Handling Pesticides: Are You Protected?

 
 
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Farmer/Rancher Safety

Young Farm Worker Safety

Children's Safety

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    Although pesticides (herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides) are important to crop management, they are potentially dangerous chemicals; follow proper safety measures to minimize your exposure.

    How can pesticides enter the body?

    1. Skin and Eyes

    • the main source of exposure
    • from splashes, spills, or sprays
    2. Mouth
    • eating, drinking, or smoking without washing properly
    3. Nose
    • breathing fumes, mist, or dust
    What is the minimum level of protection required for working with dilute, less toxic or granular pesticides?

    Hard hat
    • wide brimmed, no leather liner
    Coveralls
    • cloth or disposable
    • wear closed at neck, over long-sleeved shirt and full-length pants
    Gloves
    • unlined, nitrile, or neoprene
    • cuff gloves and wear sleeves over gloves
    Boots
    • neoprene overboots or high rubber boots
    • wear pants outside of boots
    What extra protection should I use for mixing, loading and handling pesticide concentrates, especially highly toxic pesticides?

    In addition to the above, you should also have on:
    • goggles or face shield
    • ear plugs
    • respirator coveralls that are chemically resistant
    • waterproof apron
    Do not wear:
    • baseball caps
    • leather or cloth gloves
    • leather or cloth shoes or boots
    • natural rubber or plastic gloves
    • wrist watch
    • leather belt
    • contact lenses

    Alberta Farm Safety Program
    Email: farm.safety@gov.ab.ca
    or toll-free: 310-FARM (3276)

    Alberta Agriculture and Forestry Farm Safety Staff:
    Janice Donkers, Youth Coordinator: janice.donkers@gov.ab.ca
    Kenda Lubeck, Awareness Coordinator: kenda.lubeck@gov.ab.ca
    Raelyn Peterson, Coordinator: raelyn.d.peterson@gov.ab.ca
    Sharon Stollery, Manager: sharon.stollery@gov.ab.ca
    Blair Takahashi, Specialist: blair.takahashi@gov.ab.ca
  
 
 
 
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For more information about the content of this document, contact Kenda Lubeck.
This information published to the web on June 3, 2003.
Last Reviewed/Revised on November 6, 2018.