The environmental protection agency epa revised the wps. Pesticide worker protection standard how to comply manual epa. The worker protection standard does not apply to the application or handling of fertilizers. Any changes to rules and procedures since august 2015 have been released as bulletins and notices which remain in effect.
For best results, print signs in color and then have them laminated. The us environmental protection agency epa estimates that up to 3,000 farmworkers suffer acute pesticide poisoning every year through occupational exposures. In order to use this checklist to assure you are in compliance with the wps, you must be. Notification of treated area warning signs must be posted if the rei is greater than 48 hours for outdoor applications or greater than 4 hours. Reed reisner southern california edison committee chairman. A summary of revisions to the worker protection standard2015 2 medical personnel upon request. Notice to workers about pesticide applications and. Agricultural establishment is a general term for farms, forests, nurseries, greenhouses or other enclosed space production areas.
For more info on oral notifications and the criteria for posted warning signs visit. Worker protection standard handbook for agricultural employers. No matter how much training one has received or how much employers try to safeguard their workers, electrical safety is ultimately the responsibility. Ppe required for entry to treated areas that is permitted under the worker protection standard and that involves contact with anything that has been treated such as plants, soil, or water is. Maryland state highway administration publication date. The wps offers occupational protections to over 2 million agricultural workers and pesticide handlers who work at over 600,000 agricultural establishments. The training is designed to protect agricultural workers and pesticide handlers from the risks of exposure to pesticide residues. Notification and hazard communication 3 walking routes figure 3. Previously, the posting and recordkeeping of sdss was not required. Educational materials for the worker protection standard.
It aims to reduce pesticide exposures for workers and their families. Rwp rules and procedures have been removed and will be issued separately as the roadway worker protection plan. For more specific information about when and where the wps applies to your establishment, please visit. This safety handbook has been compiled by econtractors to provide a. Later sections of this guidanceincluding those focusing on jobs classified as having low, medium, high, and very high exposure risks provide specific recommendations for employers and workers within specific risk categories. Federal register pesticide worker protection standard.
Silent spring, a book that examined pesticides and. It covers pesticides that are used in the production of agricultural plants on farms, forests, nurseries, and greenhouses. Wps handbook for agricultural employers 1 does the worker protection standard apply to you. It applies to farmworkers, and those that work in a forest, nursery, or greenhouse that produces agricultural plants it began in 1995 and was expanded in 2015. All signs statewide used along roadways open to the public must conform to the standard sign book. See epas about pdf page to learn more epa in conjunction with the pesticide educational resources collaborative perc exit is making available a guide to help users of agricultural pesticides comply with the requirements of the 2015 revised federal worker protection standard.
The wps requires employers to protect workers in areas treated with pesticides and employ ees who handle pest icides in the. Worker protection standard howtocomply manual available. In 1992, the us environmental protection agency epa issued rules governing the protection of employees on farms, or in forests, nurseries and greenhouses from occupational exposure to agricultural pesticides. How to comply with the worker protection standard for. Engineering and work practice controls protective equipment and clothing use of warning signs and labels air monitoring respiratory protection worker medical. Epa in conjunction with the pesticide educational resources collaborative perc exit is making available a guide to help users of agricultural pesticides comply with the requirements of the 2015 revised federal worker protection standard. Regulations standards 29 cfr occupational safety and. Revisions to the worker protection standard occupational. The maryland standard sign book provides design details for standard signs for use along maryland highways in a format that is user friendly to fabricators, technicians and engineers. Principles understanding the revised of wps worker. Epa issued the worker protection standard wps to protect employees on farms and in forests, nurseries and greenhouses from exposure to a gricultural pesticides. Epa is revising the existing worker protection standard wps.
Pdf worker protection standard wps training is one of the u. Revised worker protection standard compliance requirements january 2017 training annual training is required for workers and handlers. In 1992, the environmental protection agency epa adopted the federal worker protection standard to protect agricultural workers, including pesticide handlers and applicators, from pesticides and their residues. In 1974, the epa passed the first worker protection standard for farm workers. Worker protection standard wps training signin sheet.
Worker protection standard wps compliance assistance. If the language refers to the worker protection standard, the whole wps is considered part of the label. Environmental protection agencys epa worker protection standard wps provides basic workplace. Standard details, abbreviations, and reference chart 49. This action is a significant regulatory action because it may raise novel legal or policy. Checklist worker protection standard become familiar with the environmental protection agencys epas worker protection standard wps which is a regulation aimed at reducing the risk of pesticide poisonings and injuries among agricultural workers and pesticide handlers. Safety standards for agriculture chapter 296307, wac. For most employers, protecting workers will depend on emphasizing basic infection prevention measures. Epas agricultural worker protection standard wps aims to reduce pesticide poisonings and injuries among agricultural workers and pesticide handlers. This 2005 updated worker protection standard for agricultural pesticides how to comply manual, epa 735b05002 supersedes the 1993 version, epa 735b93001. Training workers and handlers on a cotton farm 71k pdf file worker protection standard info sheet 1, spring 2001 understanding the regulation 70k pdf file 1999 worker protection standard info sheet 6, winter 1999 cotton producers working with aerial and ground applicators 116k worker protection standard info sheet 5, winter 1999. Worker respiratory protection program requirements apply.
