BUSINESS ACCOUNTS
Pesticide Worker Safety
Online Training Certificate Course EPA Worker Protection Standard
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By law, agricultural employers must provide information, equipment, and safety training necessary to protect their employees from the harmful effects of pesticides. Our pesticide worker training online certification course focuses on the protection and mitigation measures needed to limit the negative effects of pesticide exposure, as well as guidelines for basic emergency first aid.
Pesticides are used in agricultural establishments to increase crop production, preserve produce, combat insect infestations, and control exotic species. However, pesticides can sicken people, and agricultural and pesticide workers are at an increased risk of injury or poisoning from pesticide handling.
The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Agricultural Worker Protection Standard (WPS) aims to reduce the incidence of pesticide poisonings and injuries through comprehensive safety training. This online training course highlights the compliance requirements of the WPS that are detailed in 40 CFR 170.
This course is for:
Anyone who is exposed to pesticides on the job, including workers who must enter pesticide-treated areas to perform urgent tasks, should understand the hazards of unsafe exposure to pesticides and be familiar with safe work practices that minimize the risk of poisoning or injury.
Individuals who perform tasks related to growing and harvesting plants on farms, greenhouses, nurseries, or forests should undergo pesticide worker hazards safety training. This includes anyone (even those who are self-employed) performing tasks such as carrying nursery stock, repotting plants, watering, or other tasks directly related to the production of agricultural plants on an agricultural establishment. Some requirements apply to anyone doing certain tasks, such as handling pesticide application equipment or cleaning or laundering pesticide-contaminated personal protective equipment.
Case Study: A 55-year-old man who worked in a vineyard was sent to the doctor by his employer after developing an intensely itchy rash on his arms. The man had worked in a crew of more than 30 employees, and was the only one who developed a rash. Doctors concluded that the worker had allergic sensitivity to sulfur, the only pesticide used in the vineyard, which had been applied a full three weeks prior. The man was removed from work for a week and underwent treatment with oral and topical steroids.
Key Takeaways: Allergic reactions to pesticides can be unpredictable, with some workers suffering unusually high sensitivities to certain chemicals or chemical combinations. Just because a worker is the only one of his or her coworkers who is exhibiting symptoms does not mean that he or she is not experiencing pesticide poisoning or injury. His or her employer must provide the standard WPS mitigation measures, including medical assistance.
Governing Regulations
The Environmental Protection Agency issues the Worker Protection Standard (WPS) to reduce the risk of illness and injury resulting from the use of pesticides in the production of agricultural plants on farms, forests, nurseries, and greenhouses. Full details of the WPS are found in 40 CFR 170.
What You'll Learn
Introduction to EPA Pesticide Worker Safety Training
- What Are Pesticides?
- Introduction to EPA Agricultural Worker Protection Standard
- Pesticide Exposure Types
- Pesticide Exposure Health Risks
- Responding to a Pesticide Exposure Emergency
- Pesticide Exposure First Aid
- Injury Statistics
- Key Terms
EPA Agricultural Worker Protection Standard
- Information, Protection, and Mitigation Requirements
- Employers and Pesticide Uses Covered by the WPS
- Pesticide Uses Not Covered by the WPS
- Protected Parties
- Agricultural Owner Exemptions
- New WPS Requirements
Employer Requirements for Protecting Workers and Handlers
- Centralized Information
- Pesticide Safety Poster Criteria
- Centralized Information Accessibility
- Pesticide Safety Training Requirements
- Basic Pesticide Safety Information for Untrained Workers
- Pesticide Safety Training for Workers
- Decontamination Supplies
- Employer Information Exchange
- Emergency Assistance
Additional Employer Requirements for Protecting Agricultural Workers
- Protections for All Agricultural Workers: Notice About Applications
- Exceptions to Worker Notification
- Oral Warning Criteria
- Warning Sign Criteria
- Posting Warning Signs
- Protections for All Agricultural Workers: Restrictions During and After Applications
- No-Contact Early Entry
- Special Application Restrictions in Nurseries
- Special Application Restrictions in Greenhouses
- Greenhouse Ventilation Criteria
Early-Entry Worker Protections
- Early-Entry Work Situations
- Short-Term Early-Entry Tasks with No Hand Labor
- Limited-Contact Early-Entry Tasks with No Hand Labor
- Early-Entry Tasks During an Agricultural Emergency
- EPA-Approved Exceptions for Early Entry
- Protections for Early-Entry Workers
- Training and Instructions for Early-Entry Workers
- Decontamination Supplies for Early-Entry Workers
- Personal Protective Equipment for Early-Entry Workers
- Cleaning and Maintaining Personal Protective Equipment
Summary
Additional Resources
Exam
Most of our courses take about two (2) hours to complete. If a final exam is included, you should plan for an additional 30 minutes. Courses that require additional training time will clearly state that in the course title or description.
You’ll have unlimited access during your enrollment or access period. Most CTO courses must be completed within 90 days of purchase. OSHA-authorized Outreach Training provides up to 180 days to finish the course and required survey. Timeframes vary depending on the specific course and regulatory requirements. Please refer to our Terms & Conditions for more details.
Because our courses are self-paced, you can log in and out as needed and complete your training on a schedule that works best for you.
Handlers and workers must be trained annually in information about exposure to pesticides, protections against exposure to pesticides, and ways to mitigate exposure to pesticides.
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