establish written emergency procedures to deal with situations such as pesticide poisoning and pesticide spills and train workers in those procedures When an applicator fumigates from inside enclosed spaces such as warehouses vaults or holds it is essential to have a second person at hand who is trained and equipped to effect rescue Personal protective equipment Respirators Persons exposed to concentrations of fumigants in the air above permitted levels must wear adequate respiratory protective equipment Cartridge respirators typically do not provide adequate protection Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 158 Canister respirators may be adequate only in some situations where low levels of exposure are involved Canister respirators must not be used in situations that are immediately dangerous to life and health IDLH In high hazard situations when for example a person enters a confined space such as a fumigation cham
88. equipment to match the hazard Footwear Always wear chemical resistant footwear even for hack and squirt or fall and squirt applications Hand protection Cloth gloves are never an adequate substitute for chemical resistant gloves in liquid applications The use of disposable gloves inside an outer pair of chemical resistant gloves has been associated with substantial reduction of pesticide intake by B C hack and squirt applicators Eye protection Chemical resistant goggles or other appropriate eye protection must be used whenever the eyes may be exposed to chemicals Eye exposure is a particular concern in mixing and loading procedures and in foliar applications Protective clothing When hand held applicator bottles are used in hack and squirt applications coveralls may provide sufficient protection However rain pants and at least a chemical resistant vest are likely necessary if a backpack unit is used Protective clothing must be sufficient to prevent pesticides from wetting through Respiratory protection Respiratory protection may be unnecessary with some conventional hack and squirt applications However respirators are an essential part of many foliar spray programs and may be required for fall and squirt devices such as brush trimming saws equipped with herbicide applicators when the devices are used for trimming above waist level Equipment maintenance When working in rugged terrain ensure that hazard points on a
89. er that Whenever there is a change in the respirator facepiece used Whenever there is a change to the user s physical condition that could affect the respirator fit For more detailed information on fit tests see the WorkSafeBC publication Breathe Safer which can be accessed at WorkSafeBC com Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 106 To ensure a good fit with respirators do not permit any object or item to interfere with the facepiece seal Cloth facelets around the facepiece beards in the area of the respirator seal and glasses for full facepiece respirators all interfere with the seal Some respirator manufacturers provide a modification of full facepiece masks that can accommodate glass lenses Change filters when breathing becomes difficult and when any pesticide odour breakthrough is noticed It is impossible to predict when breakthrough will occur with cartridges or canisters The use life depends on the level of exposure type of formulation humidity and worker rate of breathing In addition cartridges do not absorb some types of vapour nearly as effectively as others As a rough estimate in moderate exposure conditions it is reasonable to expect about four to eight hours of useful life for filters Ensure proper use of respirators in cold and hot weather Low temperatures may fog lenses on full facepiece respirators Anti fogging compounds may help prevent fogging down to 0 C For lower temperature
90. es is a vital part of a pesticide safety program A review of compensation claims showed that 50 percent of claims involved non applicators including workers who re entered the treated area If workers may be exposed to pesticide residues during re entry to a treated area then before re entry the employer must clearly communicate to workers Information about the pesticide e The nature of its harmful effects e Safety precautions to take Three keys to the protection of workers who may re enter a treated area are e Warning signs Restricted entry intervals e Entry procedures Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 169 Warning signs Warning signs are an important part of the information alert system in areas where pesticides have been applied Under the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation before a moderately or very toxic pesticide or a fumigant is applied the employer must ensure that e Warning signs acceptable to WorkSafeBC are conspicuously posted at normal points of worker entry to the area to be treated Ifa pesticide is applied in an enclosed space all entrances to the space are secured to prevent unauthorized persons from entering Warning signs need to be of a design construction and durability to be clearly identifiable for the prescribed posting period and must provide information in a manner that can be readily understood by workers Signs need to be kept in place for the period in which
91. es normal operating pressures Special high pressure hoses made from materials such as PVC and steel braid are available Clamps must be able to withstand the required pressures Simple screw designs may not be sufficient in high pressure applications and hammer clamps may be necessary Plumbing materials should be corrosion resistant It is recommended to shield the operator from high pressure hoses with deflector shields and to shield hoses from sources of damage for example when hoses are run along the undercarriage of the applicator units Safety features on hydraulic applicators include shut off devices at the discharge ends of hoses and pipes leading from the mixing tank Strainers Strainers are valuable features to reduce unit deterioration They are generally provided at three locations Suction strainers between the tank and pump Pressure line strainers between the pump and nozzle assembly Nozzle strainers mounted on each nozzle Nozzles Nozzles should be selected for spray type solid stream flat cone material angle of spray and rate of application Some nozzles are more hazardous than others The drift potential of nozzles varies according to spray type and increases in the following order solid stream flat and cone Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 81 The first two numbers stamped on the nozzle tip indicate the angle of spray discharge Typical angles are 65 73 and 85 degrees Generally
92. f every work shift e Ensure that where persons could be exposed to chemicals proper washing facilities are available as required by sections 6 95 Wash and shower facilities and 5 82 Employer s responsibility of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation Ensure that emergency washing facilities are provided in the event of harmful contact with pesticides as required by sections 5 85 to 5 96 of the Regulation Various plumbed in and portable systems for use at worksites are available Some plumbed systems are shown in Figure 15 Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 128 Eyewash from faucet Figure 15 Emergency wash facilities Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 129 Precautions for specific pesticide applications This chapter includes the following sections Introduction e Field and orchard application Landscape application e Silviculture application Aerial application e Structural pesticide application e Fumigation e Wood treatment Introduction This chapter provides safety information for seven major types of application situations Field and orchard Landscaping Silviculture Aerial application Structural pest control Fumigation Wood treatment It aims to help applicators deal with some of the hazards specific to different types of applications It is also a supplement to information found in the rest of the manual particularly in Chapter 6
93. f the supply system Level of hazard The five preventive devices are listed in Table 16 Diagrams are shown in Figure 14 Of the five the air gap is one of the simplest to install Air gaps are however only one line of defence and may not be feasible in some systems such as chemical injection irrigation To be safe air gaps must be of a design that cannot be tampered with by persons unfamiliar with the need for the gap The four types of in line check valve assemblies are designed for the specific situations described in the table Ensure the assembly selected is an approved design and is installed correctly For example reduced pressure devices cannot be installed below ground All in line systems require regular maintenance Pressure vacuum breakers double check valves and reduced pressure devices should be tested upon installation and thereafter annually by trained personnel Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 122 Table 16 Types of backflow prevention devices Device 1 Air gap Description Vertical physical separation between the discharge end of a water source and the overflow level of a receiving container of a contaminated liquid For filling spray mix tanks from water sources such as hose bibbs and surface water bodies such as ponds Warning As arule of thumb maintain a separation at least two times the diameter of the discharge pipe between the end of the pipe and the overflow lev
94. g the following procedure 1 Wrap a single ampoule of amyl nitrite in a gauze pad or handkerchief and break it 2 Hold the ampoule about 2 5 cm 1 in from the patient s mouth and nostrils for 15 seconds 3 Repeat this procedure at 15 second intervals 4 Break a fresh ampoule every five minutes 5 Administer amyl nitrite until four ampoules are used or medical attention is reached The use of amyl nitrite is only one stage of treatment Contact the B C Poison Control Centre or a physician Refer to the pesticide s MSDS for more information A complete discussion of the proper procedure for cyanide poisoning is provided in training materials for Level 3 occupational first aid attendants Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 183 Cholinesterase tests Laboratory tests can be done to estimate the degree of poisoning of workers who are exposed to organophosphate or carbamate insecticides The analysis is done on a body enzyme called cholinesterase which is affected by these two classes of chemicals Initial tests establish baseline levels for workers In the event of exposure additional tests can be used to determine the extent of change to the baseline levels Cholinesterase tests can be useful as part of an ongoing health maintenance program for workers who may be exposed to organophosphate and carbamate insecticides and in emergency situations For more information see the booklet Working Safely with OPs wh
95. garment to the glove Commercially sold devices are available to provide a drip tight seal Highest hazard activities include mixing and loading pesticides application of pesticides when there is a likelihood of drift and flagging in aerial applications Ensure body protection matches the hazard For example flaggers are expected to wear full body protective spray suits When mixing and loading liquid pesticides wear leakproof protective clothing such as an apron that extends below boot tops In spray applications where coveralls will be wet through to the skin by mist or spray full spray suits may be necessary Some suits are uncomfortable in hot weather If possible schedule such work activity for cooler periods Care e Check for small holes in protective clothing before use by holding it to light in an otherwise dark room Repair or discard any torn or defective protective clothing e If clothing becomes wetted with pesticide remove it immediately and wash the affected area of the body A number of poisoning incidents have resulted from contaminated clothing that was not removed until the end of the day e Do not store or wash contaminated clothing with personal or family laundry Wash in hot water at least 60 C Bleach and detergent are particularly useful when washing clothes exposed to carbamates or organophosphates Wash heavily contaminated fabrics twice e Store protective clothing in a clean location and store synthetic
96. h treated foliage e With hack and squirt applications making cuts deep enough to hold chemical and minimize drip Make all cuts around the circumference of a tree before applying herbicide This procedure will help minimize the likelihood of splashback e Using proper procedures with backpacks Whenever possible don and remove the unit using an elevated surface such as a table tailgate etc Always walk upright Never walk backwards Communication When pesticides are applied to locations or tree stock that will later involve other workers who may be exposed to hazardous levels of pesticide residues those workers must be informed by signs or similar means of the nature of the pesticides their harmful effects and safe work procedures Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 143 Note The refrigeration of seedlings will generally slow the rate of decomposition of pesticides previously applied to seedlings Safe re entry into forests in which herbicides have been applied may be a concern long after the chemicals have disappeared Trees treated with herbicide will eventually weaken and may become a safety hazard due to falling limbs etc Necessary safety measures may include posted warning signs and tree falling programs Aerial application Note The requirements for the operation of aircraft fall within federal jurisdiction WorkSafeBC s mandate extends only to the protection of workers at
97. her as shown in Figure 4 Pesticide container Figure 4 Open liquid transfer system Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 72 A closed system is a device and procedure for transferring a pesticide from the container in which it came to a closed mixing tank in a manner that does not expose the operator to the pesticide A diagram of a closed system is shown in Figure 5 Components include Probe A device of plastic or steel that is inserted through a liquid tight opening in the shipping container The probe may feature a seal cutting knife edge and usually consists of two tubes one inside the other One tube is used for rinsing and the other is used for removal of pesticide from the container The probe head features a rinse water inlet Metering device Sight gauges calibrated probes or in line meters may be used for metering the desired amount of concentrate into the mix tank Hoses and couplings Hoses and couplings must resist corrosive effects of concentrates and any pressure buildup in the system e Pump May be positive pressure or vacuum system Probe with seal cutter b Pesticide container e Meter c1 Rinse water hose f Pressure relief C2 Hose to spray tank valve c3 Dry break couplers g Vent Figure 5 Closed mixing and loading system The American Society for Testing and Materials has recommended the following features in a well designed closed system Design sim
98. hine is considered to be almost odourless Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 156 Field methods of measuring fumigant levels Portable field equipment is available for measuring air concentrations for most fumigant pesticides Types of equipment include gas detector tubes traditional thermal conductivity and halide meters and more contemporary portable equipment based on systems such as electrochemical detection Detector tubes have the widest application and are often effective in evaluating fumigant levels in concentrations near exposure limits Gas detector tubes These are small glass tubes filled with chemical material that change colour on exposure to various fumigant gases and vapours Each fumigant requires a different detector tube The tubes are designed to fit into small hand operated pumps that draw specific amounts of air through the tubes The amount of colour change in a tube provides a measure of the amount of fumigant in the air Two types of pumps used are the bellows and piston models a piston model is shown in Figure 16 Gas detector tubes are available for all but one of the fumigants listed in Table 18 To use the tubes to best advantage the following precautions should be taken Carefully read the instructions provided with the tubes Note if there are any other chemicals that may be in the air that would interfere with the measurement Test the pump prior to use to ens
99. ible This could occur in enclosed conditions such as a storage shed in which pesticide has spilled or where quantities of pesticide are applied inside a space such as a greenhouse Based on the vapour pressure of a pesticide it is possible to determine whether the resulting atmosphere would contain vapour concentrations above the safe limits established by WorkSafeBC Table 8 shows the relative vapour pressures of a variety of pesticides Calculations show that the high vapour pressure gas and soil fumigants listed in the table are likely to produce exposures above exposure limits in enclosed conditions In addition some lower vapour pressure high toxicity carbamate and organophosphate pesticides may be above limits too And it is important to remember that as air temperature increases vapour hazards will increase The vapours from many pesticides increase three to four times for each 10 C increase in temperature This is one reason why pesticides should be stored away from sunlight and why it is typically recommended that pesticides not be applied when air temperatures are above 30 C Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 63 Defining vapour pressure The vapour pressure is the pressure at which a liquid and its vapour are in equilibrium at a given temperature The vapour is said to be pushing against the atmosphere In other words the higher the vapour pressure the faster a liquid evaporates When the vapour
100. ich is available on the WorkSafeBC web site at WorkSafeBC com Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 184 Fires A pesticide fire is one of the most dangerous types of fires to fight because Smoke from pesticide fires likely contains levels of unburned pesticide e All pesticide fires produce acid gases that can irritate the lungs Some acid gases such as hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen cyanide are very toxic to life e Many organophosphates can be converted in fires to more toxic chemicals called oxons e At higher temperatures containers of some pesticides can explode General responsibilities If the workplace is within the service area of a fire department the employer must ensure the department is notified of the nature and location of pesticides and the methods to be used in their safe handling Providing the fire department with material safety data sheets for the pesticides on site will assist with meeting this requirement Section 4 Fire and Explosion Data of the sample MSDS in Chapter 2 of this manual is intended for information that addresses The potential for fire or explosion e The hazardous combustion products that could be present during a fire e The means of extinction of the fire Section 5 Reactivity Data provides additional information that may be of use The employer must also ensure that workers who work with or near pesticides are instructed in the hazards of pesticides and the safety preca
101. icide Molluscicide 500 SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY MODERATELY Nicotine Novaluron Rimon Oxamyl Oxycarboxin Oxyfluorfen Goal Insecticide Insecticide Nematicide Fungicide Herbicide 50 5 000 5 2 000 5 000 VERY SLIGHTLY VERY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY Paraquat Gramoxone Parathion Pebulate Tillam Pendimethalin Pentachlorophenol Herbicide Insecticide Herbicide Herbicide Fungicide wood preserv Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 45 140 3 920 125 MODERATELY VERY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY MODERATELY Table 4 Acute toxicities of pesticides continued Chemical name Major use Chemical Acute toxicity Trade name Target pest family rating Permethrin Ambush Ectiban Insecticide ML 4 000 SLIGHTLY Phenmedipham Herbicide CB 8 000 SLIGHTLY Phorate Insecticide OP 1 VERY Phosalone Zolone Insecticide OP 82 MODERATELY Phosmet Imidan Insecticide OP 113 MODERATELY Phosphine Phostoxin Insecticide FUM 11 LC INHALATION HAZARD Picloram Tordon Herbicide ML 8 200 SLIGHTLY Piperonyl butoxide Insecticide ML 6 150 SLIGHTLY Pirimicarb Pirimor Insecticide CB 147 MODERATELY Prohexadione calcium Growth regulator ML 5 000 SLIGHTLY Propioconazole Fungicide wood preserv ON 1 211 SLIGHTLY Pyrasulfotole Herbicide ON 2 000 SLIGHTLY Pyrazon Herbicide ON 2 500 SLIGHTLY Pyrethrum Pyrethrin Insecticide ML 200 MODERATELY Quinclorac Herbicide ML
