Personal Protective Equipment
Pesticides can enter a person’s body through the through the mouth, eyes, lungs and skin. Some types of pesticides are absorbed by the skin quite readily. It is especially important to protect the areas of the head and genitalia since pesticide absorption through the skin is especially high in these areas.
The part of one’s body that is likely to be exposed to a pesticide depends on the nature of the work being performed and the position assumed while making an application.
Choose personal protective equipment that provides the maximum protection for the type of work that is being performed. When selecting this equipment, keep in mind that protective equipment is only effective when it fits correctly, is used properly, kept clean and is maintained in good condition.
Gloves
Water proof gloves are essential when handling pesticides. Leather or fabric gloves generally should not be worn while handling pesticides since they hold pesticide close to the skin.
One should choose a material that offers resistance to the types of pesticides that are being used. Keep in mind that some materials are suitable for total immersion in a liquid pesticide for an extended period of time while others are other provide protection against occasional immersion. The thickness of the glove material is also important; thicker materials afford greater protection. Also, one should choose materials that resist puncturing and abrasion.
When handling pesticides, one should always wear unlined, elbow-length, chemical-resistant gloves.
Glove materials include butyl, nitrile, neoprene, natural rubber (latex), polyethylene and polyvinylchloride (PVC). Nitrile, neoprene and butyl offer good skin protection when handling dry or liquid pesticides. Natural rubber is only effective for dry pesticide formulations and rubber gloves should not be worn when working with certain fumigants.
Check the label for possible glove recommendations. As an example, waterproof gloves are not to be used with some fumigants since they increase the chance of dermal poisoning or irritation. Fumigants are often times released as cold liquids which can burn the skin if trapped within a rubber glove.
Gloves should be discarded if a hole appears or a time limit specified by the manufacturer has been reached. For overhead work the glove cuffs should be turned upward to trap any pesticide that runs down one’s arm.
When finished spraying a pesticide, wash one’s gloves with soap and water before removing them. After removing the gloves, promptly wash one’s hands with soap and water.
Bodywear
Always wear protective clothing when handling, mixing or applying pesticides. Protective clothing is available in different types of styles and materials. No single material provides everything, so choose an option that provides good protection against pesticide exposure.
Minimal Protective Clothing. Under low hazard conditions, minimal protection includes long pants and a long-sleeved shirt made from a tightly woven cotton fabric.
Cotton fabric should never be worn when there is a chance of contacting wet spray or concentrated liquid pesticide or whenever highly toxic pesticides are used. Tightly woven fabrics actually pull (wick) liquids to the inside increasing the chance of dermal exposure.
Disposable Protective Clothing. Disposable fabrics come in different kinds of materials. Those made of nonwoven, bonded fibers are superior to woven fabrics because they do not pull (wick) liquids to the inside.
Disposable clothing is usually light weight yet amazingly strong and resists tearing and puncturing. Disposable clothing does not need to be cleaned or decontaminated after being used; it can simply be thrown away.
Reusable Protective Clothing. Most of the reusable protective clothing available consists of woven or unwoven materials that are coated with or laminated with a waterproof material. Latex, neoprene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and rubber are all commonly used. A woven rip-stop nylon fabric laminated to nylon tricot by means of a waterproof film is also available. This material is effective in preventing pesticide penetration, is strong, lightweight, durable and flexible. Select a fabric that is resistant to the chemicals being worked with.
Aprons. An apron should be made of waterproof material and be long enough to protect one’s clothing.
Head Protection
If a hat is worn, it should be water resistant and wide rimmed or made out of a waterproof material such as plastic. A hooded, waterproof jacket may also be worn.
A protective hat or hooded waterproof jacket worn while applying pesticides needs to be cleaned after each use.
Footwear
Leather or fabric shoes should not be worn when handling pesticides. Fabric is difficult to clean and pesticides cannot be removed from leather. If leather boots or shoes become contaminated with a pesticide, they should be disposed of.
Protective footwear should be made of rubber or a synthetic material like butyl, neoprene, nitrile, or PVC. The type of material selected should be one that is resistant to the kinds of material being worked with.
Select footwear that is comfortable to wear, easy to clean and has a sole design that protects against slipping on wet surfaces. Keep in mind that waterproof boots do not breathe like leather so wear clean cotton or wool socks to absorb any perspiration.
Eye Protection
Eye protection must be worn while mixing, loading, adjusting, cleaning or repairing equipment contaminated with pesticides and during most kinds of pesticide application.
The only time when eye protection may not need to be worn is (1) when pesticides are injected or incorporated into the soil; (2) if a pesticide is being applied through vehicle mounted spray nozzles located behind and below the applicator with the nozzles pointed downward; (3) if the equipment operator is located within an enclosed cab; or (4) if the pesticides being applied are rodenticides, predacides, or avicides that are not in a liquid or gas form.
Proper eye protection consists of goggles or a faceshield, and sometimes safety glasses that include a brow piece and side shields must be used.
