Current Required Training Topics

Every EPA required WPS Pesticide Safety Training must be done in the primary language of the worker. Spanish, Navajo, Thai, Burmese, American Sign Language...whatever that language is - even if the worker speaks a little English, or is fluent, it must be made available done in that first language.

The reason for this language requirement is that the information is about dangerous and potentially deadly chemicals that the worker may be exposed to and take home to expose their families, too.

For the training to be completed correctly and in compliance with the regulations, each worker needs to 100% understand every one of the required 11 points listed below:

• Descriptions of where and in what form pesticides may be encountered during work activities.
• Hazards of pesticides resulting from toxicity and exposure, including acute and chronic effects, delayed effects, and sensitization.
• Routes through which pesticides can enter the body.
• Signs and symptoms of common types of pesticide poisoning.
• Emergency first aid for pesticide injuries or poisonings.
• Instructions on how to obtain emergency medical care.
• Routine and emergency decontamination procedures, including emergency eye flushing techniques.
• Hazards from chemigation and drift.
• Hazards from pesticide residues on clothing.
• Warnings about taking pesticides or pesticide containers home.
• Requirement of the WPS designed to reduce the risks of illness or injury resulting from workers' occupational exposure to pesticides including application and entryrestrictions, design of the warning sign, posting of warning signs, oral warnings, availability of specific information about applications, and protection against retaliatory acts.

In ensuring compliance with the Agricultural Worker Protection Standards Revisions published in the final rule 11/2/2015, after the training materials have been developed and finalized by EPA, all trainings will cover all of the approved and required training elements:

• The responsibility of agricultural employers to provide workers and handlers with information and protections designed to reduce work-related pesticide exposures and illnesses. This includes ensuring workers and handlers have been trained on pesticide safety, providing pesticide safety and application information, decontamination supplies and emergency medical assistance, and notifying workers of restrictions during applications and on entering pesticide treated areas. A worker or handler may designate in writing a representative to request access to pesticide application and hazard information.Show citation box
• How to recognize and understand the meaning of the warning sign used for notifying workers of restrictions on entering pesticide-treated areas on the establishment.
• How to follow directions and/or signs about keeping out of pesticide-treated areas subject to an REI and application exclusion zones.
• Where and in what form pesticides may be encountered during work activities and potential sources of pesticide exposure on the agricultural establishment. This includes exposure to pesticide residues that may be on or in plants, soil, tractors, application and chemigation equipment, or used PPE, and that may drift through the air from nearby applications or be in irrigation water.
• Potential hazards from toxicity and exposure that pesticides present to workers and their families, including acute and chronic effects, delayed effects, and sensitization.
• Routes through which pesticides can enter the body.
• Signs and symptoms of common types of pesticide poisoning.
• Emergency first aid for pesticide injuries or poisonings.
  Routine and emergency decontamination procedures, including emergency eye flushing techniques, and if pesticides are spilled or sprayed on the body, to use decontamination supplies to wash immediately or rinse off in the nearest clean water, including springs, streams, lakes, or other sources, if more readily available than decontamination supplies, and as soon as possible, wash or shower with soap and water, shampoo hair, and change into clean clothes.
• How and when to obtain emergency medical care.
• When working in pesticide-treated areas, wear work clothing that protects the body from pesticide residues and wash hands before eating, drinking, using chewing gum or tobacco, or using the toilet.
• Wash or shower with soap and water, shampoo hair, and change into clean clothes as soon as possible after working in pesticide-treated areas.
• Potential hazards from pesticide residues on clothing.
• Wash work clothes before wearing them again and wash them separately from other clothes.
• Do not take pesticides or pesticide containers used at work to your home.
• Safety data sheets provide hazard, emergency medical treatment and other information about the pesticides used on the establishment they may come in contact with.
• The responsibility of agricultural employers to do all of the following: Display safety data sheets for all pesticides used on the establishment, provide workers and handlers information about the location of the safety data sheets on the establishment, and provide workers and handlers unimpeded access to safety data sheets during normal work hours.
• The rule prohibits agricultural employers from allowing or directing any worker to mix, load or apply pesticides or assist in the application of pesticides unless the worker has been trained as a handler.
• The responsibility of agricultural employers to provide specific information to workers before directing them to perform early-entry activities. Workers must be 18 years old to perform early-entry activities.
• Potential hazards to children and pregnant women from pesticide exposure.
• Keep children and nonworking family members away from pesticide-treated areas.
• After working in pesticide-treated areas, remove work boots or shoes before entering your home, and remove work clothes and wash or shower before physical contact with children or family members.
• How to report suspected pesticide use violations to the state or tribal agency responsible for pesticide enforcement.
• The rule prohibits agricultural employers from intimidating, threatening, coercing, or discriminating against any worker or handler for complying with or attempting to comply with the requirements of this rule, or because the worker or handler has provided, caused to be provided, or is about to provide information to the employer or to the EPA or its agents regarding conduct that the employee reasonably believes violates this part, and/or has made a complaint, testified, assisted, or participated in any manner in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing concerning compliance with this rule.