102. icipality or regional district Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 8 Sources of pesticide information This chapter includes the following sections Introduction Labels e Material safety data sheets MSDSs Worker education and training Introduction Before using any pesticide read and understand information on the health hazards of the product and how to use it safely At minimum an information system has three parts Labels on containers that provide basic indicators of the level of hazard and areas of safety concern Material safety data sheets MSDSs that give much more detailed safety information than labels Worker education on pesticide hazards and training in safety procedures Labels are provided on pesticide containers Material safety data sheets are available from pesticide manufacturers through your local distributor Worker education is based on label and MSDS information And worker training is based on safe practices used in the workplace Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 11 Labels Three types of labels are associated with pesticides supplier labels workplace labels and other means of identification Supplier labels must accompany pesticides when sold to the user Workplace labels and other means of identification must be provided by the employer at the workplace e g when pesticides are poured into other storage containers or are transferred in p
103. id and gaseous pesticide application equipment Dusters Dusters are designed to blow fine particles of pesticide dusts onto a target surface b Because dusts drift easily homemade dusters made from perforated cloth coffee cans peppershakers etc are not recommended 5 Professional dusting equipment is preferred Bulb and plunger style dusters are shovvn in Figure 6 Hazard points a Connections between parts Threaded or clamped connections tend to leak far less dust than pressure fit connections b Nozzle tip Nozzle may become clogged or in the case of light metal nozzles misshaped to prevent proper application of dust Figure 6 Dusters Back pressure in case of blockage may create a hazard Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 74 c Point of attachment of delivery tube to duster body If the tube is inflexible cracking at the point of attachment may occur d Delivery tube Seamless tubing is better than tubing with a folded seam Granule applicators These units employ positive metering systems that dispense by volume Rate of application is controlled by the speed of a feed wheel and of the opening of a metering gate Granules may be broadcast to soil with a whirling plate or applied in bands with gravity feed outlets or injector tubes Figure 7 shows an example of a multiple gravity feed band applicator Figure 7 Granule applicator Hazard points a Lids Lids
104. ide Applicators 164 tank the system may include a means of tilting the lumber to help drain off excess chemicals With dip tanks bundles of lumber or other wood products can be processed in batches Hazards include the potential for accidental falls into open tanks and entry into empty tanks for maintenance procedures If the system is designed so that drip from bundles takes place at the tank and treated bundles are processed without the need for further sorting then the potential for other workers on site to be exposed to chemicals is minimized Safe work practices The Regulation includes provisions that are specific to antisapstain agents Examples include Substitution The employer has an obligation to investigate antisapstain materials and wherever practicable substitute an alternate material if the hazards of the substitute are known and the risk to workers is reduced If a new product is substituted the material safety data sheet for the previous product will need to be kept as long as the workplace has not been adequately decontaminated of the previous material Ventilation With spray box systems the employer must install an effective local exhaust system to contain overspray and protect nearby workers The system must ensure an inward flow of air into the box that is at least equal to the speed of the lumber on the outfeed conveyor Ventilation systems for transverse feed spray boxes will need to be particularl
105. ides allergy Dithiocarbamates The dithiocarbamates can Vomiting may occur if there is Some Ferbam interfere with the ability of exposure to both alcohol and dithiocarbamates Maneb the body to handle alcohol dithiocarbamates break down Nabam to produce E ethylenethiourea ETU Possible Zineb carcinogenic and other chronic effects noted by Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances RTECS Organochlorines 0C Captan Skin irritants Skin irritation Some concerns Chlorophenates in literature about Pentachlorophenol chronic effects Nitrophenols NP Dinocap Chemical increases body Sensation of heat flushed skin May cause skin activity and heat production thirst rapid respiration Also a allergy in rare cases skin irritant Repeated poisoning can lead to weight loss and insomnia Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 49 Table 5 Health effects of some major classes of pesticides continued Classes Nature of toxic effect Comments HERBICIDES Phenoxy herbicides PH Nitrophenols and benzonitriles NP Bipyridines BP Organonitrogens ON Inorganics IN Examples 2 4 D MCPA Bromoxynil loxynil Paraquat Diquat Atrazine Diuron Simazine Sodium chlorate Severe poisoning most likely to occur if taken by mouth Same as for nitrophenol fungicides WARNING This is one of the most acutely toxic classes of herbicides Extreme skin and memb
106. igure 1 is formulated as a wettable powder Pesticide use This gives information on what type of pest the product is meant to control Three common types of pesticides are insecticides fungicides and herbicides The pesticide in Figure 1 is an insecticide for control of a wide variety of insects Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 12 c Type of formulation e Marketing code f Warning symbols Front of Container Pestkill Wettable Powder Insecticide NET CONTENTS 2 4 kg REGISTRATION NO 56789 PEST CONTROL PRODUCTS ACT GUARANTEE TRIAZINON 500 GRAMS PER LITRE READ THE LABEL AND PAMPHLET BEFORE USING DANGER POISON 1 0 Pestkill is a registered trademark of ABCDE Products Canada Inc 2345 6789 ABCDE Products Canada Inc 6091 Industrial Ave Richmond BC V1V 1M1 Product information 1 800 111 1111 Figure 1 Sample supplier label Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 13 a Trade name d Pesticide use Back of Container P t k 1 DANGER i Company es 1 contact WP INSECTICIDE ABCDE Products Canada Inc COMMERCIAL 6091 Industrial Ave REGISTRATION NO 56789 Richmond BC V1V 1M1 PEST CONTROL PRODUCTS ACT Product information 1 800 111 1111 GUARANTEE READ THE LABEL AND TRIAZINON 500 GRAMS PER LITRE POISON BEFORE USING j Registration DIRECTIONS FOR USE Pestkill is a wettable powder that requires constant agitation during application
107. ily Introduction Many people find the topic of pesticides confusing After all there are about 6 000 pesticide formulations on the Canadian market But there are two steps you can take to simplify things and improve your understanding of pesticides Step 1 Learn the common chemical name of the active ingredient in the formulation along with the trade name For every one active ingredient sold in Canada there are about six trade names and one name is easier to learn than six Chemical names are also helpful because information from the Internet libraries and public agencies is often listed by chemical rather than by trade name Common chemical names are generally short and easy to learn They often appear on pesticide labels after the word GUARANTEE For example pesticides with brand names such as Laddock Aatrex Marksman Primextra and Shotgun all guarantee the active ingredient with the common chemical name atrazine Step 2 Learn to organize or group the many pesticides into a few types By doing this you can learn about things such as e The ways pesticides enter the body e Symptoms of poisoning Treatment of poisoning e Persistence of pesticides in the environment Three useful ways to classify pesticides are by e Target organism e Type of formulation e Chemical family of the active ingredient in the pesticide Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 297 Classifying by target organism In this cas
108. include Nausea Headache Tightness in the chest Loss of appetite Stomach cramps Do not attempt a self diagnosis Get help right away The full effects of poisoning may not occur right away Sometimes the full impact of a poisoning especially in cases of skin absorption will take up to 12 24 hours to happen It is important to take even minor symptoms seriously if there is a possibility of pesticide poisoning Symptoms of severe poisoning are often specific in nature and require immediate hospital treatment Typical symptoms include Vomiting and diarrhea Excessive sweating Difficulty in breathing Collapse convulsions and coma Some types of pesticides produce very specific effects For example exposure to organophosphates OPs and carbamates CBs can result in pinpoint pupils a condition called miosis Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 38 A rough measure of the ability of a pesticide to cause acute poisoning symptoms is its LD number The LD of a pesticide refers to the Lethal Dose of the pesticide required to kill half 50 percent of a group of test animals such as rats or mice In typical experiments test animals are either fed the pesticide or have the chemical administered to the skin Dosages are increased until a given dose kills half the test animals That amount is called the LD and is measured in milligrams of pesticide per kilogram of body weight of the test animal
109. ing labels on bait stations Place bait boxes away from locations of work activity in areas inaccessible to pets and children When the baiting program is completed collect all accessible baits and containers and safely dispose of used material Fog applications Fogs are composed of very tiny airborne liquid droplets generally less than 20 microns in diameter They are produced from compact applicator units that atomize relatively small quantities of pesticide into an air stream Thermal foggers inject oil based liquid formulations onto a heated surface or into a heated air stream Cold foggers atomize unheated pesticide concentrates While thermal foggers represent a considerable flammability hazard cold foggers can be hazardous due to the use of concentrates and the fact that the aerosol cloud is less visible than a thermal fog Safe practices include Before fogging ensure all workers other than the applicators are out of the area to be fogged adequately secure all entrances and post necessary warning signs e For thermal foggers use only those diluents recommended by the manufacturer The National Pest Control Association has recommended that the diluent flash point be at least 22 C 40 F higher than the temperature of the fogging area The flash point of a liquid is the lowest temperature at which the liquid gives off enough Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 151 Note Bait programs are subject
110. ion when mixing pesticides because they are handling concentrated pesticides that contain a relatively high percentage of active ingredient Scalp 3296 Eye 10096 estimated Ear canal 4796 s 0 Abdomen 1996 Forearm 8 696 Groin area 100 Palm 12 Rates are for parathion Source Malbach et al Regional Variation in Percutaneous Penetration in Man Arch of Environment Health Vol 23 pp 208 211 Foot 14 Figure 2 Skin absorption of pesticides Inhalation breathing in The chance of a worker inhaling a pesticide is higher with pesticides that tend to remain suspended in the air after application For example fine sprays are more likely to be inhaled than coarse sprays Fine dusts fogs and gas fumigants such as methyl bromide are more likely to be inhaled than sprays or granular formulations For fumigants inhalation is typically the main route of entry into the body Enclosed workplaces such as greenhouses mushroom barns and warehouses may be particularly hazardous because of the high level of airborne pesticides that may result from poor ventilation Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 36 Ingestion swallowing While skin absorption is the most common means of exposure the most severe poisonings often result when pesticides are accidentally taken by mouth It takes a surprisingly small amount of chemical to cause severe poisoning effects when swallo
111. ions Carbamates may be detoxified using a solution of washing soda or a strong soap solution Organochlorines are generally far more difficult to detoxify than OPs or CBs Consult with the chemical supplier Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 192 10 11 Be sure to decontaminate vehicle tires Store roller pumps equipped with nylon rollers in a can of lightweight motor oil Do not store a rubber roller pump in oil Clean all nozzles and store in a closed box Remove the end caps from wet booms and drain before storing Store polyethylene tanks out of the sun Flush exterior parts of equipment with water Use touch up paint where needed Drain all parts to prevent freeze damage Store sprayer hoses and boom in a dry storage area For granular applicators Qi oor Remove chemical hoppers from the metering unit and clean them Remove the metering wheel from the housing Clean the metering opening and shaft Assemble the components in reverse order Cover the applicator with a plastic bag to keep it dry and store it out of the weather Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 193 Jo Ayiqisuodsey AKou nb l uonoedsuJ 9A19Sq0 0 Suonipuo ul 10 uo yed 621149 SNOILONULSNI NOILO3dSNI U110J uomrooedsur sj3aed 262131142 ssoooud 10 wo 1uouidinb3 Standard Practices for Pesticide Applic
112. iping systems Supplier labels An example of a hypothetical supplier label is shown in Figure 1 Important sections of the supplier label include the following a c Trade name This is the company brand name only Often it does not give the name of the actual chemical contained in the product The trade name of the label in Figure 1 is Pestkill Guarantee This important part of the label states tvvo things The name of the chemical that is the actual pesticide in the product called the active ingredient The active ingredient in the example is the hypothetical chemical triazinon Some pesticides contain and list more than one active ingredient strength of the pesticide formulation No pesticides are sold for use as pure active ingredient All are mixed with other materials formulants such as solvents clays or product enhancers The mixtures are called formulations The strength of the active ingredient in the formulation is given in grams per litre or as a percentage of the total weight To convert grams per litre to percent by weight just divide by ten In the example the strength of the triazinon in Pestkill is 500 grams per litre or roughly 50 percent of the mixture by weight The higher the strength the more hazardous the pesticide Type of formulation Pesticides can be made as solids liquids or gases A pesticide s ability to affect health often varies with the type of formulation The pesticide shown in F
113. ital to have cholinesterase tests and antidotes available Immediately take any firefighting personnel suffering poisoning symptoms to hospital for treatment Once the fire is out apply decontamination procedures to contaminated land all firefighting equipment and personal protective equipment and clothing Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 186 Pesticide spills Equipment Ensure that spill control and cleanup procedures are planned in advance and that necessary equipment is available in the event of a spill or other release of pesticide The label and particularly the material safety data sheet for the pesticide are expected to contain information to assist with developing spill control measures The sample MSDS in Chapter 2 of this manual shows leak and spill procedures as well as waste disposal under Section 7 Preventive Measures Spill control and cleanup equipment should be available for use at sites such as storage mixing and loading facilities A minimum kit should include Personal protective equipment for example gloves boots and respirator Absorbent material Neutralizing material Long handled brush Shovel Waste receiving container with lid Procedures 1 First keep other people away from the spill If the spill occurs on a roadway prevent vehicles from travelling over spilled material Before cleanup review the control procedures and put on the right personal protective equipment If
114. ity in all these respects whereas polyethylene is relatively poor See Table 13 for details Thermal properties The thermal comfort of fabrics depends on both colour and fabric type Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 93 Table 13 Properties of fabric coatings Butyl rubber A synthetic material with reasonable tear and abrasion resistance Limited chemical resistance to emulsifiable concentrate solvents and some organochlorines Can provide adequate protection against formaldehyde triazine pesticides e g simazine creosote and acidic pesticides such as glyphosate There is evidence of effectiveness against organophosphates Fluoroelastomer Excellent resistance to tears and abrasion Good protection against many chemicals including some organochlorines emulsifiable concentrate solvents such as xylene and acidic pesticides such as glyphosate Natural rubber Resists tears and abrasion fairly well but can deteriorate in sunlight Provides chemical protection against acidic pesticides such as glyphosate but is not as effective with a number of other chemicals including some organochlorines emulsifiable concentrate solvents and wood preservatives Neoprene A synthetic rubber with good resistance to tears abrasion and effects of sunlight Useful against acidic pesticides such as glyphosate many of the wood preservatives and hydrocarbon solvents Not very resistant to emulsifiable concentrate solvents such as x
115. j Applicator selection valve Spray tank component materials The following materials have been used in the construction of spray tanks and other components such as pipes Material Comments Mild or galvanized steel May be corroded by acidic formulations and pesticides such as Bordeaux mixture carbo phenothion chlorfenvinphos 2 4 D difenzoquat endosulfan mevinphos paraquat and phosphamidon Aluminum Corroded by a number of pesticides including difenzoquat and paraquat Polyethylene Generally resists chemical corrosion May deteriorate if left in sunlight Some plastics may deteriorate in presence of pesticides Leaks may not be repairable Fibreglass Resistant to corrosive effects of many chemicals Repair kits are available Stainless steel or Generally corrosion resistant baked on enamel Baked on enamel may be chipped if struck with a sharp blow b Tank agitators Adequate agitation helps ensure the even application of pesticide and the safety of field workers who may later work in the treated area For emulsions the bypass line from the regulator valve may provide enough agitation In the booklet Field Sprayers Agriculture Canada has recommended that the return flow should not be less than 10 percent of the output or less than 2 25 litres per minute when the sprayer is operating Flow should be directed towards the bottom of the tank For wettable powders additional hydraulic or me
116. ld to do so by a poison control centre or doctor Company contact information You can use this information to request material safety data sheets An MSDS gives much more detailed information on safety precautions with pesticides than the label Registration number Pesticides for sale in Canada must display a registration number on the label The number provides assurance that the product has been cleared with federal authorities Contact the Pest Management Regulatory Agency PMRA of Health Canada if in doubt about a product that has no registration number The PMRA s web site www pmra arla gc ca features information on pesticide registrations Workplace labels and other means of identification Employers must provide workplace labelling when products such as pesticides are transferred at the workplace from supplier containers to other containers or to transfer systems The two types of workplace labelling are Workplace labels which are required on containers used to store product for longer than a workshift These labels provide three types of information The name of the product Safe handling procedures A reference to the material safety data sheet Other means of identification which are required on equipment such as Spray tanks that will be under the control of a pesticide applicator for use on one shift Piping systems used to transfer pesticides in the workplace This type of labelling will specify con
