LUMBERTON – According to Dr. Wayne Bühler, specialist in pesticide safety enhancements, is extending the EPA’s “annual proficiency test delay” to September 30th as part of previously published guidance on respiratory protection requirements for agricultural pesticides due to ongoing concerns about the lack of personal protective equipment in the agricultural sector . This revision is in line with the memos of the occupational health and safety authority on respiratory masks and deals with the requirements of the agricultural worker protection standard (WPS) in accordance with the Federal Act on Insecticides, Fungicides and Rodenticides.
On June 1, 2020, the EPA issued a “Statement on Inadequate Respiratory Protection and Reduced Availability of Fitting Tests of Respirators Related to Pesticide Applications Covered by Farm Workers Standard During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency” to provide guidance to agricultural employers and pesticides to give traders who are looking for respiratory protection for the use of pesticides in agricultural production. The preliminary guidelines outline approaches to remedy the unavailability of the required respiratory protection and the respiratory protection test.
It is important to note that neither the options in the June 2020 memorandum nor the most recent amendment provide for a waiver of regulations or labeling requirements. For example, fit test requirements, including the initial fit test of a respirator, medical assessments, and respirator training, must not be delayed or skipped. It is expected that employers and dealers of handling equipment will make every effort to meet all applicable requirements for pesticide labeling and protection of agricultural workers and to exhaust all available compliance options before proceeding with those presented in the June 2020 memorandum Consider options.
Compliant options include:
– Use of alternative, NIOSH-approved respiratory protection equipment that offers equivalent or better respiratory protection than that required on the pesticide label
– Recruitment of commercial applicators with adequate respiratory protection equipment and respiratory protection functions;
– Opting for the use of agricultural pesticide products that do not require breathing apparatus; or
– Delaying pesticide applications until another compliant option is available.
When the above options are exhausted, the EPA Guideline provides additional options with stringent terms, conditions, and exhaustion requirements to minimize potential additional risks for workers, including:
– Reuse and prolonged use of disposable respirators with N95 filters;
– Use of “expired” breathing apparatus;
– Use of respiratory protective equipment that is certified in certain other countries or legal systems and meets the protective conditions described, or;
– Delay the annual “Fittest” of the respirator. This option ends on September 30th.
Commercial pesticide applicators whose certification period ends in 2021 must receive all necessary training hours for automatic renewal by June 30, 2021. Private applicators have until September 30th to meet their four-hour requirement of two hours of X and V credits.
Below is a list of training events designed to help applicators meet their required recertification times. Due to social distancing requirements, in-person training is limited to 30 people per session. To register for in-person training, please call 910-671-3276 and ask to register for the in-person pesticide training (s) you would like to attend. To sign up for online training, follow the link provided with each training. For online training you MUST register online. In order to participate, every participant in online training must have a webcam. Registration is required for both face-to-face and online training.
The right pesticide protection
Tuesday, May 25, 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. (2 hours)
The training includes reviewing pesticide labels with an emphasis on choosing, using and maintaining the correct PPE. This course provides two (2) hours of Category X training for farmers who need credits to recertify personal applicators, as well as dealers and commercial applicators who need credits for A, B, D, G, H, I, K, L, M, N need. O and T categories.
Requirements for commercially certified applicators (ONLINE)
Thursday, May 27th, 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. (1 hour)
The online training provides an overview of the requirements for both commercial and residential users set out by the NC pesticide laws. This course provides one (1) hour Category X training for farmers who need credits to recertify personal applicators, as well as dealers and commercial applicators who need credits for A, B, D, G, H, I, K, L, M, N need. O and T categories. Register for this training at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pesticide-recertification-requirements-for-commercial-certified-applicators-registration-154826364825
Pesticide and First Aid Hazards
Wednesday, June 2, 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. (2 hours)
This training covers the hazards and effects of pesticides, pesticide exposure, product toxicity and health concerns, how to identify symptoms, and first aid for poisoning. This course provides two (2) hours of Category X training for farmers who need credits to recertify personal applicators, as well as dealers and commercial applicators who need credits for A, B, D, G, H, I, K, L, M, N need. O and T categories.
Planning a pesticide application
Tuesday, June 8, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. (2 hours)
This course covers pesticide selection, tolerability, mixing, loading, cleaning, applying and disposing of pesticides. This course provides two (2) hours of Category X training for farmers who need credits to recertify personal applicators, as well as dealers and commercial applicators who need credits for A, B, D, G, H, I, K, L, M, N need. O and T categories.
Why fungicide applications sometimes fail in lawns
Tuesday, June 15, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. (2 hours)
Have you ever had bad results from a fungicide application? This training covers the basics of mushroom growth, reviews different chemical classes, and discusses common causes of pesticide failure. This course provides two (2) hours of Category X training for farmers who require credits to recertify personal applicators, as well as dealers and commercial applicators who need D, L, and N credits.
Proper use of pesticides and considerations (ONLINE)
Thursday, June 17, 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. (1 hour)
This session will take a look at some common problems encountered with pesticide testing and ways to avoid finding yourself in similar situations. This course provides one (1) hour Category X training for farmers who need credits to recertify personal applicators, as well as dealers and commercial applicators who need credits for A, B, D, G, H, I, K, L, M, N need. O and T categories. Register for this training at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pesticide-recertification-training-proper-pesticide-use-and-considerations-registration-154826493209
Security, Protection and Transport (ONLINE)
Tuesday, June 29th, 7pm – 8pm (1 hour)
This training provides an overview of the responsibilities of a licensed applicator for the safe use, safety, and transportation of pesticide products. This course provides one (1) hour Category X training for farmers who need credits to recertify personal applicators, as well as dealers and commercial applicators who need credits for A, B, D, G, H, I, K, L, M, N need. O and T categories. Register for this training at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/security-safety-and-transportation-pesticide-recertification-training-registration-154826549377
Private applicator recertification V training
Wednesday, July 21, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. (2 hours)
This training provides home applicators with an update on new label changes and restrictions, protection of pollinators, FieldWatch / Driftwatch, auxin hericides, revisions of worker protection standards and safety reminders for pesticides. This training is recognized for two (2) hours of Category V.
Pesticide Safety and Decontamination
Wednesday, July 21, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. (2 hours)
Topics include proper PPE selection, use, and care, differences in breathing apparatus and proper decontamination of PPE and application equipment, and proper recycling of pesticide containers. This course provides two (2) hours of Category X training for farmers who need credits to recertify personal applicators, as well as dealers and commercial applicators who need credits for A, B, D, G, H, I, K, L, M, N need. O and T categories.
Private applicator recertification V training
Thursday, September 23, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. (2 hours)
This training provides home applicators with an update on new label changes and restrictions, protection of pollinators, FieldWatch / Driftwatch, auxin hericides, revisions of worker protection standards and safety reminders for pesticides. This training is recognized for two (2) hours of Category V.
Best management practices for pesticide use
Thursday, September 23, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. (2 hours)
Topics include basics of pesticide mixing and loading, reducing spray drift, selecting and calibrating spray nozzles. This course provides two (2) hours of Category X training for farmers who need credits to recertify personal applicators, as well as dealers and commercial applicators who need credits for A, B, D, G, H, I, K, L, M, N need. O and T categories.
To register for these meetings, call 910-671-3276 or email Mac_Malloy@ncsu.edu.
source https://dailyhealthynews.ca/the-local-farmers-market-is-a-great-source-of-health-foods/
No comments:
Post a Comment