&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Enforcement
& Compliance Assurance
Washington, DC 2046
EPA 305-F-98-029
September 1998
vwwv.epa.gov
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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,
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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
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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
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