117. lectrical equipment If this is not feasible and you have doubt about the safety of an application consult with the power utility provider Ensure that all work activity including minimum distances from conductors conforms with the requirements of Part 19 Electrical Safety of the Regulation and with the requirements of the power utility provider Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 138 Worker re entry to treated areas Instances may arise where workers are expected to enter a treated area following the pesticide application Adequate restricted entry signs procedures and personal protective equipment must be used as specified in Chapter 8 Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 139 Silviculture application Silviculture is the practice of controlling forest establishment composition and growth through e Seed and seedling forest regeneration Growth control thinning and bush elimination e Protection of grown stands against insects and disease Pesticides are used in some aspects of silviculture operations The nature of the hazard Herbicides and fungicides which are generally not as acutely toxic as insecticides are used more often than insecticides in silviculture pesticide programs However silviculture work may involve a number of hazard issues such as The need for temporary or mobile pesticide storage and mixing facilities and the remoteness of such facilities from piped water su
118. like Garlic like CARBAMATES Many insecticides e g carbaryl carbofuran Methomyl Thiocarbamate herbicides e g EPTC triallate Odourless Slight sulfur like Aromatic ORGANOCHLORINES Captan Endosulfan Folpet Musty Faint sulfur like Faintly pungent and sulfur like FUMIGANTS Chloropicrin Dichloropropene Ethylene oxide Formaldehyde Hydrogen cyanide Methyl bromide Phosphine Sulfuryl fluoride Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 66 Acrid intensely irritating Sharp sweet irritating Irritating ether like Pungent irritating Bitter almond Irritating if mixed with chloropicrin otherwise almost odourless Fish or garlic like Irritating if mixed with chloropicrin otherwise odourless Persistence How long does the pesticide or any toxic by product remain in the environment Persistence is the ability of a pesticide to maintain its toxic properties over time Persistence may be a health and safety concern when workers children or the general public enter areas such as fields greenhouses parks and offices that have been treated with pesticides The initial period after application of a pesticide can be particularly hazardous to a person who enters the area because of the presence of Pesticide vapours in the air e Surfaces wetted with pesticide Dislodgeable pesticide residues on vegetation However the pesticide may continue to be a hazard after that peri
119. lizers fertigation or pesticides Chemical will flow into supply line with sufficient drop in supply pressure f Figure 13 Examples of cross connections Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 121 Hazards of cross connections Documented cases of illness and death have been attributed to cross connections Those at risk when drinking water becomes contaminated may include co workers family members and the public Two cases of cross connection mishaps e A pesticide applicator used an aspirator attached to a garden hose to spray a weed killer While at the job there was a flow reversal in the water supply The man disconnected the hose and feeling thirsty drank from the tap that had supplied the hose Pesticide in the water killed him A pesticide applicator while treating a church for termites left a garden hose submerged in a bucket of chlordane during mixing The church was located on a steep hill and its water system experienced negative pressure during the mixing process The chlordane that was sucked into the drinking water system resulted in 15 people becoming ill and required the replacement of the plumbing in the church Backflow prevention devices There are five basic types of devices available to prevent backflow at a cross connection The choice of device depends on three factors e Source of reverse flow pressure back siphonage alone or back pressure as well Length of use o
120. ll application equipment are inspected daily Hose lines and hose connections on devices such as backpack sprayers hypo hatchets and brush trimming saws with pesticide applicator units are particularly subject to wear All personal protective equipment and clothing must be cleaned daily and checked frequently for wear Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 142 Application practices In hack and squirt or foliar application safe practices include E e Minimizing quantities of pesticide carried to help um reduce hazard in case of accidental spills e Choosing safe durable application equipment For example some of the spray applicators available for use in hack and squirt programs are subject to leakage or other malfunctions On the other hand designs have been developed that feature closed loading systems and durable 1 trigger assemblies Applying pesticides at recommended rates If recommended practices do not control a pest Deer ar v TA b n consult with the appropriate authority such as the Ministry of Forests or Ministry of Environment Hack and squirt Maintaining required no spray buffer zones around streams or standing water Where feasible arranging work so that workers do not have to pass through previously treated areas If that is not possible workers must wear the protective equipment necessary to prevent skin contact wit
121. loves to prevent skin contamination of the person who administers first aid e Antidotes for poisoning where appropriate Copies of material safety data sheets for each pesticide used at the worksite System for communication to the B C Poison Control Centre Medical oversight may be necessary to obtain some of the antidotes for poisoning Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 182 Antidotes for poisoning Antidotes agents that can be administered to the victim to actually counter the effect of poisoning are available only for some pesticides such as organophosphate and carbamate insecticides as well as cyanides Organophosphate and carbamate insecticides Two antidotes atropine and 2 pralidoxime 2 PAM can be used to treat the effects of organophosphate insecticides Atropine is also useful for treating poisonings from carbamate insectides and any other pesticides that cause a slowing of the heart rate These antidotes are administered by trained medical personnel and are available at many hospitals Cyanides The first steps in treating cyanide poisoning depend on whether or not the affected worker is breathing e If the worker is not breathing administer artificial respiration immediately and if no pulse is present apply cardiopulmonary resuscitation CPR Transport the patient to medical attention If the worker is breathing amyl nitrite may need to be administered by trained first aid personnel usin
122. ltering respirators fitted with cartridges or canisters in work areas where dangerous levels of gases with poor warning properties may be present Many fumigants are flammable Sources of ignition must be controlled during application and in the period following while the fumigant is still present Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 155 Table 18 Hazard properties of fumigants Fumigant Maximum Odour Odour Odour Boiling Flammability Field permitted threshold warning description point detector level in the parts per properties C tube air parts million available per million Aluminum phosphide see phosphine Chloropicrin Acrid Non flammable intensely irritating Formaldehyde 0 3 1 ceiling Irritating Flammable pungent Hydrogen 4 7 ceiling Bitter almond Flammable cyanide Methyl bromide Chloroform Non flammable like odour at high concentration Phosphine Good fair Fish or garlic Very flammable like Dichloropropene Sharp sweet Flammable irritating Sulfuryl fluoride Odourless Poor unless Odourless Non flammable unless mixed odourant is unless mixed with odourant added with odourant such as chloropicrin 1 The levels are eight hour average exposure limits unless otherwise noted 2 This odour threshold is due to impurities in the production of phosphine from aluminum phosphide tablets A range of thresholds has been reported up to 2 ppm Pure phosp
123. ment but Health Canada advises registrants to make MSDSs available Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 18 Sections of the MSDS Typically an MSDS will have at least nine sections as outlined below Section 1 Product Identification and Use This section identifies the product and describes its intended use The Product Identification Number PIN is of assistance in emergencies This section also provides information on both the manufacturer and supplier including emergency phone numbers Section 2 Hazardous Ingredients Space is provided for a list of hazardous ingredients in the formulation Suppliers should list all active ingredients and formulants that exceed WHMIS hazard criteria Section 3 Physical Data Provides detailed information related to e Recognition of the material by odour and appearance The ability of the material to produce dangerous levels of vapour in air e The likelihood the material is corrosive to the skin and eyes Section 4 Fire and Explosion Data This section lists the conditions under which the product may catch fire or explode as well as information for developing strategies and procedures to deal with fire and explosion hazards This information is important to consider for e Storage practices e Control of sources of ignition near the material e Firefighting Section 5 Reactivity Data This section lists conditions and other substances that should be avoided to prevent da
124. ments of CSA Standard Z94 3 92 Industrial Eye and Face Protectors or another standard acceptable to WorkSafeBC Check the pesticide MSDS for recommendations on eye protection The sample MSDS in Chapter 2 of this manual shows eyewear covered in Section 7 Preventive Measures Care e Wash with soap and water at the end of each day s use Face shield Store in a clean location away from sunlight Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 98 Footwear Selection and use e Workers mixing loading or spraying pesticides should wear liquid proof acid and solvent resistant unlined overshoes or boots Protective footwear may also be needed in other circumstances such as when working in wood treatment operations or when re entering treated areas e Leather or fabric footwear should not be used because these materials absorb pesticides Knee length boots are superior to ankle length Cleated or ribbed treads help to prevent slipping Check the pesticide MSDS for recommendations on footwear The sample MSDS in Chapter 2 of this manual shows footwear covered in Section 7 Preventive Measures A suspected pesticide fatality in the United States was attributed to an applicator s use of inadequate footwear The applicator wore canvas shoes and developed raw wounds on his feet during several days of orchard spraying Care e Check condition before use Discard or repair if leaks develop e Wash after each
125. mine the flow rate for the entire system on the landing strip or in the air by filling the application tank with a measurable quantity of water priming the application system and then noting the time T to discharge a volume of water V The flow rate is V T One method to determine the effective swath width for the application is to spread target cards on the ground along a line crosswise to the direction of flight Conduct a spray run at the desired height and air speed using dyed water Effective swath width is the distance within which the cards show the proper droplet size and density patterns Calculate the application rate for the desired flying speed as follows Flow rate litres minute x 600 Rate litres hectare Flying speed km h x Swath width m Adjust the formulation concentration flow rate or flight speed to provide the correct amount of active ingredient per hectare Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 201 Emergency telephone numbers NEAREST HOSPITAL FAMILY DOCTOR FIRE DEPARTMENT POLICE OTHER EMERGENCY CONTACTS WorkSafeBC Prevention Information Line Lower Mainland 604 276 3100 Long distance in B C 1 888 621 7233 After hours Lower Mainland 604 273 7711 Long distance in B C 1 866 922 4357 e B C Poison Control Centre Lower Mainland 604 682 5050 Long distance 1 800 567 8911 B C Provincial Emergency Program 1 800 663 3456 CANUTEC Canadian Transpo
126. minute you will pass at the speed you wish to travel using one of the following formulas km h desired x 16 7 Tree spacing in metres Tree spaces per minute Or mph desired x 88 Tree spaces per minute A Tree spacing in feet For example you have a tree spacing of 7 metres and you wish to go 2 kilometres per hour 2 x 16 7 Tree spaces per minute 7 4 8 tree spaces per minute In the example your sprayer should cover 4 8 tree spaces in one minute vvhen traveling 2 km h Check this by measuring the time needed to travel 4 8 trees Adjust the speed of the tractor to 4 8 tree spaces per minute and then mark the throttle and gear settings Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 199 At the application rate per minute determined in step 2 calculate the amount of liquid sprayed per hectare or acre as follows Litres Sprayer output litres minute x 10 000 hectare Tree spacing metres x Tree spaces per minute x Spray vvidth normally the distance in metres between rows of trees Or Gallons Sprayer output gallons minute x 43 560 acre Tree spacing feet x Tree spaces per minute x Spray width normally the distance in feet between rows of trees Make up the formulation of active ingredient to obtain the desired amount of active ingredient per hectare or acre at desired vehicle speed and operating pressure Granular applicators Consult the rate guide charts in the operat
127. mulants in a mixture called a formulation There are two issues to consider when classifying by formulation formulants and the physical nature of the formulation Formulants Sometimes formulants have been called inerts but this is misleading Formulants can contribute substantially to the effectiveness of the active ingredient and they are often hazardous to workers For example many formulants are flammable and present fire hazards In some cases formulants are oxidizers and can contribute to the chance of fire if they contact a flammable material Some formulants are acids or caustics and can burn the skin or eyes In addition formulants can be toxic to people The Pest Management Regulatory Agency maintains an extensive list of formulants on its web site www pmra arla gc ca The list includes toxic materials such as e Silica e Toluene diisocyanate e Formaldehyde e Methyl chloride e Phenol e Various chromium compounds Unfortunately formulants are often not listed on labels However the material safety data sheets MSDSs required by WHMIS contain a section for reporting hazardous ingredients While pesticide suppliers are exempt from WHMIS they have been encouraged to provide MSDSs Physical nature of the formulation The hazards of formulations depend in part on whether they are used in the solid liquid or gaseous state Specific types of formulations include dusts granules wettable powders emulsifiable conce
128. n the sample MSDS provided in Chapter 2 of this manual this information would be reported under Section 3 Physical Data Then compare the odour threshold on the MSDS if one is provided with the Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 65 exposure limit for the substance WorkSafeBC provides exposure limits for many pesticides in the Table of Exposure Limits for Chemical and Biological Substances which can be accessed at WorkSafeBC com As an example methyl bromide has poor warning properties because it is basically odourless until it reaches 500 ppm but its exposure limit is 1 ppm On the other hand dichloropropene which has an odour threshold of about Note The odour of a pesticide can vary with its formulation and the presence of impurities For example any emulsifiable concentrate may have a sweet aromatic odour due to the presence of the carrier xylene Also people can have different responses to particular odours For these reasons information on odours and odour thresholds should be treated with caution 1 ppm and an exposure limit of 1 ppm has fair warning properties Table 9 Pesticide odours Chemical name and class ORGANOPHOSPHATES Azinphos methyl Guthion Chlorpyrifos Dursban Diazinon Dichlorvos Dimethoate Cygon Malathion Phosalone Zolone Dry sweet nauseating Sulfur like mercaptan smell Faint fruity ester like Mild aromatic Sulfur like mercaptan smell Garlic
129. ng or recreational water Install an appropriate backflow preventer such as a check valve or air gap if filling water is drawn from a drinking or irrigation water system or from a surface water source See Chapter 6 for details on backflow prevention Make sure that lids are secured on all pesticide mix tanks after filling If a tank is not provided with a lid for example if used in a dipping operation the tank must be enclosed with walls fences or guardrails or other means to prevent any person from accidentally falling in Safe procedures for application Before applying pesticides read the product label and material safety data sheet and wear the right personal protective equipment Minimum requirements may include chemical resistant boots raingear hat gloves goggles and an effective approved respirator See Chapter 6 for details Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 134 Ensure pesticide application equipment is calibrated and in safe running condition before use Calibration instructions are provided in Chapter 10 for backpack units boom applicators air blast sprayers and granule spreaders Maintenance checkpoints should include pressure hoses pressure regulators power take off PTO guards nip point guards on belt drives and fan guards on air blast sprayers Before applying pesticides ensure that appropriate warning signs are posted at normal points of worker entry to the spray site and take any other
130. ng signs or adhere to minimum restricted entry intervals of 24 and 48 hours These exceptions are permitted if Treated areas are clearly identified to workers The indoor space has been adequately ventilated Safe work procedures are followed including adherence to restricted entry intervals on labels A hazardous spill does not occur A qualified person inspects the area following application to determine compliance with requirements Examples of exception situations include the following In structural pesticide applications when Small quantities of slightly toxic pesticides are applied in a manner that minimizes the release of aerosols and residues on work surfaces or Moderately toxic pesticides are applied in restricted exposure situations such as crack and crevice treatment Cases where an avicide predicide rodenticide or insecticidal bait is used or applied in solid or liquid form unless the pesticide label specifies otherwise In these cases necessary protective measures include Following safe work procedures including providing and using personal protective equipment and providing adequate hand washing facilities Restricting application to areas not readily accessible to unauthorized persons and away from normal work areas Providing information to any worker required to enter the treated area regarding the location and description of the pesticide and any associated device along with the precautions that
