The EPA has proposed updates to the agricultural Worker Protection Standards for the first time in 21 years and is seeking input from the public.
These updates would increase protections from pesticide exposure for the nation’s 2 million agricultural workers and their families. This is an important milestone for farmworkers who plant, tend, and harvest the food we eat. If you want to learn more about the children and families who pick our food, check out our film The Harvest (La Cosecha).
Proposed changes include:
- Increased frequency of mandatory trainings (from once every five years to annually) to inform farmworkers about the protections they are afforded under the rule, including restrictions on entering pesticide-treated fields and surrounding areas, decontamination supplies, access to information, and use of personal protective equipment.
- Expanded mandatory posting of no-entry signs for the most hazardous pesticides. No-entry buffer areas surrounding pesticide-treated fields will protect workers and others from exposure from pesticide overspray and fumes.
- Measures to improve the states’ ability to enforce compliance including requiring employers to keep records of application-specific pesticide information.
- Personal Protection Equipment (respirator use) must be consistent with the Occupational Safety & Health Administration standards for ensuring respirators are http://asnu.com.au/levitra-20mg/ providing protection, including fit test, medical evaluation, and training.
For more information on the proposed changes and how to submit your comments visit the EPA’s page here. The EPA is seeking public input until May 20, by the date specified in the Federal Register notice, which is published on http://www.regulations.gov identified by docket number EPA-HQ-OPP-2011-0184-0002