Worker Protection Standard Update PPDC Meeting, May 3, 2017, Session 4a During the first part of 2016, EPA undertook an aggressive schedule of training for states, territories, tribes and EPA staff who are charged with implementing the 2015 Worker Protection Standard (WPS). This included three national courses for state and tribal program managers and inspectors and in-person training sessions with state, territorial and tribal inspectors in all of the EPA regions. The goal of the training sessions was for participants to come away with a working understanding of the WPS rule revisions and what the changes mean for states, territories, tribes, and the regulated and protected communities. Another national course for inspectors was held in Oregon in late April 2017. In the fall of 2016, EPA and the Pesticide Educational Resources Collaborative (PERC) issued two key outreach documents that are available on EPA's and PERC's web sites: The How to Comply Manual and the Quick Reference Guide. The EPA inspector manual was issued in early January 2017. PERC continues to develop and post documents on its web site (http://pesticideresources.org/). Some other key documents include: • Updated central posting materials, including a revised pesticide safety poster - Spring 2017 • A manual for pesticide safety trainers of workers and handlers in English (a resource for trainers) - November 2016 • An EPA-approved train-the-trainer program (hands on/PowerPoint presentation) for workers and handlers (that qualifies for use in 2017, 2018 and beyond) - December 2016 • An EPA-approved online train-the-trainer program for workers and handlers (that qualifies for use in 2017, 2018 and beyond) - November 2017 • Spanish manual for pesticide safety trainers of workers and handlers (a resource for trainers) and an EPA-approved train-the-trainer program in Spanish - November 2017 In addition, EPA continues to review and approve train-the-trainer programs and pesticide safety training materials. Betsy Buffington of the Iowa State Extension Service, developed a train-the- trainer program that EPA has approved for trainers of workers in 2017 and has made it available online at: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/workerprotection/. Trainers across the country can take this online training to be qualified to train workers in 2017. In late 2016, EPA received letters from several state pesticide regulatory agencies requesting EPA to postpone the initial compliance date by a year. On December 21, 2016, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) and the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) submitted a petition requesting EPA to postpone the initial compliance date by a year. On January 13, 2017, EPA denied the NASDA/AFBF petition. On February 21, 2017, NASDA submitted another petition requesting EPA to formally extend the implementation of all revised WPS requirements until at least January 2, 2018 or until adequate ------- resources have been completed and states have the things needed to implement the rule and to educate the regulated community. EPA has acknowledged receipt of NASDA's petition and is considering a response. In February 2017, EPA's Office of Inspector General (OIG) announced a project to evaluate EPA's management controls to implement and enforce WPS. The project notification is available at: https://www.epa.gov/office-inspector-general/notification-evaluation-epas-management- controls-implement-and-enforce. ------- |