&EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Enforcement & Compliance Assurance Washington, DC 2046 EPA 305-F-98-029 September 1998 vwwv.epa.gov A r^—^yimii nijn-^ Ag Center Helping Agriculture Comply with Environmental Requirements FOCUS O N Definition of Pesticide Handler 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 pesticides. pesticide handlers who are exposed to such By explaining what types of workers are consi fact sheet will help you understand who you rtyust Who is a handler? A pesticide handler is anyone who: (1) is employed (including self- employed) for any type of compensation by an agricultural establishment or a commercial pesticide handling establishment that uses pesticides in the production of agricultural plants on a farm, forest, nursery, or greenhouse, and (2) is doing any of the following tasks: mixing, loading, transferring, or applying pesticides, lered "pesticide handlers" under this regulation, this legally provide protections for. handling opened containers of pesticides, acting as a flagger, cleaning, handling, adjusting, or repairing the parts of mixing, loading, or application equipment that may contain pesticide residues, assisting with the application of pesticides, including incorporating the pesticide into the soil after the application has occurred, ------- Handling tasks include many more activities than just mixing, loading, and applying pesticides. entering a greenhouse or other enclosed area after application and before the inhalation exposure level listed on the product labeling has been reached or one of the WPS ventilation criteria has been met to: — operate ventilation equipment, — adjust or remove coverings, such as tarps, used in fumigation, or — check air concentration levels, entering a treated area outdoors after application of any soil fumigant to adjust or remove soil coverings, such as tarpaulins, performing tasks as a crop advisor: — during any pesticide application, — before any inhalation exposure level or ventilation criteria listed in the labeling has been reached or one of the WPS ventilation criteria has been met, — during any restricted-entry interval, disposing of pesticides or pesticide containers. Who is not a handler? A person is NOT a handler if he or she only handles pesticide containers that have been emptied or cleaned according to instructions on pesticide product labeling or, if the labeling has no such instructions, have been triple-rinsed or cleaned by an equivalent method, such as pressure rinsing. A person is NOT a handler if he or she (1) is ONLY handling pesticide containers that are unopened AND (2) is NOT, at the same time, also doing any handling task (such as mixing or loading). Examples: You ARE a handler if you are loading unopened water-soluble packets into a mixing tank (because you are mixing and loading the pesticide). You are NOT a handler if you: — purchase pesticides and transport them unopened to an establishment. — carry unopened containers into a pesticide storage facility. — transport unopened containers to the site where they are to be mixed, loaded, or applied. Certified applicators Handlers who are currently certified as applicators of restricted-use pesticides must be given all of the WPS handler protections, except that they need not receive WPS training. Ag Center Fact Sheet Series Agrichemicals/WPS - Pesticide Handler Definition Page 2 ------- Agrichemicals 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." National Agriculture Compliance Assistance Center 901 N. 5th Street Kansas City, KS 6610 1 Toll-free: 1-888-663-2155 Internet: www.epa.gov/agriculture Fax: 913-551-7270 United States Environmental protection Agency Washington, DC 20460 Ag Center Fact Sheet Series Page 3 ------- |