Worker Protection Standard Explained
The Worker Protection Standard (WPS) is a United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) federal regulation (40 CFR Part 170), intended to protect employees on farms, forests, nurseries, and greenhouses that are occupationally exposed to agricultural pesticides.[1] Restricted use pesticides control is managed by the EPA under this regulation. It includes the following requirements:[2]
- Pesticide Safety Training
- Notification of Pesticide Applications to Employees and between Employers
- Application, Safety & Hazard Communication to Employees & Contract Workers
- Recordkeeping Requirements
- Use of Personal Protective Equipment
- Restricted Entry Intervals (REI) following Pesticide Application
- Decontamination Supplies
- Emergency Medical Assistance
- Application Exclusion Zone (enforcement starts January 1, 2018)
Other organizations and programs related in one way or the other to the administering of and reporting about WPS-based pesticide control include:
- AAPCO—Assoc. of American Pesticide Control Officials[3]
- AAPSE—American Assoc. of Pesticide Safety Educators[4]
- CTAG—Certification and Training Assessment Group[5]
- CPARD—Certification Plan & Reporting Database[6]
- POINTS—Pesticide of Interest Reporting Database[7]
- NASDA Pesticide Safety Programs[8]
- Division of Toxicology and Environmental Medicine; Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry[9]
- National Toxicology Program
See also
Notes and References
- Web site: Worker Protection Standard. United States Environmental Protection Agency.
- Web site: TITLE 40--Protection of Environment; CHAPTER I--ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY; SUBCHAPTER E--PESTICIDE PROGRAMS; PART 170--WORKER PROTECTION STANDARD. United States Government Printing Office.
- Web site: AAPCO—Assoc. of American Pesticide Control Officials. AAPCO—Assoc. of American Pesticide Control Officials.
- Web site: AAPSE—American Assoc. of Pesticide Safety Educators. AAPSE—American Assoc. of Pesticide Safety Educators.
- Web site: CTAG—Certification and Training Assessment Group. CTAG—Certification and Training Assessment Group.
- Web site: CPARD—Certification Plan & Reporting Database. CPARD—Certification Plan & Reporting Database.
- Web site: POINTS—Pesticide of Interest Reporting Database. POINTS—Pesticide of Interest Reporting Database.
- Web site: NASDA Pesticide Safety Programs. NASDA Pesticide Safety Programs.
- Web site: Division of Toxicology and Environmental Medicine; Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. https://web.archive.org/web/20120308000905/http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/dtem/toxicology_branch.html. dead. March 8, 2012. United States Centers for Disease Control .