131. ngerous reactions This is an important section to consider for both the storage and handling of the pesticide Section 6 Toxicological Properties Health Effects This section identifies how the substance enters the body and the possible health effects from single or repeated exposures It also identifies if the product has known long term health effects such as liver or kidney damage sensitization cancer or reproductive toxicity Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 19 Section 7 Preventive Measures This section includes information on Required protective equipment Engineering controls How to safely clean up spills e How to safely use handle store dispose of and transport the product This information is meant for the protection of all workers at risk of exposure Where provided restricted entry intervals dislodgeable residue data and enclosed space ventilation procedures can help protect re entry workers Section 8 First Aid Measures This section lists specific instructions for the immediate treatment of a worker who has inhaled or swallowed the product or who has had skin or eye contact with the product Section 9 Preparation Data This section lists the date the MSDS was prepared and who prepared it See page 21 for a sample of a nine section MSDS Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 20 MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET 9 Sections SECTION 1 Product Product Identifier
132. ntrates and fumigants The hazards of various types of formulations are shown in Table 2 Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 29 Table 2 Types of pesticide formulations hazard properties Type of formulation SOLIDS Dusts Granules Pellets Description of formulation Finely powdered solid material Active ingredient may be mixed with clays diatomaceous earth DE or talc which in some cases may contain asbestos Larger aggregates than dusts Slightly more coarse than sugar Larger aggregates than granules Hazard properties of formulation Dusts drift easily in the air and can be inhaled DE contains up to 90 free silica a potential cause of silicosis Not as much of a drift hazard as dusts but can be easily dislodged from treated surfaces Are often fairly persistent in the environment because of slow release characteristics Less drift hazard than granules May be quite persistent due to physical size LIQUIDS Emulsifiable concentrates EC Wettable powders WP Encapsulated materials Fogs GASES Fumigants An active ingredient dissolved in an organic liquid with an emulsifying agent to permit further mixing with water A finely ground powder that contains active ingredient and diluents WPs are applied as suspensions in water Pesticide contained in capsule of poly vinyl or a gelatinous material Composed of tiny airborne liquid droplets May be applied in a
133. number with you when seeking information medical attention IF SWALLOWED call a poison control centre or doctor and do not induce vomiting unless told to do so Do not give anything by mouth to an unconscious patient IF ON SKIN OR CLOTHING take off contaminated clothing Rinse skin immediately with plenty of water for a minimum of 15 minutes and if necessary call a poison control centre or doctor for further treatment information IF IN EYES hold eye open and rinse gently with water for 30 minutes If necessary call a poison control centre or doctor for further treatment information IF INHALED move person to fresh air while protecting yourself from exposure IF PERSON IS NOT BREATHING call 911 or an ambulance and give artificial respiration Toxicological information Triazinon is an organophosphate insecticide and a cholinesterase inhibitor Atropine is an antidote Use 1 to 2 mg every 15 to 30 minutes if necessary NOTICE TO USER This pest control product is to be used only in accordance with the directions on the label It is an offence under the Pest Control Products Act to use this product in a way that is inconsistent with the directions on the label The user assumes the risk to persons or property that arises from any such use of the product 24kn Pestkill is a registered trademark 44 of ABCDE Products Canada Inc mE A Kg Pestkill Figure 1 Sample supplier label Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 14
134. ny incident of acute poisoning For example Increased breathing difficulty in workers using Bordeaux Mixture in powder form Skin or respiratory sensitization allergy for some workers exposed to pesticides such as alachlor formaldehyde and pyrethrum e As the development of a cancer For example arsenical fungicides have been found to cause cancer The last two types of chronic effects are most likely to occur in workers who have had prolonged exposure to the pesticide Refer to Table 5 in this chapter for more information on the possible chronic effects of pesticides The table includes active ingredients and formulants of many pesticides In addition the Table of Exposure Limits for Chemical and Biological Substances found at WorkSafeBC com lists the designations of chemicals as carcinogens reproductive toxins and sensitizers Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 40 Getting health information on pesticides This section offers directions for using the following tables Table 4 Acute toxicities of pesticides Table 5 Health effects of some major classes of pesticides First find out the common chemical name of your pesticide formulation It is provided in small print below the company trade name on the pesticide label and beside the word Guarantee Then go to Table 4 Acute toxicities of pesticides which lists the common chemical names in some cases followed by trade names for most pesticides For each
135. od because of ongoing persistence Persistence of pesticides has been evaluated in water in soil and on leaf surfaces In water persistence may be an issue related to fish habitats and the safety of public drinking water Persistence in soil tends to be a health issue for young children who may play in the soil and to workers who may be exposed to pesticide laden dusts Residues on leaves furniture and other items present health concerns to field and office workers who may come into direct contact with treated surfaces The following factors can affect the rate of decomposition of pesticides after they are applied Chemical family of pesticide Organophosphates and carbamates are often far less persistent than organochlorines For example in Table 10 almost all of the short lived less than two weeks pesticides are organophosphates Half of the highly persistent more than one month pesticides are organochlorines This fact may help explain why some organochlorines are no longer permitted for use in Canada Inorganic pesticides that contain metals such as arsenic mercury and copper are generally very persistent Arsenic pesticides have been shown to last for 10 years in soil Type of formulation Larger physical aggregates such as granules and pellets will physically resist the effects of the environment longer than finer particles such as dusts and wettable powders Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 67 Wettable
136. od of spray drift four design features should be considered Spray boom lengths should be selected and installed so as to minimize drift Spray booms on single engine fixed wing aircraft that extend past three quarters of wing length may increase the drift potential due to wing tip vortex effects Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 144 Drift potential varies with droplet size Nozzle orientation to the direction of flight is important for droplet size control Droplet size increases and drift potential is reduced as nozzles are angled back from the direction of flight Spray drift varies dramatically with wind speed Smoke generating devices mounted on the aircraft can aid in wind speed evaluation The Wind observation chart on page 136 may also be helpful Positive nozzle shut off devices eliminate drip upon completion of a spray swath Three designs are available Diaphragm check valves Ball check valves m Suck back connections on the pump All three safety devices need regular maintenance for proper operation e A valuable safety feature is an audio communications system between the pilot and loading site personnel or flagger tisa safe practice to shield flexible hoses carrying liquid pesticides under pressure where they pass through the cockpit of an aircraft e Equipment should be thoroughly checked before application work Leaking tanks hoses couplings and nozzles can all lead to pilot expo
137. oducts SECTION 6 Toxicological Properties Routes of Entry O skin Contact C skin Absorption g Eye Contact C Inhalation g Ingestion Effects of Acute Exposure to Product Effects of Chronic Exposure to Product Exposure Limits value source date Irritancy if yes explain El Yes CJ No Sensitization if yes explain Carcinogenicity if yes explain El Yes CJ No C ves CJ No Reproductive Toxicity if yes explain Teratogenicity if yes explain El Yes El No El Yes El No Mutagenicity if yes explain Synergistic Products if yes explain El Yes El No El Yes El No Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 22 SECTION 7 Preventive Measures Personal Protective Equipment C Gloves g Respirator g Eye O Footwear g Clothing O other If checked specify type Engineering Controls specify such as ventilation enclosed process Leak and Spill Procedure Waste Disposal Handling Procedures and Equipment Storage Requirements Special Shipping Information SECTION 8 First Aid Measures Inhalation Ingestion Skin Contact Eye Contact SECTION 9 Preparation Information Prepared by group department etc Telephone Number Preparation Date Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 23 Worker education and training Employers must provide instruction and information to workers on the safe use
138. of pesticides The instruction based in good part on information from labels and MSDSs will include e Education in the hazards of pesticides Training in procedures to be followed For the safe storage handling use and disposal of pesticides Incase of an emergency When airborne or other emissions from pesticides are present Workers must be instructed if they e Store handle use or dispose of pesticides or supervise workers performing those duties or e Work near the product such that their health and safety could be at risk Examples include Working near pesticide storage handling use or disposal areas Re entry into treated areas Handling materials treated with pesticides Maintenance of pesticide equipment or facilities The objective of the program of instruction must be to ensure that workers are able to apply the information to protect their health and safety The program of instruction must be developed and implemented in consultation with the joint occupational health and safety committee or representative as applicable The program must be reviewed at least once a year or more often if conditions at the workplace or information on the product changes the risk to workers Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 24 Types of pesticides This chapter includes the following sections Introduction Classifying by target organism Classifying by formulation Classifying by chemical fam
139. of the keys to the safe re entry of workers A restricted entry interval is the length of time representing a period of precaution that must elapse after the application of a pesticide before an unprotected worker may be authorized to enter the treated area Such intervals are intended to provide time to permit a significant reduction in the potential for harm to workers They help protect workers from risks such as contact with wet surfaces dislodgeable residues and toxic vapours in the initial period following application Measures to protect workers including the use of personal protective equipment may be necessary even after the expiry of the interval Restricted entry intervals are not the same as time to harvest preharvest intervals which are periods of time required between the last application of pesticide and the time of harvest Restricted entry intervals are meant to protect workers while time to harvest intervals aim to protect consumers Minimum restricted entry intervals for pesticides are determined based on acute toxicity ratings and label information as follows Table 19 Determining restricted entry intervals Interval Pesticide time after application of pesticide Slightly toxic pesticides 24 hours minimum oral LD more than 500 mg kg it may be advisable to allow 48 hours if the or dermal LD more than 1 000 mg kg pesticide is applied as wettable powder Very toxic or moderately toxic pesticides 48 h
140. ols 1 345 m 1 micron one millionth of a metre Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 61 Note Check the pesticide material safety data sheet MSDS for information on vapour pressure The sample MSDS in Chapter 2 of this manual shows vapour pressure listed under Section 3 Physical Data Pesticide evaporation Many pesticides are applied as liquids Liquid pesticides and to a limited extent solids evaporate when exposed to the air During the evaporation process tiny particles molecules of liquid escape from the surface and mix with the air to form a vapour Vapours are not the same as spray mists Mists are composed of visible liquid droplets produced during the spray process and are usually present for only a short period following application Vapours are made up of invisible molecules and can be present long after a pesticide application or in other situations where liquids are exposed to the air e g when a pesticide container is left open or in the case of a pesticide spill It is important for those working with pesticides to protect themselves against vapours as well as mists Vapour pressure The amount of vapour in the air from a liquid or solid can be measured with instruments similar to barometers These devices record the pressure produced by the vapour or what is called vapour pressure Just like barometers these instruments give readings in inches or millimetres mm of mer
141. onnel Equipment cleanup Clean and decontaminate the equipment after pesticide application and before equipment is stored or repairs are done This is particularly important before any welding operations are carried out Recommended cleaning procedures are as follows For hydraulic sprayers 1 Remove the nozzles and clean them separately Drain the tank and clean the suction and line strainers thoroughly before replacing them Note Collection and disposal of any drained materials must be done in accordance with provincial environmental requirements see www env gov bc ca epd hazwaste and the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 3 Flush the tank of residue Note 4 Add soapy water to the tank and wash the inside of the tank thoroughly When tushing says Rinse the pump and flush the entire system first with the bypass operating never discharge the rinse in such a way that If the spray unit was used to apply a specific family of pesticides it may be and then with the pressure relief control spring tension completely released it can contaminate water possible to use a specific decontamination solution For example bodies This can occur Organophosphates may be removed with a solution of sodium for example if rinsing carbonate washing soda and sodium hypochlorite bleach water drawn from a dugout is drained onto soil within the catchment area of the dugout Workers must take care when using strong solut
142. onsider the relative toxicities of the different pesticides in deciding which product to use Refer to Chapter 4 of this manual for information on pesticide toxicity Note If a pesticide is designated as a carcinogen sensitizer or reproductive toxin in the Table of Exposure Limits for Chemical and Biological Substances then the employer must replace it where practicable with a material that reduces the risk to workers The Table can be accessed at WorkSafeBC com Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 57 Amount of pesticide How much pesticide should I apply The less pesticide applied by a worker the less the hazard to that worker s health The correct timing of a pesticide application and the technique used to apply it may be important in getting maximum results with a minimum amount of material In some cases non chemical methods may be available to deal with a particular pest problem Integrated pest management is a multi strategy approach to pest control that includes the techniques of e Biological monitoring of pest populations with devices such as colour attractant traps pheromone traps beating trays and sweep nets Biological pest control with insect predators or with a variety of parasites such as bacteria viruses and fungi e Cultural or administrative pest control measures such as crop rotation moisture control sanitation and mow strips Detailed advice on pesticide timing dosage rate
143. or s manual for the proper setting for a desired application Check the accuracy of a setting using the following procedure 1 Measure and mark 100 metres in the field 2 Fill one hopper with granules 3 Disconnect the delivery tubes from the applicator 4 Catch the material from the applicator in a container such as a bucket or plastic bag while driving the tractor over the 100 metre measured course at the speed that will be used in the actual application 5 Weigh the granules discharged into the container 6 To calculate the square metres of the test area multiply the row or band width in metres times the distance covered 100 metres 7 Calculate the rate per hectare Multiply the weight collected from step 5 by 10 000 and divide the answer by the square metres of the test area 10 000 x kilograms applied over test area Kilograms hectare Area of measured course in square metres 8 Adjust the applicator if necessary and repeat steps 4 through 7 until the desired rate is obtained After one hopper has been correctly adjusted calibrate the other hoppers by adjusting each one to discharge the same amount of granules over the 100 metre course Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 200 Aircraft application 1 Select desired nozzles nozzle angle and operating pressure Check individual nozzle performance on the landing strip by following step 2 of the Boom sprayers section see pages 197 199 Deter
144. or spread of the pesticide If pesticide has drifted to another worksite the Regulation requires that the employer in control of the pesticide must notify the employer of the second worksite so that safety measures can be implemented Equipment operation Use pressures nozzle types spray angles etc that are recommended or required by the responsible authorities Do not handle equipment in an unsafe manner See Chapter 7 for details of equipment operation in various application situations Highway safety Workers involved in spray work along or near road rights of way must be protected against traffic hazards See Chapter 7 for details of a traffic safety program Electrical safety Sources of electrical power may present a hazard when water based formulations are sprayed nearby This could occur for example when trees are sprayed near roadside power lines or when air blast operations are carried out near stingers See Chapter 7 for details on safe procedures for spraying near electrical equipment Records A well managed pesticide safety program includes a record of applications The Regulation s requirements are outlined on page 91 Also ensure that records meet the requirements of environmental authorities Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 126 Disposal of pesticides and containers The B C Ministry of Environment has responsibilities for the protection of the environment and for related disposal practices
145. or tanks include a The container itself The container may become an explosive hazard if subjected to overheating or it may leak if corroded Some fumigants are flammable b Connection points In tubing that leads from container to application site connections may leak if not adequately tightened Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 83 Note If the fumigant transforms from a liquid to a gas as it proceeds through the application system line freezing may develop due to heat absorption as the liquid vaporizes Ensure the system is operated to prevent this hazardous condition General precautions when working with pesticides This chapter includes the following sections Introduction The pesticide safety program Personal protective equipment Transport of pesticides Pesticide storage Mixing and loading procedures Cross connection control Application procedures Disposal of pesticides and containers Personal cleanliness and wash up facilities Introduction The types of procedures and protective measures needed to ensure a worker s safety when handling pesticides will depend on the hazards involved in the particular situation Hazard is determined through consideration of the factors described in Chapter 5 This chapter provides general information on pesticide safety programs personal protective equipment transportation storage mixing and loading procedures cross connection control applica
