&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Enforcement
& Compliance Assurance
Washington, DC 20460
EPA 305-F-98-025
September 1998
vwwv.epa.gov
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                                                                     Ag  Center
                                                                             Helping Agriculture Comply with
                                                                             Environmental Requirements
               FOCUS
           O  N
                        Equipment With  Enclosed

                        Cabs

                        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 'isk of pesticide-related illness and injury if you (1)
                        use such pesticides, or (2) employ workers or
                        pesticides.
                                      pesticide handlers who are exposed to such
                        This fact sheet will help you understand how
                        people from pesticide exposure while they are


                        Features of enclosed cabs
                        Enclosed cabs must have a nonporous
                        barrier that totally surrounds the
                        occupants and prevents contact with
                        pesticides outside of the cab.


                        Enclosed cabs that provide respiratory
                        protection must have a properly
                        functioning ventilation system that is
                        used and maintained according to the
                        manufacturer's written operating
                        instructions. The cab must be declared
                        in writing by the manufacturer or by a
                                      to comply with WPS requirements for protecting
                                      vorking in vehicles that have enclosed cabs.

                                            governmental agency to provide at least
                                            as much respiratory protection as the
                                            type of respirator listed on the pesticide
                                            labeling.


                                            Some enclosed-cab systems provide
                                            respiratory protection equivalent to a
                                            dust/mist filtering respirator and could,
                                            therefore, be used as a substitute when
                                            that type of respirator is specified on the
                                            product labeling. Other enclosed-cab
                                            systems are equipped to remove organic
                                            vapors as well as dusts and mists and
                                            could be used as a substitute when either
                                            the dust/mist filtering respirator or an
                                            organic-vapor-removing respirator is
                                            specified on the product labeling.

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These exceptions to
PPE are allowed
unless expressly
prohibited by
product labeling.
PPE exceptions
You may allow handlers to omit some of
the personal protective equipment (PPE)
listed on the pesticide labeling for a
handling task if the handlers are using
an enclosed cab.


Even when reduced PPE is permitted to
be worn during a task, handlers must be
provided all PPE required by the
pesticide labeling for that task and have
it immediately available for use in an
emergency.
keep immediately available all PPE
listed on the labeling for the type of
task being performed,
wear the PPE if it is necessary to
leave the cab and contact pesticide-
treated surfaces in the treated area,
take off PPE that was worn in the
treated area before reentering the
cab, and
store all PPE in a chemical-resistant
container, such as a plastic bag, to
prevent contamination of the inside
of the cab.
The Ag Center
welcomes
comments on this
document and its
other services.
In an enclosed cab that does not provide
respiratory protection, handlers need not
wear all the PPE listed on the pesticide
labeling, but must wear at least:
    long-sleeved shirt and long pants,
    shoes and socks, and
    any respirator required for the
    handling task.


In an enclosed cab that provides
respiratory protection equal to the
labeling-required respirator, handlers
need not wear all the PPE listed on the
pesticide labeling, but must wear at least:
    long-sleeved shirt and long pants,
    and
    shoes and socks.


In any enclosed cab where reduced PPE
is worn, handlers must:
                                                                       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."
                                                                         National Agriculture Compliance
                                                                         Assistance Center
                                                                         901  N. 5th Street
                                                                         Kansas City, KS 661 01
Toll-free:
Internet:
Fax:
          1-888-663-2155
          www.epa.gov/agriculture
          913-551-7270

       United States Environmental
       Protection Agency
       Washington, DC 20460
                         Ag Center Fact Sheet Series
                         Agrichemicals/WPS - Equipment With Enclosed Cabs
                                                                              Page 2

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