Worker protection standard when applying wpslabeled pesticide products on agricultural establishments. Pesticide application information click here for a log for posting pesticide application info pdf. The intent of the worker protection standard wps is to reduce the risk of illness or injury to workers and handlers who use andare exposed to pesticides in the course of growing a crop on a farm, forest, nursery or in an enclosed space. It is now a comprehensive and mature approach being. Signs of safety child protection practice framework summary june 2014 the development of signs of safety began in the 1990s drawing on solutionfocused therapy and the direct experience of effective practice by child protection workers and the experiences of families. Training resources for the worker protection standard. Worker acknowledgement of pesticide safety training spanish information exchange sheet for commercial applicators. Pesticide worker protection standard how to comply manual. Yes, the wps applies to you if all three of the following apply. The environmental protection agency epa or the agency proposes to revise the existing worker protection standard wps at 40 cfr part 170 to reduce the incidence of occupational pesticide exposure and related illness among agricultural workers workers and pesticide handlers handlers covered by the rule. This video tape contains both english and spanish versions on one tape. When used with the supplemental leaflet provided with each copy of the video, the set meets all of the requirements contained in epas worker protection standard for training both agricultural workers and pesticide. The signs prohibit entry into pesticidetreated fields until residues decline to a safe level.
Worker protection standard agricultural worker and handler pesticide safety training 2015 worker protection standard application exclusion zone protections during applications. Quick reference guide to the worker protection standard as revised in 2015 pdf. On farms, forests, and nurseries, an employer must post the signs so they can be seen from all points where workers usually enter the pesticidetreated area, including at least. Pesticides worker protection standard part i wac 296307108 through wac 29630711420 federal worker protection standard washington state department of agriculture emergency assistancestandards for pesticide handlers40 cfr, 170. Promote frequent and thorough hand washing, including by providing workers, customers, and worksite visitors with. California temporary traffic control handbook committee members.
Recordkeeping requirements under the worker protection. It applies to farmworkers, and those that work in a forest, nursery, or greenhouse that produces agricultural plants. Although the worker protection standard does not cover pesticide use in natural areas, except on sites leased for agricultural production, tncs operations should at the very least measure up to this standard. Agricultural worker protection standard revisions epa. When there are no usual points of worker entry to the treated area, post the signs in the corners of the treated area or in places where they will be easily seen. The worker protection standard primarily seeks to protect and reduce the risks of injury or illness to agricultural workers and pesticide handlers, resulting from use and contact with pesticides on farms, forests, nurseries and greenhouses. Employers must post warning signs around pesticide treated areas in outdoor production when the product. A full text of the worker protection standard is found in division 4, agriculture, subdivision w. Do not enter or allow worker entry into treated areas during the restrictedentry interval rei of 24 hours. Changes to the worker protection standard have made the 1993 version obsolete and its continued use may lead an employer to be out of compliance with this regulation. The worker protection standard wps is an epa law designed to protect workers from pesticide poisoning and injury. Environmental protection agency epa intended to protect people from occupational exposure to pesticides used in the production of agricultural plants on farms, greenhouses, nurseries and forests. For complete details of your responsibilities, refer to the how to comply manual or contact your nearest pa department of agriculture office. The worker protection standard wps is an environmental protection agency epa.
The wps requires agricultural employers and commercial pesticide handler employers to provide specific information. Pdf learning and recall of worker protection standard wps. This checklist is a brief overview of the environmental protection agency epa worker protection standard wps for agricultural pesticide requirements for compliance. Warning signs for the field or greenhouse may be obtained from. Worker protection standard resources for wps commercial. The epa strengthened the protections provided to agricultural workers and handlers under the worker protection standard by improving elements of the existing regulation, such as training, notification, communication materials, use of personal protective equipment, and decontamination supplies.
Electrical safety is a serious issue electrical safety in the workplace is the most important job of an electrical worker. The new requirements are being phased in during 2017 and 2018. Epas proposed worker protection standard and the burdens of the. The worker protection standard wps is a federal regulation issued by the u. When posting an outdoor production area using the standard sign, the signs must be visible from all reasonably expected points of worker entry to the treated area, including at least each access road, each border with any worker. Workers must be trained before they work in an area where a pesticide has been used or a restrictedentry interval has been in effect in the past 30 days. Worker protection standard checklist use this list to help you comply with wps regulations please note. Federal worker protection standardswashington state department of labor and industries. You may need a pdf reader to view some of the files on this page.
Designated representatives in the epas worker protection standard june 2016 agricultural work is one of the most dangerous occupations in the us. Use signs that comply with the worker protection standard to post warnings at entrances to treated areas. Worker protection standard checklist this checklist serves only as a brief overview of basic wps requirements. Environmental protection agency epa has issued the worker protection standard wps governing the protection of. This checklist is not a complete description of what growers must do to be in compliance with the worker protection standard wps. The worker protection standard is intended to protect employees on farms, forests, nurseries, and greenhouses that are occupationally exposed to agricultural pesticides this is managed by the united states environmental protection agency epa, and is separate from the hazard communication standard managed by occupational safety and health administration osha. Pesticide worker protection standard how to comply.