146. or use Target pest Fungicide Insecticide Herbicide Herbicide Growth regulator Chemical family 1 400 4 229 Acute toxicity rating SLIGHTLY VERY VERY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY Ethofurnesate Etridiazole Famoxadone Famphur Fenamidone Herbicide Fungicide Fungicide Insecticide Fungicide 5 650 1 077 5 000 36 2 028 SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY VERY SLIGHTLY Fenbutatin oxide Fenhexamid Decree Ferbam Fluazifop butyl Fusilade Flusilazole Nustar Insecticide Fungicide Fungicide Herbicide Fungicide 2 630 5 000 1 000 3 328 674 SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY Folpet Phaltan Formaldehyde Formalin Formetanate hydrochloride Fosamine ammonium Krenite Gibberellic acid Activol Fungicide Fungicide microbicide Miticide Herbicide Growth regulator 10 000 800 15 10 200 6 300 SLIGHTLY INHALATION HAZARD VERY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY Glufosinate ammonium Glyphosate Roundup Hexazinone Velpar Iprodione Glycophene Rovral Kinoprene Enstar Herbicide Herbicide Herbicide Fungicide Insecticide 416 4 300 1 700 3 700 5 000 MODERATELY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY Imazamethabenz Assert Imazamox Imazapyr Arsenal Imazethapyr Imiprothrin Herbicide Herbicide Herbicide Herbicide Herbicide 5 000 5 000 5 000 5 000 900 SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY Isoxaben Gallery Lime sulfur Lin
147. orkers on site or who may later enter the site and who may be exposed to harmful levels of the pesticide are to be notified beforehand of The pesticide e The nature of its harmful characteristics e Precautions required for safe work Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 149 Techniques for providing information to the local workforce include Product hazard information on call records or other invoices which are filled out at the time of pesticide application Warning signs at entrance areas where pesticides have been applied Maps showing locations of application Worker check systems Because structural pest applicators often work alone a worker check system meeting the requirements of Part 4 General Conditions of the Regulation is needed Safe application practices for different formulations Dusts Ensure all gun connections are leak proof Ensure adequate respiratory protection is used particularly for overhead applications Watch for cracks in the casing of metal applicators Eliminate or repair defective equipment Avoid contamination of food at the application site Non combustible dusts can be applied near electrical units but ensure that electrical contacts are not fouled Insulate metal spouts of dusters with plastic or rubber tubing to avoid electrical shock or use dusters fitted with plastic or fibreglass spouts When dusts are applied to cracks and crevices limit the pressure on the duster to
148. ort after hours and weekend accidents and emergencies call 604 273 7711 in the Lower Mainland or call 1 866 922 4357 WCB HELP toll free in British Columbia STANDARD PRACTICES FOR PESTICIDE APPLICATORS AZA sare BC WORKING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE worksafebc com WorkSafeBC Publications Many publications are available on the WorkSafeBC web site The Occupational Health and Safety Regulation and associated policies and guidelines as well as excerpts and summaries of the Workers Compensation Act are also available on the web site WorkSafeBC com Some publications are also available for purchase in print Phone 604 232 9704 Toll free phone 1 866 319 9704 Fax 604 232 9703 Toll free fax 1 888 232 9714 Online ordering WorkSafeBC com and click on Publications follow the links for ordering 1985 1990 2009 Workers Compensation Board of British Columbia All rights reserved The Workers Compensation Board of B C encourages the copying reproduction and distribution of this document to promote health and safety in the workplace provided that the Workers Compensation Board of B C is acknowledged However no part of this publication may be copied reproduced or distributed for profit or other commercial enterprise nor may any part be incorporated into any other publication without written permission of the Workers Compensation Board of B C Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Standard practi
149. ours minimum oral LD of 500 mg kg or less or dermal LD of 1 000 mg kg or less Label states a longer period As per label requirements Increasingly pesticide manufacturers are providing entry interval information on labels In some cases labels specify lengthy periods in one case 28 days Where the label specifies that re entry should not occur until the pesticide has dried the actual time may vary depending on weather and other environmental conditions In all cases however the minimum time periods are 24 and 48 hours as specified on the first two rows of Table 19 Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 173 Entry procedures If before the expiry of the restricted entry interval the employer authorizes a worker to enter a field building or structure in which a pesticide has been applied the employer must ensure that The hazards to workers have been assessed by a qualified person The worker is provided with and wears the proper personal protective clothing and equipment required by the Regulation The worker follows safe procedures For example if workers enter a sprayed area they need to wear personal protective equipment that is sufficient to protect them from harm A chemical resistant jacket or respirator would probably not be necessary for safe re entry to an area in which a low volatility herbicide was applied to the soil However protective clothing and a respirator are likely required
150. oxified with a mixture of washing soda sodium carbonate and bleach sodium hypochlorite WARNING Never mix bleach with acidic cleaning agents such as some janitorial cleaning aids Do not use bleach to treat acidic pesticides such as glyphosate Dangerous chlorine gas is given off when bleach is mixed with acidic materials m Some carbamates such as carbaryl can be detoxified using caustic solutions such as washing soda sodium carbonate caustic soda sodium hydroxide or strong detergent WARNING Many caustics are very corrosive to the skin particularly the eyes Wear appropriate protective equipment Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 188 Maintenance and calibration of application equipment This chapter includes the following sections The maintenance program Equipment calibration The maintenance program An equipment maintenance program should be based on equipment hazard point critical part identification as outlined in Chapter 5 of this manual A sample critical parts inspection form is provided on page 194 for possible use in the program The following sections describe components and procedures that an equipment maintenance program should include Spray nozzles Troubleshoot spray nozzles as required Never blow out clogged nozzles with your mouth A safe procedure in the field is to replace clogged nozzles with new ones and to clean dirty nozzles later when you return to the maintenance ya
151. parent pesticide is rainfall or dew formula For example thion pesticides replaced by oxygen from the such as ethion fensulfothion fenthion air Oxons may be 10 times Guthion and other OPs such as more toxic than the parent chlorpyrifos diazinon and dimethoate pesticide Dithiocarbamates such as maneb nabam Ethylene thiourea ETU ETU can cause chronic health problems and zineb Carbamates with secondary amine Nitroso compounds Nitroso compounds may develop on contact with structure such as propoxur and triforine nitrogen dioxide a pollutant from automobile emissions and cigarette smoke Nitroso compounds persist only in dark enclosures and in acidic soils Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 68 Weather conditions Wind moisture and increased temperature tend to increase the rate of decomposition of most pesticides Soil conditions Organic content Pesticides tend to decompose faster in soils with high organic content than those without Clay content Bipyridines like diquat and paraquat bind quickly to clay and become less hazardous Sand and gravel content These materials do not contribute to pesticide decomposition however they do permit easy movement of pesticide in soil water This can be hazardous if sources of drinking water are nearby Temperature Higher temperatures tend to produce higher rates of decomposition of pesticides Acidity alkalinity Organophosphates an
152. particular pesticide application are listed in Table 6 Workers who can answer the questions related to each factor are far more likely to be able to work safely with pesticides than workers who cannot Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 55 Table 6 Factors that determine the hazard of pesticide use Hazard factor Pesticide toxicity Questions workers should ask What are the likely acute and chronic health effects from exposure to the pesticide Is there a less toxic pesticide can use Amount of pesticide Pesticide formulation How much pesticide should apply How hazardous is the type of formulation am using Amount of pesticide in the air What levels of pesticide am likely to breathe in the air Warning properties Am able to smell or sense the pesticide before it gets to levels in the air that could be dangerous Persistence How long does the pesticide or any toxic by product remain in the environment Equipment type and operation How do the type of equipment and the ways of operating it affect the likelihood may be exposed to pesticide Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 56 Pesticide toxicity What are the likely acute and chronic effects from exposure to the pesticide Is there a less toxic pesticide can use Often more than one pesticide is recommended for the control of a particular pest The safety conscious applicator will want to c
153. per million for sulfuryl fluoride Fumigants also vary a lot in their warning properties Many fumigants have characteristic odours but only a few have good initial warning properties that permit a worker to smell or sense the chemical well before it rises above exposure limits Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 154 As discussed in Chapter 5 warning agents odourants such as chloropicrin are added to some fumigants such as methyl bromide to provide better warning properties However the effectiveness of the odourant will vary with the amount added and the period of time that elapses after fumigation Studies suggest that chloropicrin may be far more easily absorbed by the materials being fumigated than methyl bromide especially at low temperatures As a result in the hours following application the warning properties of the chloropicrin may be reduced dramatically The same problem may exist for the fumigant gas phosphine which is generated from the reaction of aluminum phosphide tablets with water A study has shown that the strong initial odour produced can eventually disappear even when effective concentrations of phosphine are still present in the fumigation space The initial low odour threshold 02 ppm of the gases given off by the tablets is considered to be due to trace impurities such as diphosphines which can be more easily adsorbed by fumigated materials than phosphine itself It is hazardous to use air fi
154. pesticide the oral LD is listed as one measure of its acute toxicity Pesticide ratings very toxic moderately toxic or slightly toxic are based on evaluation of both oral and dermal LD s Table 4 also provides the target use and chemical family for each pesticide Use this information to go to Table 5 Health effects of some major classes of pesticides which lists the acute and chronic poisoning symptoms of a number of pesticides according to these classes For example diazinon is an insecticide that belongs to the organophosphate OP chemical family As shown in Table 5 OP insecticides can cause acute poisoning symptoms such as headache blurred vision sweating and so on Like all other organophosphates the effects of diazinon exposure can be cumulative if a person is exposed repeatedly day after day This is because it can take the body up to two to three weeks to replace the body enzyme that organophosphates affect In Tables 4 and 5 the names of chemical families of pesticides are abbreviated as follows AC Anticoagulant rodenticides ON Organonitrogens BP Bipyridines OP Organophosphates CB Carbamates PH Phenoxy herbicides FUM Fumigants PY Pyrethroids IN Inorganics ML Miscellaneous OC Organochlorines Fumigants are a group of pesticides that produce their toxic effect as gases or vapours Technically fumigants are not a chemical family But because of their unique risks as inhalation hazards they are identified in
155. pesticide application techniques Specifically e Fumigant gases and vapours are among the most toxic active ingredients used in the pesticide industry e Gases and vapours drift easily and can contaminate work areas far from the application site if adequate controls are not used Fumigants are primarily an inhalation hazard Respiratory protection is important e Generally solid formulations are less hazardous than gas vapour formulations The hazards of space fumigation are generally higher than those involved with soil treatment One safety feature of fumigation is that fumigants leave no long term residues at the application site Specific fumigant products Table 18 provides a list of commonly used fumigant gases and vapours Physically these products can be divided into two groups depending on whether or not they boil above or below moderate temperatures 20 C to 25 C Low boiling point fumigants such as phosphine and methyl bromide are gases at normal temperatures Higher boiling point fumigants such as dichloropropene mixtures exist as liquids that emit vapours The higher the boiling point of a fumigant the less easily it emits gas or vapour and all things being equal the less hazardous it is to workers But all other things are not equal While almost all fumigants are very toxic if inhaled the permitted eight hour limits in the air for various types range from 0 1 parts per million for chloropicrin up to 5 parts
156. plicity Preferred designs are simple easily operated and require a minimum number of steps for operation Probe design and materials Difficulties with plastic probes have been reported Some pesticides were found to attack solder on stainless steel probes A promising design concept permits the probe head to be uncoupled from the probe tube Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 73 Meter durability and sensitivity Some metering devices such as plastic in line meters and probe calibration markings tend to deteriorate It is important to purchase a meter capable of measuring small quantities if small quantities are used e Hoses and couplings No drip quick coupling connectors are recommended Ensure that hoses seals and gaskets resist chemical corrosion Pumps Vacuum pumps are considered to be safer and easier to operate than positive pressure pumps In addition to concerns with mixing procedures applicators must be aware of hazards associated with the use of application equipment In order to safely use and maintain equipment examine each piece in order to locate hazard points or critical parts These components may have a particular tendency to wear out and they can cause operator exposure to pesticides in the event of malfunction Once hazard points are located the operator is in a position to set up an inspection and maintenance program Some hazard points are identified for the following types of solid liqu
157. powders can leave residues that are coarser and predictably more persistent than residues of emulsifiable concentrates Wettable powders are more easily dislodged from leaf surfaces than are emulsifiable concentrates For this reason wettable powders can present a greater field re entry hazard Strength of pesticide The higher the strength or concentration of a pesticide the longer the chemical will persist in the environment Studies in the State of Washington have shown that even for non persistent pesticides like azinphos methyl Guthion and parathion if liquid concentrates are spilled in soil high residue levels can persist for years In one study four years after a spill of 1876 azinphos methyl emulsifiable concentrate soil levels of the pesticide were still one percent The need to clean up and remove soil contaminated with concentrates is illustrated by a case in which a child almost died after ingesting some soil contaminated with one percent parathion a pesticide with a toxicity very similar to azinphos methyl Ability of pesticides to form toxic by products Some pesticides have been found to produce toxic decay products that may contribute to the length of period of toxicity of the pesticide Examples are provided below Pesticide Toxic by product Comments Organophosphates that have sulfur Oxons in which the sulfur Oxons tend to form under sunny conditions with little attached to phosphorus in the chemical in the
158. pplies e Application of pesticides far from emergency facilities such as hospitals and fire departments e Application of concentrates e Use of application equipment and personal protective gear in rugged terrain which may cause rapid wear and tear e Potential exposure of non applicators to pesticide residues or other consequences of the pesticide program e Residues in treated areas which may pose a hazard to people who enter the area after treatment Safe application practices All procedures for the safe application of pesticides found in this manual apply to silviculture In addition the following specific points are emphasized Biological and cultural controls The use of biological controls as alternatives to chemical pesticides has been particularly successful in silviculture Biological controls may in some cases provide a less hazardous alternative to chemical applications Cultural methods such as disease resistant planting stock burning and scarification may also help reduce the need for chemical programs Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 140 Remote location precautions Pesticide application programs in remote locations must make particular provision for e Procedures for checking the well being of workers assigned to work alone or in isolation as required by Part 4 General Conditions of the Regulation e Proper training in all emergency procedures such as first aid spill control and firefighting
159. quires that you do one of the following checks before each use of a respirator Inhalation check Place the palm of the hands over the cartridge assemblies or inhalation area and breathe in If no air enters and the facepiece collapses slightly the respirator is properly fitted Exhalation check Place the palm of the hand or a thumb over the exhalation valve guard and press lightly Breathe out to cause a slight pressure inside the facepiece If no air escapes the facepiece is fitted properly and the inhalation valves are seating correctly If air escapes adjust the respirator and check again or check the condition of the exhalation valve Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 105 A more rigorous test of facepiece seal is provided by the qualitative fit test in which respirator wearers are exposed to a material such as an irritant smoke or an odorous vapour such as banana oil The wearers carry out a series of exercises such as normal breathing deep breathing nodding the head up and down turning from side to side and talking If the respirator wearers can detect the smoke or odour inside the facepiece they should readjust the seal to get a proper fit or select another facepiece that provides a seal Inhalation check left and exhalation check right for a half facepiece respirator The Regulation requires that such fit tests be carried out Before initial use of a respirator Atleast annually aft
