Safety Manual Chapter 12

Transcription

1 12-01 Federal Envirnmental Pesticide Cntrl Act Safety Manual Chapter 12 Pesticides - Issue Date 8/76 The Federal Envirnmental Pesticide Cntrl Act (the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rdenticide Act f 1947, as amended in 1972) regulates the use f pesticides t prtect humans and the envirnment. It des s by extending federal cntrls t the actual applicatin f pesticides by the user, and by regulating bth intrastate and interstate marketing f pesticide prducts Illinis Laws and Regulatins There are several laws regulating the use f pesticides in Illinis, and several state agencies are invlved in their administratin Pesticides Cntrl Act The Pesticides Cntrl Act designates the State Departments f Agriculture and Public Health as respnsible fr cntrlling the labeling, sale, use, and applicatin f pesticides t prevent the cntaminatin f water and the envirnment Applicatrs Applicatrs shall fllw all Federal, State, and lcal rules and regulatins in regard t use and applicatin t prvide a safe envirnment t applicatr and t the general public Types f Pesticides A pesticide is any chemical used t destry, prevent, r cntrl pests. Often the wrd "insecticide" is mistakenly used interchangeably with the wrd "pesticide." An insecticide, hwever, is simply ne type f pesticide. Fungicides, herbicides, and rdenticides are als kinds f pesticides Insecticides Insecticides are chemicals used t cntrl insects and ther related animals such as ticks, spiders, centipedes, and mites. Sme insecticides kill nly a few kinds f insects. Many mre insecticides are general purpse r wide-range killers. These brad-spectrum insecticides are used when several different kinds f insects are a prblem Fungicides Fungicides are chemicals used t prevent r cntrl fungi that cause rts, leaf spts, blights, mildews, rusts, and ther plant diseases Herbicides Herbicides are classified as selective r nnselective, depending upn hw they are used fr weed cntrl. Selective herbicides kill certain plants with little r n injury t agrnmic, vegetable, range, turf, r hrticultural crps. Nnselective herbicides are used where selectivity is nt intended r desirable, as in nncrp weed cntrl Rdenticides Rdenticides are chemicals used t cntrl rats, mice, and ther rdents.

2 Nematicides Nematicides are chemicals used t cntrl nematdes. Nematdes are tiny, hairlike wrms that ften live in the sil and feed n plant rts Fumigants Pesticide Cmpatibility Fumigants are pesticides r mixtures f pesticides that prduce vaprs. Fumigants are used t cntrl rdents, nematdes, weeds, and plant diseases. When tw r mre pesticides can be safely mixed tgether r used at the same time, they are said t be cmpatible. Sme pesticides are incmpatible because thy will nt mix chemically. Incmpatible pesticides may, when mixed, cmbine chemically and frm anther cmpund Txicity and Hazards f Pesticides Pesticides are pisnus. They have t be pisnus t kill undesirable plants, insects, diseases, r ther pests. Safe and prper use f pesticides depends upn a knwledge f their txic prperties and a respect fr the ptential hazards assciated with their use Txicity Txicity is the inherent capacity f a pesticide t prduce injury r death. If yu knw the txicity f a pesticide, yu will knw what precautins t take.highly txic pesticides cntain a drawing f a skull and crssbnes and wrds "Danger-Pisn" n the label. Mderately txic pesticides cntain the wrd "Warning" n the label; and pesticides with lw and slight txicity cntain the wrd "Cautin" n the label Hazards Human Pesticide Pisning D nt depend upn txicity values alne as a measure f the hazard f a pesticide t humans r ther animals. Yu must als be cncerned with the hazards assciated with expsure t the pesticide. Hazard and txicity are nt the same. Hazard is a cmbinatin f txicity and expsure. Althugh pesticides are designed t cntrl pests, they are als txic (pisnus) t desirable plants and animals, including humans. Many pesticides are s highly txic that very small quantities can kill a persn, and expsure t a sufficient amunt f almst any pesticide can make a persn ill. Even the fairly safe pesticides can irritate the skin, eyes, nse, r muth Expsure t Pesticides Chrnic expsure t a lw-level expsure ver a lnger perid f time results in effects that are like a mild, slw pisning Acute expsure - spilling pesticide n yurself. Befre a pesticide can harm yu, it must be taken int the bdy rally (thrugh the muth and digestive system); dermally (thrugh the skin); r by inhalatin thrugh the nse and respiratry system. Bth acute and chrnic expsure can result frm pesticides entering yur bdy thrugh any f these rutes Oral Expsure

