Mac Legault
Colorado State University Cooperative Extension
- Personal
Protective Equipment (PPE) is clothing and devices
that protect the body from contact with chemicals
such as pesticides.
- Three
factors affect a PPE's chemical resistance: the
chemical properties of the pesticide, the exposure
time and the exposure situation.
- Any
plastic or rubber material is resistant to dry-
and water-based pesticides (those that use water
as the only diluent or solvent).
- Read
the pesticide label; it provides information
on the correct PPE to be used for that specific
chemical.
|
All
pesticides are toxic; toxicity x exposure = risk. Some
pesticide labels require the use of Personal Protective Equipment
(PPE). This requirement protects the handler from poisonings
when mixing, loading and applying pesticides. Pesticides improperly
handled increases the level of risk because the exposure level
increases. Reading and following the directions on the pesticide
label will help protect the user and derive the most benefit
from the selected pesticide.
Chemical-resistant
PPE is material that pesticides cannot penetrate during the
time required to complete the pesticide handling task. Use
appropriate PPE when mixing and applying pesticides and when
cleaning equipment used to apply pesticides. Never enter an
area where pesticides are being used without PPE.
Materials
used in PPE are resistant to a particular pesticide but may
not provide a constant level of protection over time. Some
materials protect for extended periods and others protect
for just a few minutes. Exposure time is the term used to
define chemical resistance. For example, neoprene may be resistant
to one solvent, used in the formulation of a pesticide, for
30 minutes or less and to another solvent for more than four
hours. Disposable plastic gloves, shoe covers and other PPE
may provide only enough protection for tasks that can be completed
in a few minutes.
Pesticides
enter PPE material on contact and continue to move into and
through the material until the source is removed. Therefore,
rinsing the PPE with clean water after each use will extend
the protective life. When putting on or removing PPE, use
caution, the outer surface may be contaminated with pesticides.
When removing any PPE, do not allow it to touch skin or lightly
covered areas. Do not take a deep breath, contamination can
result from inhalation of pesticides.
PPE
constructed of sturdy materials are recommended for tasks
that involve walking through rough terrain or handling sharp
objects. Punctures or other damage to the PPE material reduces
the protective qualities.
No single
material can protect against all pesticide products. Chemical
resistance depends on whether the pesticide is liquid or dry
and what diluents, solvents and concentrations are used in
the agricultural chemical. The label may state what materials
are resistant to the pesticide. If the label does not state
the PPE material required for protection, contact the Toxic
Substances Branch of the EPA, Colorado State University Cooperative
Extension, the manufacturer of the pesticide or the PPE dealer
in your area. To check whether a plastic or rubber is resistant
to a pesticide, use a sample of the material and expose it
to the pesticide for the longest period of time that you would
wear the PPE. If the material does any of the following, discard
the PPE and choose another:
- changes
color,
- becomes
soft or spongy,
- swells
or bubbles,
- dissolves
or becomes jelly-like, or
- becomes
stiff or brittle.
- Read
and follow the pesticide label directions as to the
type of PPE recommended. If the label does not state
the type or extent of PPE required, it is better to
err on the side of caution and wear PPE.
- Gloves,
eye wear, etc. are invaluable PPE for preventing pesticide
exposure to various body parts.
- Wear
layers of clothing that are loose fitting, but not
so loose as they can be grabbed by moving machinery,
to provide an air barrier to the body.
- Clean
and maintain or replace PPE as needed.
- Do
not remove gloves to open pesticide containers, adjust
equipment or wipe any skin areas.
- Be
aware of and prepare for possible heat stress.
- For
more information on respirators and agricultural air-borne
hazards refer to Service in Action sheets 5.019, Agricultural
air-borne hazards and 5.020, Agricultural respiratory
protective equipment-air purifying respirators.
- Sources
of PPE are hardware stores, some agricultural chemical
dealers, safety supply catalogs and agricultural products
suppliers.
|
Never use
hats or gloves made or lined with absorbent materials such as
cotton, leather or canvas. Hats or gloves are worn snugly and
contamination can result easily. Work clothes made of cotton
or a cotton blend may be used if worn loosely in layers and
should be made of a tightly woven, sturdy material (denim should
weigh 7 to 10 ounces per square yard). If clothes are worn too
loose, they can be entangled in machinery. Some pesticides,
such as fumigants, prohibit the use of chemical resistant PPE
so remember to always read the label. Cotton and canvas are
difficult and leather is impossible to clean as they readily
absorb pesticides, even dry formulations.
Wear
long-sleeved shirts and long pants. Fasten the collar to protect
the lower neck. Wear coveralls over the shirt and pants. The
coveralls should fit loosely, which creates an air barrier
that reduces direct contact with the pesticide. When wearing
two-piece coveralls, leave the top outside and extend below
the waist. Coveralls should protect everything except the
feet, hands, neck and head. If the pesticide is highly or
moderately toxic, the coveralls should be chemical-resistant.
