&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Enforcement
& Compliance Assurance
Washington, DC 20460
EPA 305-F-98-024
September 1998
vwwv.epa.gov
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                                                                    Ag Center
                                                                             Helping Agriculture Comply with
                                                                             Environmental Requirements
               FOCUS
           O  N
                        Posted Warning  Signs

                        The Agricultural Worker Protection Standard (WPS) is a regulation issued by the U.S.
                        Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 and amended in 1995.  It covers pesticides that are
                        used in the production of agricultural plants on farms, forests, nurseries, and greenhouses. The
                        WPS requires you to take steps to reduce the risk of pesticide-related illness and injury if you (1)
                        use such pesticides, or (2) employ workers or pesticide handlers who are exposed to such
                        pesticides.
                        This fact sheet will help you understand how
                        to warn people about pesticide-treated areas.
                        Agency by people seeking clarification on this
                        were released by EPA's Office of Compliance

                        If a treated area has unlimited
                        entry points, how often should
                        treated-area warning signs be
                        posted  to be "visible from all
                        usual points of entry?" Every
                        100 feet?
                        The rule  requires that signs be visible at
                        all usual points of worker entry,
                        including at least each access road, each
                        border with any labor camp adjacent to
                        the treated area, and each footpath and
                                      10 o
         comply with WPS requirements for posting signs
        The questions answered here were submitted to the
        part of the regulation. The questions and answers
        on March 15, 1995.

             other walking route that enters the
             treated area. If there are many usual
             points of entry, then signs must be
             visible from all usual points of entry.
             When there are no usual points of
             worker entry, signs must be posted in the
             corners of the treated area or a location
             affording maximum visibility. In areas
             where there are unlimited points of
             entry, the agricultural employer must
             determine the usual points of entry and
             make signs visible from those points of
             entry.

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                      If a person owns private forest
                      land  that the public frequently
                      enters, does he have any
                      responsibility to post this land
                      prior to or after the treatment
                      with a pesticide?
                      The fact that the public enters does not
                      trigger the WPS requirement for posting.
                      The WPS does prohibit an agricultural
                      employer from allowing any person to
                      remain in the area during the pesticide
                      application.  In addition, there are
                      specific labeling statements which
                      prohibit the application of the product
                      in such a manner that will contact
                      persons either directly or through drift.
                      Also,  there may be non-WPS label
                      specific or additional state or local
                      requirements that are applicable.
                                              National Agriculture Compliance
                                              Assistance Center
                                              901  N. 5th Street
                                              Kansas City, KS 6610 1
Toll-free:
Internet:
Fax:
                                                         1-888-663-2155
                                                         www.epa.gov/agriculture
                                                         913-551-7270

                                                      United States Environmental
                                                      Protection Agency
                                                      Washington, DC 20460
The Ag Center
welcomes
comments on this
document and its
other services.
For more information

You can get more facts about
compliance by calling the Ag Center's
toll-free number. Materials can be sent
to you by fax or mail, or you can talk to
an Ag Center representative. For a list
of all publications available from the Ag
Center, request document number
10001, "Ag Center Publications."
                      Ag Center Fact Sheet Series
                      Agrichemicals/WPS - Posted Warnings
                                                                           Page 2

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