3 Oral expsure may ccur because f an accident, but it is mre likely t be the result f carelessness. Blwing ut a plugged nzzle with yur muth, smking r eating withut washing cntaminated hands, r eating fruit that has been recently sprayed with a pesticide can result in ral expsure Dermal Expsure Dermal expsure is skin cntaminatin. It can ccur any time a pesticide is mixed, applied, r handled, and it is ften undetected. Its seriusness depends n (1) the dermal txicity f the material; (2) the rate f absrptin thrugh the skin; (3) the size f the skin area cntaminated; and (4) the length f time the material is in cntact with the skin Inhalatin Expsure Inhalatin expsure results frm breathing in pesticide vaprs, dust, r spray particles. Like ral and dermal expsure, inhalatin expsure is mre serius with sme pesticides than with thers Organphsphates The rganphsphates are invlved in mre cases f ccupatinal pisning and deaths than any ther single grup f pesticides. The symptms f pisning by rganphsphates prgress thrugh several stages. The usual sequence f symptms fr mild pisning is as fllws: fatigue; headache; dizziness; numbness in the arms r legs; nausea and vmiting; excessive sweating and salivatin; and the abdminal cramps r diarrhea. In mderate pisning, the symptms listed fr mild pisning becme mre severe. Additinal symptms fr mderate pisning include inability t walk; generalized weakness; difficulty in talking;muscular twitches; and cntractin f the pupil f the eye. The symptms fr severe pisning are uncnsciusness; severe cntractins f the pupil f the eye; muscular twitches; secretins frm the muth and nse; and respiratry difficulty. If victims f severe pisning are nt treated immediately, death will usually result. Illness is frequently delayed several hurs, and a victim may first becme sick at hme after supper. If symptms begin mre than 12 hurs after the last knwn expsure t the pesticide, illness is prbably due t sme ther cause Carbamates The carbamates likely t cause illness thrugh ccupatinal expsure act in the same way as the rganphsphates, and prduce the same type f pisning symptms Chlrinated Hydrcarbns Only a few rganchlrines have caused ccupatinal pisning. Early symptms f pisning include headache, nausea, vmiting, general discmfrt and dizziness Treatment f Pesticide Pisning First aid is the initial effrt t help a victim while medical help is n the way Pisn f the Skin Drench the victim's skin and clthing with water. The faster the pisn is washed ff, the less injury will result.

4 Pisn in the Eyes It is imprtant t wash the eyes ut as quickly but as gently as pssible Inhaled Pisn If the victim is in an enclsed space, d nt g in after him withut an air-supplied respiratr. Open all drs and windws. Carry the victim (d nt let him walk) int the fresh air immediately Swallwed Pisn Safe Handling f Pesticides The best first-aid treatment fr a persn wh has swallwed a pesticide is t give him large amunts f plain water r milk Prtective Clthing and Equipment All prtective clthing and equipment shall be furnished by the University. Pesticides can enter the bdy thrugh many rutes.the mst cmmn is thrugh the skin cntact. T prevent absrptin thrugh the skin, the applicatr must wear a prtective barrier. N safety recmmendatins can cver all situatins. Always read the pesticide label fr recmmendatins n the use f prtective clthing and safety devices. When using any pesticides, wear at least a hat, cverall garment and wear rubber glves and gggles Glves Unlined, liquid prf glves (rubber r neprene) shuld be wrn when handling a pesticide cncentrate r using rganphsphates, carbamates, r ther chemicals with the signal wrds "Danger-Pisn" r "Warning" n the label Bts Lightweight, unlined rubber bts shuld be wrn when handling r applying highly r mderately txic pesticides Care f Clthing and Equipment Wear a clean set f clthing each day that yu spray. If fabrics becme wet with dilute spray during the day, they shuld be changed. If clthes get wet with liquid cncentrates r highly txic pesticides, they shuld be discarded. Respiratrs prvide prtectin frm inhaling txic chemicals. They shuld be wrn whenever the mre txic rganphsphate (TEPP, parathin, Guthin, DiSystn, Thimet, Phsdrin) r carbamate (Furadan, Temic) pesticides are applied. The label will indicate if a respiratr is needed Chemical Canister Respiratr (Gas Mask) A gas mask shuld be wrn when mixing r applying txic pesticides in enclsed r prly ventilated areas Mixing and Lading Pesticides Befre handling a pesticide cntainer, put n the crrect prtective clthing and ther necessary prtective equipment. Each time yu use a pesticide, carefully read the directins, fr mixing befre remving the material frm the cntainer. Pesticides shuld be mixed ut f drs in a place where there is gd light and ventilatin Applying Pesticides

