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Additional duties of handler employers
Handler employers are also required to provide these protections to their employees:
Application restrictions
Do not allow handlers to apply a pesticide so that it contacts, directly or through drift, anyone other than trained and PPE-equipped handlers.
Monitoring
Sight or voice contact must be made at least every two (2) hours with anyone handling pesticides labeled with a skull and crossbones (signal word: DANGER-POISON).
Specific Instructions for Handlers
Handler employers must make sure that before any handling task, the handlers:
- are given information from the pesticide's labeling regarding its safe use
- have access to the labeling during the entire handling task
- are instructed in the safe operation of the equipment they will be using
Commercial handler employers must make sure their employees are aware of areas on an establishment where pesticides have been applied or where an REI is in effect and are aware of restrictions on entering those areas.
Personal Protective Equipment
When personal protective equipment is required by product labeling, the handler employer must:
- provide the PPE to each pesticide handler
- make sure that each handler wears and uses the PPE correctly
- clean and maintain the PPE correctly
- provide each handler a clean place to put on and remove PPE and to store personal clothing
- take action, if necessary, to prevent heat-related illness while PPE is being worn
- not allow any handler to wear or to take home PPE used for handling activities
Cleaning and Maintaining PPE
The employer must make sure:
- PPE is cleaned, inspected and repaired before each use
- PPE is cleaned according to manufacturer's instructions
- PPE that is non-reusable or cannot be cleaned is disposed of
- clothing drenched with pesticide concentrates labeled DANGER or WARNING are disposed of
- PPE is washed and stored separately from personal clothing
- clean PPE is dried appropriately
- respirator filters, cartridges and canisters are replaced as often as required
The handler employer must make sure anyone cleaning PPE is informed of possible pesticide residues on PPE, of the potentially harmful effects of pesticides, and of the correct ways to handle and clean PPE.
Equipment Safety
Handler employers must make sure that equipment used for mixing, loading, transferring or applying pesticides is inspected and repaired or replaced as needed.
Only appropriately trained and equipped handlers may repair, clean or adjust pesticide handling equipment that contains pesticides or pesticide residues.
What is WPS?| Duties of both worker and handler employers | Additional duties of worker employers | Additional duties of handler employers | The WPS inspection | WPS Links
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