Anytime you handle pesticides, you need
to protect yourself, with the right
equipment and knowledge. This video will
help you learn how to handle pesticides
safely, to protect yourself and the
environment. Pesticides most commonly
enter the body through the skin, so it is
important to cover as much of your skin
as possible.
When handling any pesticide, wear
properly fitting: chemical resistant
gloves, that are unlined, elbow-length and
turned down to create a cuff; long pants
and a long-sleeve shirt, or a coverall;
tall and unlined, waterproof boots and a
waterproof hat. For some pesticides, extra
protection is needed, so you may also
need to wear: goggles or a face shield;
chemical resistant apron and a
respirator. The pesticide label lists
what you need to wear each time you
handle a pesticide. When getting
pesticides from storage, always wear
chemical resistant gloves, and check for
any leaking containers or spills. If
there is a small spill, put on all your
safety equipment and keep others away.
Stop and contain the spill, then clean it
up, according to the directions on the
pesticide's Safety Data Sheet. When
carrying pesticides, such as in the back
of a pickup truck, make sure the
containers are away from people and
other items. The containers must be tied
down so they will not spill during
transport. The most dangerous steps in
handling pesticides are when you open a
pesticide container, then measure and mix
that concentrated product. Wear all the
protective clothing as required on the
pesticide label for mixing and loading.
Keep your eyes and face above the
container for each step of opening,
measuring and mixing. Open the container
carefully on a flat surface and if
needed, use a knife or scissors that are
only used for pesticides. When measuring
pesticides, again use a flat surface and
measuring containers that are only used
for pesticides. Rinse the measuring
containers with water 3 times and
pour all the rinse water into the spray
tank. When mixing pesticides, pour the
pesticide carefully out of the container,
so there are no splashes or spills. Once
the pesticide container is empty, triple
rinse it right away.
Make sure all the
pesticide drips out of the container
into the spray tank, and then wait for 30
seconds. Then fill the container about
1/4 full with water. Close the
container and shake the water around all
parts of the container for another 30
seconds. Pour the rinse water into the
spray tank and repeat the rinse again
and again. Put the empty container, as
well as full ones and your measuring
containers back in the pesticide storage.
Never take empty containers home - there
may still be pesticide inside them.
Before you start to spray, check the area
to make sure there are no people or
animals nearby. Also, check to see if
there are any areas you need to stay
back from, such as another crop, or a
building, or a pond, stream or a well. Make
sure all your equipment is in good
working order before you start and check
the weather. Stop spraying if something
goes wrong with the equipment or if the
weather changes, such as it gets windy or
starts to rain. Be extra careful if
spraying inside an enclosed building,
such as a greenhouse. If you start
feeling sick or dizzy, get out right away
and call for help.
Once you are done spraying, check if
there is any leftover pesticide. You may
be able to spray another crop, or clean
out the sprayer. If it is time to clean
out the sprayer, add water in a 10:1
ratio, to dilute the leftover
pesticide. Then respray the area you just
sprayed with the diluted leftovers.
Remember to wear all your protective
equipment when cleaning the sprayer and
to do the cleaning away from any pond,
stream or well. Whatever you do when
handling pesticides, wear the proper
protective equipment and know what the
label requires for you to stay safe!