160. rane irritants Severe poisoning usually due to ingestion May also enter through lungs and mouth These ONs may produce irritation of skin Severe poisoning only likely with ingestion This inorganic is a skin irritant When taken by mouth may produce kidney and liver damage circulatory failure Acute poisoning symptoms Irritating to skin if swallowed may cause abdominal pain diarrhea stiffness irregular heartbeat Same as for nitrophenol fungicides Nausea vomiting diarrhea jaundice Bleeding from stomach or bowel Failure to urinate On skin eye nose throat and skin irritation If swallowed lethargy coma convulsions Vomiting diarrhea sweating scanty urine convulsions coma 2 4 D considered a possible carcinogen by IARC Same as for nitrophenol fungicides NO ANTIDOTE AVAILABLE Do not give oxygen as a first aid measure May cause long term kidney liver and lung damage May be formulated in emulsifiable concentrate EC with solvent such as xylene Sodium chlorate is a powerful oxidizing agent Can cause fire or burn on organic materials such as cotton clothing leather boots wooden shelving Store and use carefully Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 50 Table 5 Health effects of some major classes of pesticides continued Classes RODENTICIDES Anticoagulants AC Examples Bromodiolone Chlorophacinone Diphacinone W
161. raped A cut can increase pesticide absorption by 100 000 times Sweating will assist pesticide absorption Skin location As shown in Figure 2 the eyes and genital area absorb pesticides more easily than the forearms or hands This is why the use of eye protection and hygiene practices is important Of course the hands and any other area of the body likely to come in contact with pesticides must be protected as well Type of pesticide For example less than one percent of the herbicide diquat applied to the forearm is absorbed compared with 16 percent for the insecticide azinphos methyl The Table of Exposure Limits for Chemical and Biological Substances found at WorkSafeBC com includes a Skin notation for substances that contribute significantly to overall exposure by the skin route Some of the substances listed in the table are pesticides e Nature of formulation Emulsifiable concentrates ECs often contain an organic solvent such as xylene which is soluble in fatty tissue and promotes the absorption of the pesticide Some formulants are acidic or caustic and can damage the skin Others such as phenol can be absorbed by the skin and cause damage internally If not handled carefully wettable powders can produce airborne dust that may settle on the skin as well as enter the lungs Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 35 e Nature of the job For example workers are particularly at risk of poisoning by skin absorpt
162. rd Use a brush and solvent Wear protective gloves where necessary Never use a metal object to clean tips Altered spray patterns or flow capacity may result As a rule of thumb replace any nozzle that has worn more than 10 percent Hoses and connections Ensure that connections are tight and that hoses are free from wear Watch for contact between v belts and hoses Operators of hydraulic spray units face pesticide splash hazards from hose ruptures if high pressure hoses are not shielded On compressed air backpack and hand held spray units hose wear is likely to develop at flex points Always relieve pressure on a pressurized line before beginning maintenance work Never use hoses that have been removed from a sprayer unit to convey drinking water Tanks and gauges Check metal parts for deterioration Many pesticides are corrosive Ensure pressure gauges are working and accurate A sign of malfunction is a shift in reading when operating conditions have not changed For backpack units ensure that both screw on and pressure fit caps fit tightly Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 191 Trigger assemblies Periodically ensure that sealing nuts and hose connections are secure and do not leak Backflow preventers Periodically have all backflow preventers checked to ensure proper valve seating Pressure vacuum breakers double check valves and reduced pressure devices should be tested annually by trained pers
163. re limits Use of control measures Personal hygiene and washing facilities Emergency procedures Pesticide specific requirements These address issues specific to pesticides including Qualifications and certification of mixers loaders and applicators Control of pesticide drift Warning signs Restricted entry intervals to protect workers who enter treated areas Health monitoring of workers where applicable Integrated Pest Management Act and Regulations Administered by the Ministry of Environment these pieces of legislation cover Requirements for licensing of businesses Certification of salespeople and applicators Pesticide use permit restrictions The obligation for some large projects to submit a pesticide use notice The legislation also includes requirements to apply integrated pest management techniques including the use of non chemical methods where appropriate Storage and transport requirements address the obligation for signage and labels and for practices that protect food intended for human and animal consumption Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators esr 3 Local A number of regional districts and municipalities in B C have bylaws on the selection and use of pesticides and on the control of pests such as weeds insects and rodents Pesticide use must conform with local as well as provincial and federal requirements If in doubt about local requirements check with the mun
164. reasonably achievable below the exposure limit Designations of substances as carcinogens sensitizers and reproductive toxins are reported in the Table of Exposure Limits for Chemical and Biological Substances which can be accessed at WorkSafeBC com Information and training Where a worker may be exposed to a harmful substance the employer must ensure that information on the substance its harmful characteristics and precautions for safety are communicated to the worker The workforce must be trained in the safe handling use and storage of the substance and where applicable in re entry procedures following its application The pesticide label and material safety data sheet are two information sources that underlie the training program An additional source is the set of specific work and emergency procedures developed at the worksite for use with pesticides Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 88 Qualified personnel Workers who mix load or apply pesticides or who clean and maintain pesticide equipment must be properly qualified Under the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation mixers loaders and applicators of moderately or very toxic pesticides must be over the age of 16 and hold valid applicators certificates issued in accordance with the Pesticide Control Act and Regulation Workers who are in training for an applicator s certificate are exempt from the requirement for a certificate during the training pe
165. reduce dust emissions and keep out moisture that may cause granule crust Lids should be kept in good working order b Discharge points Likelihood of dust drift from the discharge device increases in the order injector tubes gravity feed outlets and whirl plates Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 75 Hand sprayers Hand held sprayers such as the one shown in Figure 8 can pose a number of hazards Figure 8 Hand sprayer Hazard points a b Hose flex points Cracks in hoses tend to develop at these points Trigger assembly Leaks may develop around inadequately maintained seals Nozzle assembly If the unit is provided with variable nozzle assembly with multiple nozzle openings a safety design feature is a nozzle identification code on the side of the assembly Such a code lets the operator select the nozzle opening without looking directly at nozzle orifices Gun mount A safety feature that permits the applicator to affix the gun to the side of the tank when the gun is not in use Support strap It is unsafe for the support strap to be made of material that will absorb chemicals Backpack sprayers These units as shown in Figure 9 are carried on the back and permit a larger quantity of liquid to be carried than do hand sprayers A hand crank is employed to generate pressure inside an inverted column within the storage tank The whole tank is not under pressure Backpack uni
166. riod as long as they are under the direct supervision of a person who holds a certificate Also the obligation for a certificate does not apply to the application of biocides and slimicides in pulp and paper operations or to the application of antisapstain materials However in such cases applicators must be properly informed about the hazards of the products involved and know how to use them safely Hazard controls If a pesticide has been selected for use choices need to be made about the appropriate means of hazard control Apart from substitution there are three types of controls Engineering controls Examples include Enclosed cabs on tractors used for pulling spray equipment Ventilation systems in locations such as storage facilities Closed mixing and loading systems e Administrative controls These include work and personnel assignment procedures that reduce the risk Examples include Moving workers who are not required for the pesticide application to a safe location Scheduling the application of pesticides in buildings for times workers are not present Posting warning signs after application Applying pesticides in fields when wind and other environmental conditions do not create a risk of pesticide drift In some cases very specific administrative controls may be needed for particular types of pesticides For example under the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation if a pesticide is a sensitizer or a reproductive
167. rt 1 613 996 6666 Emergency Centre or 666 mobile phone CCOHS Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety 1 800 668 4284 Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 202 WorkSafeBC Offices Visit our web site at WorkSafeBC com Abbotsford 2774 Trethewey Street V2T 3R1 Phone 604 276 3100 1 800 292 2219 Fax 604 556 2077 Burnaby 450 6450 Roberts Street V5G 4 1 Phone 604 276 3100 1 888 621 7233 Fax 604 232 5950 Coquitlam 104 3020 Lincoln Avenue V3B 6B4 Phone 604 276 3100 1 888 967 5377 Fax 604 232 1946 Courtenay 801 30th Street VIN 8G6 Phone 250 334 8765 1 800 663 7921 Fax 250 334 8757 Kamloops 321 Battle Street V2C 6P1 Phone 250 371 6003 1 800 663 3935 Fax 250 371 6031 Kelowna 110 2045 Enterprise Way V1Y 9T5 Phone 250 717 4313 1 888 922 4466 Fax 250 717 4380 Nanaimo 4980 Wills Road V9T 6C6 Phone 250 751 8040 1 800 663 7382 Fax 250 751 8046 Nelson 524 Kootenay Street V1L 684 Phone 250 352 2824 1 800 663 4962 Fax 250 352 1816 North Vancouver 400 224 Esplanade Ave W V7M 1A4 Phone 604 276 3100 1 888 875 6999 Fax 604 232 1558 Prince George 1066 Vancouver Street V2L 5M4 Phone 250 561 3700 1 800 663 6623 Fax 250 561 3710 Surrey 100 5500 152 Street V3S 5 9 Phone 604 276 3100 1 888 621 7233 Fax 604 232 7077 Terrace 4450 Lakelse Avenue V8G 1P2 Phone 250 615 6605 1 800 663 3871 Fax 250 615 6633 Victoria 4514 Chatterton Way
168. s Provide basic life support as necessary and arrange for transport to medical aid If the pesticide was spilled or sprayed on a person s Eyes Wash the eyes with water at once Use a clean stream of water Keep the victim s eyes open and wash for at least 30 minutes Do NOT add cleaning agents to the eyewash Use clean water only Body the chemical is dry brush it off before flushing the skin Immediately wash the chemical off the skin with large amounts of water Remove contaminated clothing Do NOT contaminate yourself in the process Do not neutralize corrosive poisons with acids or alkalis Instead flush with lots of water and if possible continue flushing en route to medical aid If the pesticide was inhaled into the lungs dusts vapours gases Protect yourself with proper safety gear before attempting rescue and carry the patient do not permit walking to fresh air immediately Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 181 Loosen all tight clothing If the patient has stopped breathing start CPR Keep patient as quiet as possible 8 Keep the victim warm unless the pesticide increases body metabolism and temperature Examples of such chemicals include chlorophenate wood preservatives 9 Accompany the victim to the hospital and do one of the following Bring along a copy of the material safety data sheet for the pesticide Take the pesticide label with you if the MSDS
169. s Persistence Mixing loading and application equipment Introduction A first step in the safe use of a pesticide is to assess the hazard involved in the application process It is the employer s responsibility to ensure that the proper hazard assessment has been done and the necessary controls have been put in place An applicator who knows the hazards is in a position to select the right personal protective equipment and the necessary safe work procedures Pesticide toxicity was discussed in Chapter 4 Toxicity is not the same thing as a hazard TOXICITY The harm a particular pesticide can produce if it contacts or is taken into the body Toxicity is a characteristic of the pesticide itself HAZARD Anestimate of the overall danger a worker faces when using a pesticide Hazard depends not only on the toxicity of the pesticide but also on the likelihood that the worker may be exposed to the pesticide during use The chance of exposure depends on a number of factors such as amount of pesticide used strength of pesticide warning properties persistence and type of application equipment Hazard is a characteristic of the entire pesticide application process For example a moderately toxic pesticide such as diazinon is likely more hazardous to workers if applied by a boom or air blast sprayer than a highly toxic pesticide such as brodifacoum when used as a bait to kill rodents Basic factors that affect the degree of hazard of a
170. s and alternatives can be obtained from agencies such as the B C ministries of Environment Agriculture and Forests Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 58 Pesticide formulation How hazardous is the type of formulation I am using Two factors determine the hazard a formulation presents the type of formulation and the strength of its active ingredient Type of formulation Chapter 2 introduced the health and safety implications of pesticide formulations In brief Formulations contain not only active ingredients but also other materials called formulants some of which may be toxic to people Examples of toxic formulants include asbestos toluene diisocyanate formaldehyde and phenol Dusts fogs gas fumigants and wettable powders when dry are easily inhaled Many emulsifiable concentrates ECs are diluted with flammable materials such as xylene Such materials can also cause health problems Some wettable powders WPs may be mixed with diatomaceous earth DE which contains free silica Free silica can cause scarring of lung tissue and has been linked to lung cancer The persistence of a pesticide increases with the size of the particle containing the active ingredient For example granules are often long lasting Wettable powders are more easily dislodged from plant surfaces than emulsifiable concentrates In addition WPs are also more likely to cause physical wear on application equipment than ECs
171. s nose cups are available with some respirators Nose cups help direct the moist exhaled air so that it doesn t contact the lens In hot weather the stress of wearing respirators can be reduced by using lightweight models and those that provide a Full facepiece respirator with corrective lens attachment powered flow of air Inspect and clean respirators after each use Details of a recommended cleaning and maintenance procedure are provided in the WorkSafeBC publication Breathe Safer Store respirators in a clean location and away from sunlight solvents extreme cold or heat and excessive moisture Maintain and inspect respirators routinely according to the manufacturer s instructions Cartridges and canisters have limited life spans They should be marked with the date they are first used or put into service and replaced according to a schedule provided by the manufacturer In addition replace the cartridge right away if you experience any breakthrough of the contaminant into the facepiece Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 107 Use a moist wipe to clean the facepiece when a quick touch up is needed Hearing protection Workers who operate application equipment such as tractor drawn boom sprayers air blast sprayers and foggers may be exposed to noise levels that can cause hearing loss There are maximum safe limits for noise exposure in the workplace If you have to rais
172. se cloth lined gloves Gauntlet gloves that extend up the forearm are superior to conventional hand gloves It is important to prevent hand contamination when removing contaminated gloves Three ways to minimize hand contamination during glove removal include Wash gloves prior to removal Wear a light pair of disposable plastic gloves under the outer gloves Remove both outer gloves before removing the disposable gloves Discard the disposables after each use Wear relatively loose fitting outer gloves Care Before use check gloves for leaks A simple test is to trap air in the glove by rolling the glove from the wrist toward the fingers and watching for air leaks when the pressurized glove is placed in a container of water An alternative test is to fill the gloves with water and squeeze Discard any gloves that leak even from pinholes Wash after use Store out of sunlight in a clean location Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 96 Headgear Selection and use Waterproof protective equipment including left to right hard hat with neck cape rain hat and hood e Workers spraying pesticides that could contact the upper body area must wear protective headgear made of waterproof washable material Helmets that cover the head and hoods that cover the head neck and upper shoulders are particularly effective for preventing pesticide contact e Ifa hat is used preferred designs include r
173. shelving away from steam pipes windows with southern exposures or similar heat sources Provide insulation to maintain storage temperatures in the range of 5 C to 30 C A number of pesticides such as those shown in Table 15 decompose and in some cases explode at temperatures not far above ordinary room temperatures Freezing temperatures can inactivate some pesticides Table 15 High temperature hazards of some pesticides Pesticide Warning Acephate Decomposes rapidly above 40 C Azinphos methyl Container may explode after heating above 85 C Malathion Decomposes above 50 C Maneb Can decompose and undergo spontaneous combustion at elevated temperatures Safe storage practices Store the minimum quantities of pesticides needed The smaller the amounts the less the fire hazard ventilation needs and loss of pesticide due to evaporation leakage or deactivation Wherever possible store pesticides on shelves Containers on the floor are often a tripping hazard and are more likely to suffer corrosion or other damage Metal shelving or well painted wood shelving is preferred The bottom shelf should be set at least 10 centimetres 4 inches above floor level to allow a kick space under the shelf Top shelves must be within easy reach It is not safe to handle chemicals above face levels e Whenever possible separate different types of containers One recommended practice is the three shelf system with small
174. stence of a chemical after application e The nature of breakdown products from the parent pesticide e The type of spill cleanup procedure required Workers do not have to be chemists to understand how chemical families are important to their safety It is far easier to learn about a few families or groups than hundreds of individual pesticides The learning process becomes even easier when we realize that of the various groups several are the most common such as organophosphates and carbamates Table 3 provides an overview of chemical families In the next chapter these groups will be used to help readers understand the symptoms and treatment of pesticide poisoning Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 2915 Table 3 Types of pesticides by chemical family Chemical family Common types Nature of chemical Examples Organophosphates All are insecticides containing the phosphate group Some contain sulfur and can form toxic by products called oxons Often identified by endings in chemical names such as phos and fos and for sulfur products thion Azinphos methyl Chlorpyrifos Diazinon Malathion Carbamates All contain nitrogen Can be either insecticides or fungicides Fungicides contain sulfur insecticides do not Insecticides are often identified by the use of the term carb in chemical names Insecticides Carbaryl Carbofuran Methomyl Fungicides Ferbam Zin