If the coveralls are not chemical-resistant, wear a chemical-resistant
apron.
Chemical-resistant
coveralls can be very hot to wear and can lead to heat stress.
Use the following precautions to reduce heat stress:
- select
the coolest PPE appropriate for the task;
- schedule
work at the coolest time of the day;
- increase
the amount of water intake to compensate for water lost
to perspiration;
- if
the air temperature is high, rest frequently to allow the
body to cool;
- if
at any time perspiration is no longer produced, stop working
immediately.
When
wearing a chemical-resistant apron, choose one that reaches
from the neck to the knees. If working around machinery, do
not wear an apron, it can easily become caught in the machinery;
wear chemical resistant coveralls instead.
Handle
clothes worn during pesticide application as if they were
contaminated. Handle all contaminated clothing with gloves.
Wash the clothing daily and separate from the family wash.
Prerinse or presoak the contaminated clothing using hot water.
Use heavy-duty liquid detergent washing only a few items at
a time with the highest water level and the longest wash time.
Line dry the clothing. After washing, run the washer through
a complete cycle with detergent.
Hands
and forearms receive the most pesticidal exposure. Eighty-five
percent of dermal exposure occurs on the hands and forearms.
This exposure can be reduced to 3 percent with the use of
unlined, chemical-resistant gloves. Use of unlined gloves
prevents absorption of pesticides to the inside surface of
the glove. Wear chemical-resistant gloves when using any kind
of pesticide. Refer to pesticide labels for stated requirements
of certain types of glove material. Wear gloves that reach
at least halfway to the elbow. This will keep pesticides from
running down the sleeves and into the gloves. Put sleeves
over the gloves and fasten the cuff, unless working over head.
If applying pesticides over head, fold the glove to make a
cuff.
Leave
the gloves on when adjusting equipment or opening pesticide
containers. Do not wipe your face when gloves are worn. Leave
the gloves on until the entire task is complete. Removing
the gloves increases the likelihood of contamination. After
completing the task, wash your hands with the gloves on, remove
the gloves and thoroughly wash and dry your hands.
To decrease
exposure levels in the leg area, wear pant legs outside the
boots or fasten shoe covers tightly to the pant leg. This
keeps pesticides from running down the pant leg and collecting
in boots or shoes.
Canvas,
cloth and leather are difficult or impossible to clean adequately,
and should not be worn as foot protection. Spills are often
made when handling pesticides. Such spills are likely to land
on or near the feet. Wear chemical-resistant footwear for
spill protection, which can be shoes, shoe covers or boots.
Remember to clean the footwear before removal to reduce the
contamination from pesticides.
Gloves
or footwear made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or rubber (butyl,
nitrile, neoprene or natural rubber) must be at least 14 mils.(1)
thick. If gloves or footwear are exposed previously to agricultural
chemicals and irritation of the skin occurs when they are
put on, wash the affected area immediately for at least 15
minutes and dry. Replace the footwear or gloves with clean
pairs. Keep several pairs of gloves and footwear available
to change whenever necessary.
To protect
the head and neck from exposure to pesticides, wear a chemical-resistant,
wide-brimmed hat or hood. Plastic "safari" hats, with a plastic
sweatband, are a good choice and are relatively cool. Some
chemical-resistant jackets or coveralls have an attached protective
hood. If the hood is not used, tuck the hood inside the neckline
to keep it from collecting pesticides.
Eyes
are very sensitive to pesticides. Wear protective eye wear
when handling pesticides. The different types of protective
eye wear are shielded safety glasses, face shields and goggles.
Shielded safety glasses must have brow and side shields. They
do not cause fogging or sweating and give eye protection in
many situations. Face shields provide protection to the entire
face. Face shields that are cupped inward toward the throat
give better protection than straight face shields.
Wear
goggles when riding in an open cab during an air blast application,
flagging under an aerial application, applying mists, fogs
or aerosols indoors or working in similar situations. Goggles
provide better protection than shielded safety glasses or
face shields for these situations. Goggles should fit tightly
against the face. A full-face respirator also protects the
applicator in these situations. If worn with a half mask respirator
select styles that fit comfortably with the respirator.
For
additional information, contact your Colorado State University
Cooperative Extension county agent or Cooperative Extension
safety specialist, (303) 491-6172.
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: 04/2002
Service
in Action
5.021
,
Cooperative Extension, Colorado State University. Published
August 1993. Copyright 1993. For more information, contact
your county Cooperative Extension office.
Colorado
State University Cooperative Extension agricultural safety
coordinator and research associate; agricultural and chemical
engineering.
|