5 String Pesticides A pesticide applicatr is nt nly respnsible fr his wn prtectin but als fr the prtectin f ther peple, dmestic animals, and the envirnment. Yu cannt affrd t be careless! Avid Expsure D nt wrk in spray drift r runff unless yu are prperly prtected. D nt apply chemicals when drift is likely t ccur. Select applicatin equipment, frmulatins, and adjuvants that will minimize drift hazard Safe Reentry Time It is dangerus fr peple t enter an area after certain pesticides have been used. The time that must pass befre the area is safe t enter is knwn as the "reentry time". This time, which shuld be listed n the pesticide label, varies accrding t the pesticide applied and the crp r area treated. Whenever pesticides are used indrs, a warning shall be psted n the entrance cntaining "Danger - Psitively N Admittance Txic Envirnment". Such warning shall remain in place fr such time perid as indicated n label. During this time NO ONE shall enter. Stre pesticides and pesticide cntainers in a separate building, rm, r enclsure, depending upn the size f yur pesticide inventry. Use an exhaust fan fr ventilatin in strage rms t reduce the temperature and high cncentratins f txic fumes. D nt stre pesticides near fd r ther stred prducts. Restricted use pesticides shuld never be given t anyne Labels and Labeling Infrmatin n the Label Trade (Brand) Name The trade r brand name is the manufacturer's name fr the prduct Cmmn and Chemical Names The cmmn name fr a pesticide is a name agreed upn t identify an active ingredient in the prduct. A pesticide manufactured by mre than ne cmpany may be sld under several brand names, but it always has the same cmmn name Ingredients Every label must list the amunts f active and inert (inactive) ingredients in the frmulatin Use Classificatin All pesticide labels must cntain a statement f the use classificatin assigned by the EPA at the time f registratin. A general use pesticide is ne that will nt harm the applicatr r the envirnment t an unreasnable degree when it is used exactly accrding t directins. A restricted use pesticide is ne that culd harm the envirnment r the applicatr even when used as directed Directins fr Use

6 The label lists nly registered (legal) uses fr the pesticide. Remember - it is illegal t use any pesticide in a manner incnsistent with the directins n the label Precautinary Statements The pesticide label als cntains certain precautinary statements cncerning hazards t the applicatr, children, dmestic animals, wildlife, and the envirnment Reading the Label Befre yu buy a pesticide, read the label t determine: 1. Whether it is the pesticide yu need fr the jb. Never buy a pesticide simply n the basis f the clr f the label r the prduce name. 2. Whether the pesticide is t hazardus t be used safely under the applicatin cnditins Befre yu mix the pesticide, read the label t determine: 1. What prtective equipment yu shuld use. 2. What the pesticide can be mixed with cmpatibility. 3. Hw much pesticide t use Befre yu apply the pesticide, read the label t determine: Medical Care 1. What safety measures yu shuld fllw. 2. Where the pesticide can be used (livestck, crps, structures, etc.) 3. When t apply the pesticide (including the waiting perid fr crps and animals.) 4. Hw t apply the pesticide. 5. Whether there are any restrictins fr use f the pesticide In case f an expsure f an academic, nn-academic, and/r student emplyee t a pesticide while engaged in University wrk, he shuld reprt at nce t his supervisr and g t the University Health Service where medical services are ffered an emplyee. An accident reprt frm must be cmpleted by the injured emplyee and/r supervisr as utlined in Sectin 9-1. This prcedure will safeguard his interests under the Illinis wrkmen's Cmpensatin Act and/r Occupatinal Diseases Act Peridic examinatins and/r clinical tests are available at the Health Service Medical surveillance tests shall be run n anyne wh handles r applies any pesticides by the Health Service Ntice t Building Occupants/Psting f Outdr Signs Whenever pssible, the ccupants f a building t be treated with pesticide shall be given 24 hurs ntice prir t treating the building. The ccupants f a building which has been treated with pesticide shall be given warning that the building has been treated by psting signs n the entrances t the area treated Whenever utdr areas are treated with pesticide, warning signs shall be psted at the edges f the treated area, in accrd with state law