175. steps be taken to ensure that pesticides do not drift onto non target areas e Road right of way spray programs may expose workers to traffic dangers Pesticides may be applied near sources of electrical power for example if used in a tree pest control program adjacent to a power line e Workers not involved with the pesticide program may work in treated areas following application Member of the public may be involved in re entry to treated public areas Safe work practices All general procedures for the safe use of pesticides found elsewhere in this manual apply to the landscape industry In addition the following specific precautions are emphasized Alternatives to pesticides In some cases alternatives to chemical pesticides may help control landscape problems and may be less hazardous to workers Techniques such as mow strips turf aeration particular mowing heights and altered fertilization patterns have been found helpful in some programs Consult with pest control authorities for further information Pesticide storage Some landscape pesticide application programs may require large storage facilities up to warehouse size Facilities must comply with all requirements of regulatory authorities regarding construction lock up etc See Chapter 6 for information on storage Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 137 Anti drift measures To help ensure the safety of other workers and the general public i
176. sure the reverse flow will be experienced in different ways at different points as shown in Figure 13 At the highest points in the diagrams points A backflow is experienced only as a vacuum that is back siphonage At points B however the backflow occurs partly due to back pressure because of the pressure of the column of water above point B It is always advisable to place those backflow prevention devices that protect against siphonage effects only at the highest point in the water system Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 120 1 Spray mix tank filled from a pressurized water source such as house or building hose taps and where the discharge end of the filling hose is below the overflow point of the tank If the supply line pressure drops low enough reverse flow from the tank can occur o Ol B A 2 Spray tank filled from surface vvater body such as a pond ditch or stream through the filling hose as shovvn VVith some pump designs reverse flovv can occur when the pump is turned off f O 3 Aspirator unit used to spray pesticides e g a small hand held aspirator povvered by a garden hose Reverse flow of contaminated material will occur with sufficient drop in line pressure 4 Chemical injection into a pressurized irrigation og A system Chemicals may be either ferti
177. sure to pesticide e Calibrate the spray system before application For calibration procedures see Chapter 10 Keep windshields clean It is unsafe for pilots to carry out any maintenance procedure or loading operation that may result in exposure to pesticide Safe practices for pilots Personal protective equipment Respirator Substantial levels of pesticides can develop in the cockpit particularly in calm weather or in case of ground level temperature inversions which often occur at dawn Pilots should use respirators that provide a safe quality of air during spray application and at any other time when there is exposure to pesticide air contaminants in the cockpit Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 145 Protective clothing Pilots should wear protective garments during any flight in which pesticides are applied Garments should be chemical resistant and flame retardant Flammable materials such as polyester acetate or acrylic should be avoided Garments made of wool cotton or flame retardant synthetics are preferred Fabric should have a smooth tightly woven finish Mixing and loading procedures It is unsafe for pilots to mix and load pesticides Unless a closed mixing and loading system is used the pilot must leave the cockpit and stand at a safe distance upwind during loading operations It is unsafe for aircraft engines to be in operation during loading Appropriate backflow prevention devices mus
178. t be used when drawing mix water from piped systems or surface water bodies Ferrying procedures Pilots should not prime application equipment or test flow rates between the airstrip and the area to be treated Priming and testing should be done with water only and where possible on the ground Swatch marking systems Human flaggers are subject to a high potential for pesticide exposure and should not be used unless necessary Alternatives include Permanent flags or similar indicators set in a visible location near the area to be sprayed This method is useful if the area is to be treated several times during the season Temporary markers such dyes or balloons e Automatic flagging systems These devices use weighted streamers released by the pilot to mark spray swaths e Aerial photographs and landmarks If flaggers are used take precautions to ensure their potential for exposure is minimized Daily cockpit time Early morning and late afternoon spray schedules make for long duty days Daily cockpit time should be specified to help prevent pilot fatigue and rest facilities should be provided Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 146 Pesticide storage and container disposal Pesticides kept at any flight strip should be stored in a safe manner In some cases mobile storage facilities such as those described in Chapter 6 may be appropriate Do not leave empty pesticide containers at flight strips after an
179. t may be appropriate to use stringent anti drift measures such as Shrouds over boom applicators Enclosed spray rollers Bivert spray systems Rope wick applicators Traffic control measures in road right of way spray programs Workers involved in weed control or other spray work along or near road rights of way must be protected against traffic hazards as required by Part 18 Traffic Control of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation Safe procedures include e Choosing periods of low traffic volume for the spray program wherever possible Providing an effective means of traffic control whenever the movement of traffic may cause danger to workers Dangerous situations include those in which Working equipment blocks all or part of a travelled roadway Workers or equipment are employed on a travelled roadway over the brow of a hill around a sharp curve or at any other location where oncoming traffic could be dangerous to workers e Using warning lights signs cones flagpersons or other appropriate traffic control measures as outlined in Part 18 of the Regulation Application near electrical power lines and equipment Sources of electrical power may present a hazard particularly when water based formulations are sprayed nearby This could occur for example when vegetation is sprayed near power lines The best safety procedure is to set up the spray program so that spray does not make contact with energized e
180. t to back pressure or back siphonage and where there is a high hazard from contamination Good for continuous pressure systems Although of superior design this device like all in line backflow preventers must be adequately maintained Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 123 1 Air gap 7 gt 2 Atmospheric vacuum breaker 3 Reduced pressure backflow preventer with a vehicle 4 Reduced pressure backflow preventer in an irrigation system Figure 14 Backflow prevention systems Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 124 Application procedures Qualifications and training Pesticide applicators must be qualified and trained according to legislated requirements as outlined at the beginning of this chapter Pesticide information Before applying pesticides read the product label and consult the material safety data sheet Calibration and maintenance Ensure that the application equipment is calibrated and in safe running condition before use Refer to Chapter 10 for maintenance and calibration directions Personal protective equipment Ensure protective equipment matches the hazard See Chapter 7 for details on such equipment in various application situations Emergency procedures Make sure that emergen
181. te for Occupational Safety and Health NIOSH is an agency acceptable to WorkSafeBC The following list outlines some key points about respirators Respirators are designed to protect against specific types of air contaminants These include dusts mists coarse droplets and vapours associated with pesticide use In most cases the contaminants are in the form of mists and vapours However dusts are an issue with solid pesticides and in situations where workers may dislodge dried residues from vegetation e g in a treated field Respirators meeting NIOSH standards will show an approval code that begins with the letters TC Testing and Certification followed by an additional designation that indicates the type of protection provided Broadly speaking respirators are designed to either filter contaminated air or supply clean air In order of increasing protection three types of air filtering respirators include filtering facepiece respirators non powered cartridge respirators and powered air purifying respirators Two types of air supply respirators include self contained breathing apparatus SCBA and airline systems These respirators provide high levels of protection SCBAs are intended for short term use such as firefighting and rescue whereas airline systems can be used over longer periods e Respirator facepieces are typically either half facepiece or full facepiece Full facepiece designs provide a higher level of
182. te prior to contact with pests is technically not a fumigant Fumigants are used primarily in the agricultural and structural pest control industries There are two general types of fumigant formulations each of which can be applied in three ways Types of formulations Vapourizing liquids and compressed gases This type is marketed in pressurized containers or smoke generators When applied the fumigant vapours or gases are given off immediately Examples of this type include methyl bromide and sulfuryl fluoride Solids granules and dusts These are chemicals that emit fumigant gases only through chemical reactions with agents such as water For example the granular fumigant dazomet reacts with water to release gases such as hydrogen sulfide methyl isothiocyanate and formaldehyde Likewise aluminum phosphide granules will give off the fumigant gas phosphine after contact with water Types of application techniques Soil fumigants The subsurface soil application of either liquid or granular pesticides generally for nematode control Spot fumigation The application of fumigants to mill bakery and processing machinery at specific injection points Space fumigation Application of fumigants to enclosed spaces such as warehouses rail cars shipping containers greenhouses grain bins and beehives Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 153 The nature of the hazard Fumigation is one of the most hazardous
183. tents through a product identifier colour number code or other visual means of recognizing contents Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 17 Material safety data sheets MSDSs Material safety data sheets or MSDSs are an essential part of a pesticide information system Labels are not sufficient MSDSs are designed to provide much more detailed information on pesticide hazards and controls than labels For example typically the only chemical listed on a label is the active ingredient By contrast the MSDS includes a section that lists the active ingredient as well as the other hazardous ingredients in the formulation MSDSs also provide additional information on hazards including the possibility of any chronic health effects and more detailed information on protective measures MSDSs provide flexibility to the pesticide information system As hazard information changes for a product or as new safety procedures are devised sheets can be upgraded easily Because material safety data sheets are not attached to containers they can be Filed in first aid kits e Posted in work areas e Provided to medical facilities to help with emergency treatment of workers In Canada the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System WHMIS requires that MSDSs meeting legislated standards be provided to employers by suppliers for most industrial chemicals Suppliers of pesticides in Canada are at this point exempt from this require
184. the unit is NIOSH approved Self contained breathing apparatus SCBA These units unlike the preceding types do not use filtered air They come equipped with a cylinder of compressed air or oxygen carried on the back SCBAs have a limited use life generally of a half hour or less They are the appropriate type of respirator in temporary dangerous to life situations such as Short term work in enclosed spaces such as greenhouses where dangerous levels of fumigants are present Emergency situations such as fires Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 102 Airline respirators Like SCBAs these units are provided with their own air supply Airline respirators draw air through a hose from a safe distant supply and are suited for work in contaminated atmospheres where a long term air supply is needed They must not be used in immediately dangerous to life or health IDLH situations unless the system includes a five minute reserve air bottle attached to the user for emergency escape purposes Selection of respirators Respirators must be chosen in accordance with the Regulation The following list outlines some basic dos and don ts If the pesticide has poor or otherwise inadequate warning properties or if an oxygen deficient atmosphere is likely to be present don t use Airline supplied air respirator air purifying respirators Warning properties are discussed in Chapter 5 of this manual
185. ticides along with food feed or consumer goods Do not transport pesticides in the passenger compartment of any vehicle Do not allow anyone to ride in the back of a truck along with pesticides Secure all pesticide containers to prevent accidental spillage Be particularly careful with paper and glass containers A safe practice is to transport glass containers in form fitting foam lined shipping packages often used by chemical companies Protect wettable powders and dusts in paper containers from rain and moisture Avoid transporting pesticides on wooden truck beds If your truck is provided with a wooden bed use a storage box made of non absorbent material or heavy plastic sheeting spread on the truck bed Pesticides spilled on wooden truck beds are almost impossible to remove This may cause contamination of any materials carried afterwards in the truck Note Check the pesticide MSDS for information that may assist For example the sample MSDS in Chapter 2 of this manual covers handling procedures and shipping information in Section 7 Preventive Measures Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 110 Pesticide storage The Occupational Health and Safety Regulation provides requirements for the safe storage of chemicals in general and pesticides specifically Some provisions that are specific to pesticides include e Pesticides must not be stored in areas where food preparation occurs in lunchrooms or in food storage
186. tion and disposal Chapter 7 provides additional information on control measures for specific types of pesticide applications from field and orchard spraying to antisapstain treatment of lumber Chapter 8 addresses the re entry of workers to treated areas Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 87 The pesticide safety program A properly planned pesticide safety program will cover at least the topics outlined in the following sections Choice of pest control method The choice of method will involve a number of factors including effectiveness of the method worker health and safety and environmental considerations From a chemical safety perspective the best method is one that avoids the use of pesticides for example through the use of alternative controls If pesticides are used they may be just one part of an integrated pest management program If a pesticide is used one means of controlling the risk to workers is substitution whereby a less hazardous product is chosen that reduces the risk to workers Under the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation if a substance is designated as a carcinogen sensitizer or reproductive toxin then if practicable the employer must replace it with another substance that reduces the risk to workers If substitution is not practicable then the employer must institute an exposure control plan as required by the Regulation and ensure that the exposure of workers is kept as low as
187. tisapstain materials are intended to protect lumber from fungi that could stain it in the period following milling A variety of chemicals have been developed for use as wood preservatives and antisapstain agents Examples include Ammoniacal copper arsenate ACA Chromated copper arsenate CCA Creosote Copper ethanolamine complex Pentachlorophenols Copper 8 quinolate Propioconazole Zinc or copper naphthenate Treatment chemicals have a wide range of toxicities and some are corrosive to the skin Also in some treatment systems acid formulations are used to help ensure that metal surfaces in lumber mill conveyer and feed systems do not stain the lumber There are a number of systems for applying wood preservatives and antisapstain agents Some of the primary ones are listed on the pages that follow Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 162 Vessel M Building Lumber Figure 17 Pressurized vessel used for applying wood preservative High pressure treatment vessels This type of system is used for pressure treating lumber with wood preservatives The vessels can be 30 metres or more in length and are large enough in diameter to handle trams loaded with lumber The trams are typically pushed into the vessels by on site mobile equipment and then pulled from the vessels after treatment Ports at one or both ends of the vessel provi
188. to re evaluate pesticides on a 15 year cycle A requirement for suppliers to report sales data Food and Drugs Act Under this legislation Health Canada sets maximum limits for pesticide residues in foods Federal authorities may inspect food for residues and seize a crop if limits are exceeded Fisheries Act and Migratory Birds Convention Act Under these pieces of legislation pesticide users can be prosecuted if they are responsible for harming fish or migratory birds or for contaminating their habitats 2 Provincial Workers Compensation Act and Occupational Health and Safety Regulation These pieces of legislation are intended for the protection of workers They govern the use of pesticides at worksites that come under the authority of WorkSafeBC Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 6 The Act and the Regulation provide three levels of protection for workers Core requirements These address the responsibilities of employers workers supervisors owners and suppliers including those who supply pesticides In addition the requirements address the obligation to establish joint occupational health and safety committees or worker representatives in some workplaces as well as an occupational health and safety program General chemical and biological requirements These address all hazardous materials including pesticides and cover matters such as Information requirements Storage Occupational exposu
189. to specific requirements in sections 6 98 and 6 99 of the Regulation The requirements address the safety of the applicator and of other workers vapor to produce a flame when a source of ignition is brought close to the surface of the liquid For example the flash point of xylene a common diluent for emulsifiable concentrates is 32 C The flash point of kerosene a diluent that may be used with thermal foggers is in the range of 43 72 C Eliminate all sources of ignition e Close off all openings that lead to work areas outside the area being treated Plan the application route through the building to provide for movement from remote locations toward exits e When starting a fogger indoors select a location that is relatively open In tighter spaces pesticide concentrations can build up in the air and on nearby surfaces resulting in a higher risk of exposure e After fogging is completed do not permit re entry until a safe period of time has elapsed and the area has been thoroughly ventilated Fumigants Refer to the next section of this chapter for information Re entry to treated areas See Chapter 8 of this manual Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 152 Fumigation Fumigation is the act of releasing a toxic chemical in such a way that it reaches the target organism wholly or primarily in the vapour or gaseous state Any material applied as a wettable powder or mist and which does not evapora
