CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. — New revisions of the Worker Protection Standards take effect January 2, 2017 while others take effect January 2, 2018.
NYDEC Region 8 Pesticide Control Specialist, Chris Wainwright will be covering the updates on the new revisions on Monday, January 23, 2017, 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ontario County, 480 North Main Street, Canandaigua, NY 14424.
Chris will cover the major revisions which include:
- Annual mandatory training to inform workers and handlers about the required protections afforded to them.
- Expanded training that includes instructions to reduce take-home exposure from pesticides on work clothing and other safety topics.
- Anyone under 18 years old are prohibited from being a pesticide handler or doing early-entry work during a restricted-entry interval (REI).
- Expanded mandatory posting of no-entry signs for outdoor production (e.g., farms, forests, and nurseries) if the REI is greater than 48 hours.
- New application exclusion zones (AEZ) up to 100 feet surrounding pesticide application equipment intended to protect workers and others from pesticide exposure during pesticide applications.
- Providing more than one way for workers and handlers to gain access to pesticide application information and safety data sheets-centrally-posted or by requesting records themselves, through medical personnel or through a designated representative.
- If a respirator is required by the labeling, the employer must provide the handler with a medical evaluation, fit testing, and respirator training in compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) Respiratory Protection Standard.
- Mandatory record-keeping to improve states’ ability to follow up on pesticide violations and enforce compliance. Records of application-specific pesticide information, safety data sheets (SDS), worker/handler pesticide safety training and respirator medical evaluations, fit testing, and respirator training must be kept for 2 years.
- Anti-retaliation provisions that are comparable to the U.S. Department of Labor.
- If protective eyewear is required by the labeling, the employer must provide water for emergency eye flushing for handlers at pesticide mixing/loading sites.
- Expanded definition of immediate family and criteria for agricultural establishments that are eligible for the exemption for owners and their immediate families.
- Replaced the term “greenhouse” with “enclosed space production”, which includes greenhouses, mushroom houses, hoop houses, high tunnels, and grow houses.
Pesticide recertification credits will be available.
Monday, January 23, 2017
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Cornell Cooperative Extension
480 North Main Street
Canandaigua, NY 14424
Program fee is $15.00 per person.
To register: Registration flyer available at www.cceontario.org
Fill out the tear-off form and mail registration form and check to: Cornell Cooperative Extension, WPS, 480 North Main Street, Canandaigua, NY 14424 OR: Call 585-394-3977 x 427 or 436, email nea8@cornell.edu with your name, address, phone, and number of people attending.
—Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ontario County
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