Goggles. Goggles are the most commonly used form of eye protection. Nonfogging lenses are available for most goggle styles and solutions can be purchased to reduce or eliminate fogging on regular lenses.
Goggles are held on the head by either rubber or synthetic straps. Both of these materials can absorb and pesticide and become contaminated. If the straps become contaminated with pesticide, they should be thoroughly washed with soap and water or discarded.
During some types of applications, one’s goggles may become coated with spray droplets. For this reason, cleaning supplies or an extra pair of goggles should be carried.
One’s goggles should be checked and cleaned each time one stops to refill the spray tank. Never wipe lenses to remove dirt; they should be cleaned with soap and water to avoid scratching. Some goggles styles are designed with replaceable lenses.
Faceshields. Faceshields provide a greater range of vision, are comfortable to wear and allow better air circulation. They can be used for mixing pesticides since they protect your eyes and prevent liquids from splashing onto one’s face. However, they are not very well suited to making pesticide applications since airborne spray or dust can float around the edges.
Faceshields should be washed with soap and water and stored in plastic bags to avoid being scratched.
Respiratory Equipment
Respiratory equipment is designed to protect one’s lungs and respiratory tract from airborne contaminants such as pesticides.
The respiratory equipment chosen should be approved for use by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).
Disposable Mask. This is a mask made out of paper, nonwoven fabric, or foam rubber. Disposable masks can be used for protection against nontoxic nuisance dusts. They provide only minimal protection. Do not use a disposable mask when handling toxic materials, especially when working with pesticides in a liquid or dust formulation.
Cartridge Respirator. A cartridge respirator commonly consists of one to two filtration cartridges attached to a rubber facepiece. Each cartridge is usually made up of two parts – a dust filter and a chemical cartridge which are held together by a retainer.
There is also another type of cartridge respirator that consists of a canister worn on a waist belt which is connected to the facepiece by a rubber hose. A canister type cartridge respirator provides protection for an extended period of time because of its larger filtration capacity.
The facepiece of a cartridge respirator is held in place by at least two elastic head bands. Different types of filters and cartridges can generally be interchanged with this facepiece, providing a wide range of applications such as spray painting and welding in addition to making pesticide applications.
Filtration cartridges are available for low levels of pesticide dusts and mists. Cartridge respirators are commonly used when mixing and applying a Category I pesticide.
Cartridge respirators cannot be used for protection against fumigants or in atmospheres that pose an immediate threat to life or health such as atmospheres where there is carbon monoxide or low levels of oxygen. The filtration cartridge selected must have a designated NIOSH/MSHA “TC” (Tested and Certified) approval number and be approved for use with pesticides.
Cartridge respirators need to fit properly to be effective. Beards and long sideburns prevent a cartridge respirator from making a tight seal around the face and keep it from providing the proper level of protection. Isoamyl acetate, a chemical with a strong banana-like odor, is used to test whether the facepiece is tightly sealed against the face.
Powered Air Cartridge Respirator. This a cartridge respirator that uses a battery-operated motor to pump filtered air through a flexible tube to a hood, helmet or facemask. The battery operated motor, pump and filtration cartridges are normally worn on a waist belt.
These devices provide comfortable protection for lengthy application jobs. The constant supply of forced air around the user’s face eliminates the need for a mask to face seal and thus, can be used by persons with beards or long side burns.
Like other cartridge respirators, a powered air cartridge respirator can only be worn when the atmosphere poses no immediate threat to life or health and where there is an adequate level of oxygen (> 19.5% Oxygen).
Supplied air respirator. This type respirator provides the greatest amount of protection. Supplied air respirators provide an outside source of clean, uncontaminated air. This type of respirator must be used when working in an area being fumigated, when working with concentrated amounts of highly toxic pesticides or when the atmosphere contains less than 19.5% oxygen.
There are two types of supplied air respirators – self contained breathing apparatuses (SCBA) and external air models. External air models connect the user by hose to a distant pump that pumps in fresh air, but the wearer is limited by the length of the hose. In contrast a self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) provides clean air from pressurized tank that is worn by the user. This type of respirator is limited by the amount of air the user can carry. While heavy and bulky, SCBA provide greater mobility since there are no hoses attached.
Barrier Creams
Barrier creams are skin lotions that provide limited, short-term protection against pesticide penetration. creams containing silicone can be used when working with petroleum based liquids, emulsions and wettable powders. In contrast, barrier creams not containing silicone are worn for protection against water-soluble pesticides.
Use barrier creams on the parts of the body that are difficult to protect. Barrier creams should be applied frequently and never apply them over pesticide residues because it may seal in the pesticide and increase skin absorption.
Barrier creams are removed from the body by washing with soap and water or using a waterless skin cleanser.
References
Bohmont, B. L. 2007. The standard pesticide users guide. 7th ed. Pearson Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River, N. J., Columbus, Ohio.
Marer, P. J. 2000. The safe and effective use of pesticides. University of California Publ. 3324.
Renchie, D. L. 2009. Texas pesticide applicator general. Texas AgriLife Extension Service Publ. B-5073.