190. to three air changes per hour The best location for the ventilation control switch is outside the storage area One technique is to interlock the ventilation control with the light switch Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 112 Exhaust stack Air inlet with weather protection Figure 12 Recommended pesticide storage facility e For effective ventilation ensure that exhaust fans are located so as to pull airborne pesticides away from the work areas and provide an inlet air vent for make up air One technique is to mount exhaust fans near the pesticide shelving and mixing areas and to provide inlet grates in locations such as a far wall or in the door Plumbing Safety plumbing features include e A floor drain that leads to a sump or other appropriate spill and washings collection facility e Backflow prevention devices in the piping systems that supply water for mixing pesticides e Appropriate washing and shower facilities for routine cleanup and emergency situations Emergency wash facilities should be located close to mixing areas Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 113 Lighting Lighting must be sufficient to ensure safety and to permit easy reading of labels on pesticide containers e 100 lux 10 foot candles is required in actively used storage areas and 200 lux 20 foot candles in areas where pesticides are mixed Insulation from heat and cold Locate pesticide
191. ts are more hazardous than hand held varieties because of the possibility of body drench if storage tank contents are spilled Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 76 Figure 9 Backpack sprayer Hazard points a b Delivery line connections These may come loose due to frequent flexion and use in rugged terrain Cap Either screw on or plug insert models are available and they are often made of plastic Sunlight and some chemicals can cause deterioration of plastic materials Air bleed hole Designs without baffles or check valves are more hazardous than those that have such safety features Trigger assembly Connections at the trigger assembly may leak due to inadequate tightening or faulty gaskets Support straps These must be capable of supporting the weight of the unit Absorbent straps are hazardous Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 77 Hydraulic spray units Unlike compressed air devices hydraulic spray units draw liquid pesticides directly through a power driven pump delivery hoses and application nozzles Hydraulic spray units are generally meant for high volume high pressure applications in agriculture and weed control operations There are three types of hydraulic spray units that differ according to the arrangement of application nozzles Hand spray gun Delivery hose leads to a trigger operated gun with one or more nozzles Hand spray guns are often used in m
192. tures a ventilation system that can be controlled from outside the unit The chamber s walls should be sealed with a surfacing material to prevent absorption Gasket material should be provided around the door and maintained in good condition Securing the fumigated area The entrances to a fumigated area must be barred before fumigation to prevent entry by unprotected persons and adequate warning signs must be posted at all points of entry See Chapter 8 Fumigant application Wherever possible introduce fumigant gas from a point outside the area being fumigated In spot fumigation of machinery it is a safe practice to apply fumigants first to application points furthest removed from the exit and then to work toward the exit Re entry to the fumigated area See Chapter 8 Safe soil fumigant practices Soil fumigants may be applied as Water reactive crystals such as dazomet Liquids such as dichloropropenes Gases such as methyl bromide Soil fumigation may be performed outdoors or in locations such as greenhouses Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 160 While soil fumigation may often be less hazardous than space fumigation it can still present a significant hazard especially in enclosed spaces such as greenhouses Case example In Belgium a number of workers were killed while applying methyl bromide as a soil fumigant in a greenhouse In addition to all other necessary safety procedures it is desirable
193. unicipal spray programs Boom spray unit Delivery hose leads to a boom with multiple nozzles Boom may be horizontal for row and field crops or in a tower arrangement for bush Crops Air blast sprayer Delivery hose leads to nozzles arranged so that liquid is ejected into a high velocity air stream Air blast sprayers are used primarily in the tree fruit industry Hydraulic units of all types share a number of common design features many of which should be considered as hazard points Figure 10 provides a schematic outline of a typical hydraulic sprayer unit Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 78 a Spray tank e High pressure line g Nozzles b Tank agitator f Strainers h Trigger c Pump d Pressure regulator and pressure gauge i Tank shut off valve Figure 10 Hydraulic sprayer Hazard points a Spray tank Tanks should be made of corrosion resistant material Safe design features include A large opening at least 30 cm in diameter with a filter screen for easy filling and cleaning A drain plug located so that the entire tank can be drained Rounded inside corners and edges for easy cleaning The unit should also have a sight gauge for easy viewing Check valves on the gauge will prevent tank drainage if the gauge breaks If the pesticide formulation is highly coloured a cork float in the gauge may make the gauge easier to read Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 79
194. ure there are no leaks Do not use tubes that have exceeded the expiry date printed on the package Make several measurements to ensure that results are representative of the airspace being tested Figure 16 Piston gas detector pump and tubes Gas detector tubes generally have maximum rated accuracies of 25 percent Thermal conductivity meters These devices are based on the principle that when electric current is passed through a wire the temperature of the wire will be affected by the gas surrounding it As the gas changes the temperature of the wire changes The temperature change in turn alters wire resistance which can be Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 157 measured on a meter Conductivity meters are more bulky than gas detector tubes need frequent calibration and are limited to the measurement of fumigants such as methyl bromide Halide leak detector halide lamp These devices work on the principle that a flame in contact with a clean copper filament will burn with a green to blue flame if the vapour of an organic halide such as methyl bromide is present in the surrounding air As the concentration of the vapour increases the colour changes from green to blue Note These meters are not highly accurate and must never be used to evaluate a flammable fumigant Newer technology portable detectors A range of portable equipment has been developed recently based on systems such as
195. ust be used when required Environmental conditions Mix pesticides only in good light and with adequate ventilation Stand upwind to minimize airborne exposure Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 119 Cross connection control Water is the major carrier in liquid pesticide applications Whenever an applicator adds water to pesticides a cross connection may result with the risk of contaminating the source from which the water is drawn Some terms to know Cross connection Any link through which a contaminant may enter a water supply as a result of backflow Backflow Reverse movement of water in a system from the use point back to the source Backflow may be due to either back siphonage or back pressure or both Back siphonage Reverse flow in a water system due to negative pressure in the supply piping Can be caused by loss of water pressure due to firefighting breaks in the water line and so on The effect is similar to sipping a drink through a straw Back pressure Reverse flow due to an increase in the pressure at the use end of a system above the pressure at the supply end Back pressure occurs when systems such as mix tanks and irrigation lines are well above the height of the supply source Reverse flow situations are usually due to drops in supply line pressure and involve back siphonage However back pressure is often a second factor in such situations If there is a drop in supply line pres
196. utions to use with them including emergency procedures in the event of a fire If a fire occurs First evacuate people and animals who are downwind of the fire and keep bystanders away Call the fire department and make it clear that it is a pesticide fire Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 185 Information for firefighters The fire service develops procedures for fighting fires The following information is provided for assistance in meeting that responsibility It is good practice to Wear chemical resistant gloves boots and full body protective clothing A self contained breathing apparatus is essential for firefighters exposed to fumes and smoke Wherever possible fight fires from the upwind side Wherever possible use foam or carbon dioxide rather than water Some pesticides can ignite or emit toxic gases on contact with water Use soft streams of water like a fog so as not to tear open paper bags or break glass containers Dusts from broken bags can be explosive Periodically cool any metal or plastic pesticide containers to reduce the likelihood of explosion Avoid dragging hoses through pesticide contaminated water If firefighters are exposed to smoke and other contact with pesticides they should wash exposed body areas as soon as possible at the fire site A major route of pesticide poisoning is through the skin If the fire included organophosphate and carbamate pesticides alert the nearest hosp
197. vely poor protection against mist and sprays Resistance can be improved somewhat with surface coatings such as polyethylene synthetic rubber and spray on resins These are recommendations only not guarantees No protective coating is completely chemical resistant The resistance of a particular item depends on factors such as the thickness of coating method of production and combination with other coatings Check the pesticide MSDS for information on protective clothing The sample MSDS in Chapter 2 of this manual shows clothing listed under Section 7 Preventive Measures You may also wish to check with the equipment supplier for recommendations on protective equipment for the specific pesticides used Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 94 Use e Start each day in clean clothes and with clean protective garments that are free of holes or other defects Coveralls are recommended even for transporting and storing pesticides Wear shirt sleeves long 1615 good practice with disposable coveralls to select a size slightly larger than needed in order to reduce stretching at seams e With protective garments such as coveralls and rain suits keep sleeves outside gloves and pants outside boots If there is a chance that pesticide may drip from the glove onto the arm under the protective sleeve for example if it s necessary to work periodically with the arms raised upwards tightly secure the sleeve of the protective
198. wed This is because of the high absorbing capability of the stomach and intestines Workers are at risk of swallowing pesticide if they do not wash hands prior to eating or drinking A study has shown that people with contaminated hands swallowed measurable amounts of pesticide while eating lunch Some pesticide containers resemble drinking containers but they must never be confused as such It is particularly essential that non literate workers be instructed in the meaning of symbols on such products In addition all empty pesticide containers must be rinsed and disposed of according to regulations They must never be used for other purposes Figure 3 Shapes of pesticide containers Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 97 Health effects Poisonous effects of pesticides can either be acute short term or chronic long term All pesticides can produce acute symptoms some can also cause chronic problems Acute short term effects These generally result when a substantial amount of pesticide has been absorbed into the body This can happen for example when workers splash pesticides on themselves while mixing pesticide formulations or if unprotected workers are exposed to drift during spraying The following section outlines four basic things to remember about acute effects Mild poisoning symptoms may be vague and can be confused with common infective conditions such as the flu Typical symptoms
199. with soil fumigants to e Ensure that solid formulations such as dazomet which emits toxic gases on contact with water are stored in dry locations e Use polyethylene or other gas resistant sheeting wherever possible as ground cover to reduce emissions into the airspace above the treated soil It is a safe practice to overlap sheets substantially at joints to tape joints and to secure edges for example with dirt or sand sprinkled on top of the sheets e Use caution when removing sheets particularly for fumigants with higher vapour pressures such as methyl bromide One study found that workers were exposed to levels of methyl bromide as high as 200 ppm during sheet removal one week after initial application e Use caution if cultivating soil that contains unreleased fumigant vapour Mechanical agitation will contribute to vapour release Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 161 Wood treatment The nature of the hazard Moulds and mildews can develop in damp materials such as freshly cut lumber and in unpainted wood such as fencing and foundation beams In addition some insects will attack wood particularly if it is in deteriorated condition Wood preservatives are used to protect wood from the long term effects of fungi and insects after installation particularly where the wood can be exposed to damp conditions for example utility poles marine pilings bridge construction and various structural applications An
200. workplaces being sprayed from the air and includes any flagpersons who would assist pilots in positioning their spray runs Information in this section that is related to aircraft operation is provided for information only The nature of the hazard Aerial spraying can be an efficient means of applying pesticides in circumstances where access on the ground is difficult However it can be hazardous Particular safety concerns include Structural safety of the aircraft Prevention of pilot fatigue e Prevention of any pilot exposure to pesticides Even minor poisoning symptoms such as blurred vision and impaired reaction time interfere with the ability to fly safely e Minimization of flying hazards at the application site Protection of flagpersons It is essential that the pilot and ground crew undergo rigorous standard procedures training This includes flaggers or other workers at the spray site The following sections provide information on equipment design and work procedures and are meant as a supplement to safety information that appears elsewhere in the manual Equipment design and maintenance e All aircraft used for the application of pesticides must comply with the design and licensing requirements of Transport Canada A safe pilot restraint system includes a seat belt shoulder harnesses with inertial reel and a crotch strap to prevent submarining sliding forward under the seat belt To reduce the likeliho
201. y also be obtained from the Occupational First Aid Reference and Training Manual the B C Poison Control Centre and the material safety data sheet MSDS Contact information for the Poison Control Centre is found on the last page of this manual The sample MSDS in Chapter 2 of this manual shows first aid information covered in Section 8 First aid procedures The instructions below are arranged in the order of priority that should apply with most poisonings Proceed through the necessary steps as quickly and as thoroughly as possible 1 Summon the first aid attendant for your worksite as outlined on the posted written procedures for providing first aid If the worksite does not require a first aid attendant proceed with the following steps 2 Assess the condition of the person and provide basic life support as necessary 3 Do not leave critically ill patients alone Get someone else to arrange transportation to the emergency department of the nearest hospital Do not delay transportation to the hospital 4 Obtain history of exposure from worker or co worker and determine the likely route of entry mouth skin or lungs 5 If the pesticide was swallowed by mouth phone the B C Poison Control Centre using the contact information provided on the last page of this manual The approach to treatment will depend on whether a patient is fully conscious or not For treatment of a fully conscious patient If the pesticide is a corrosiv
202. y robust to meet these criteria because of the large infeed and outfeed areas involved Excess chemical controls The employer needs to ensure control measures are in place such as mist eliminators curtains on spray box openings control of spray flows and other acceptable means Identification of treatment areas Treatment areas need to be clearly identified to workers and entry into areas must be restricted to authorized personnel The treatment area Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators 165 includes any location that serves as a drip area following treatment Note The requirements of the Regulation for warning signs and restricted entry intervals do not apply to antisapstain work unless the label specifies otherwise Other requirements The Regulation contains a number of other requirements that help ensure safety in wood treatment operations For example the requirements address Mixing and loading systems The systems involved are typically fixed in place and they must have Means of securing openings to prevent accidental worker entry Shut off devices at the discharge end of hoses and pipes leading from mixing tanks Closed mixing and loading systems help ensure safety Wash up and emergency washing facilities Treatment materials may be irritating or corrosive to the skin and may also involve issues of skin absorption and toxic effect Guards around the perimeters of areas such as dip tanks
203. ylene and some organochlorines Nitrile rubber A synthetic rubber that resists tears and abrasion well but deteriorates somewhat in sunlight Provides substantial protection against formaldehyde acidic pesticides such as glyphosate some wood preservatives some amine pesticides and organophosphates Less resistant to some of the organochlorines Polyethylene Relatively poor tear and abrasion resistance and can deteriorate in sunlight Only somewhat chemical resistant Useful with acidic pesticides and aldehyde type pesticides as formaldehyde Less protective against many of the organochlorines and emulsifiable concentrate solvents Polyvinyl alcohol PVA Relatively stiff material with low puncture and abrasion resistance However it has exceptional resistance to many organic solvents that pass easily through many rubbers Can deteriorate in the presence of water Polyvinyl chloride PVC Relatively good tear and abrasion resistance Can become stiff at low temperature Can provide substantial protection against amine type pesticides such as triazines acidic pesticides such as glyphosate some of the wood preservatives and formaldehyde Not as resistant to emulsifiable concentrate solvents such as xylene and some of the organochlorines Spun bonded olefin SBO A non woven fabric that is used in disposable lightweight clothing Relatively poor tear and abrasion resistance Can provide protection against pesticide dusts Relati

Standard Practices for Pesticide Applicators, BK35

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