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John Furman
Pacific Northwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center
- 1993 – Voluntary recommendations
- 1995 – TAG report
- 2002 – Rios decision
- Chapter 296-307-148, WAC
- Effective date: February 1, 2004
“To identify pesticide handlers with depressed cholinesterase levels before illness occurs.”
- Enzyme present in the nervous system and other tissues
- Acts as the nervous system’s “Off Switch” by removing the neurotransmitter acytelcholine
- Overexposure decreases available cholinesterase
- May result in over stimulation of the nervous system.
-
Headaches
- Muscle twitch or weakness
- Shortness of breath
- Diarrhea
- Convulsions
- Coma
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Stomach pain
- Anxiety
- Pinpoint pupils
- Organophosphates
-
Guthion
- Lorsban
- Imidan
- Monitor
- Mocap
- N-methylcarbamates
-
Sevin
- Temik
- Lannate
- Vydate
These are only examples for a full list go to the WSDA pesticide page
- Simple blood tests
- Measures both red blood cell (RBC) and plasma cholinesterase (ChE)
- Periodic tests compared to individual’s baseline
- Change in blood ChE levels reflect change in nervous system ChE levels
- Documents all time each employee spends handling the covered pesticide.
- Handling records must be kept for 7 years
- Accessible to employees and medical professionals
- Mixing, Loading, Transferring
- Applying
- Handling Opened Containers
- Disposing of pesticide or containers
- Maintenance of contaminated equipment
- Beginning February 1, 2004, employees who handle covered pesticides for 50 or more hours in any consecutive 30-day period
- *Beginning February 1, 2005, employees who handle covered pesticides for 30 or more hours in any consecutive 30-day period
- Employees who handle only N-methylcarbamate pesticides will be exempt from the both the baseline and periodic monitoring requirement.
- Hours spent mixing and loading using closed systems (Lock ‘N Load, soluble packets or “solupak”) will not be counted for periodic testing.
- Contract with a medical provider to:
-
Provide baseline and periodic
cholinesterase testing
- Interpret tests and make recommendations
- The provider must use the Washington State Department of Health Laboratory.
Make testing available to all employees who will meet the exposure threshold:
-
Do baseline testing each year at
least 30 days since last exposure
to covered pesticides
- Do Periodic testing:*
-
Once every 30 days;
OR.
- Within 3 days of any 30-day
period where the employee has
met or exceeded the handling
hours threshold.
Evaluate:
-
Work practices
- Protective Clothing
- Respirator
- Sanitation
- Temporarily remove the employee from exposure
- Evaluate your worker protection program
- Return the employee to handling or other exposures to covered pesticides when levels return to within 20% of baseline
- Employers must maintain the employee’s pay, benefits and seniority
- Protection will not exceed 3 months
- Maintain the following records for 7 years
-
Name of medical provider
- Cholinesterase test results*
- Medical provider recommendations
- Work practice evaluations
- Medical removal dates
- Declination forms
*Your medical provider will retain test results and any personal medical information for you
- Ensure employees receive training that includes*
-
The health hazards of organophosphate
and N-methyl-carbamate pesticides
- The purpose and requirements of
cholinesterase monitoring
*Can be provided along with current handler training
John Furman, PhD. MSN, COHN-S
Dept. Labor & Industries
360-902-5666 Furk235@lni.wa.gov
Disclaimer
and Reproduction Information: Information in NASD does not
represent NIOSH policy. Information included in NASD appears
by permission of the author and/or copyright holder. More
NASD Review: 06/2006
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