Pesticide Exposure and Personal Protective Equipment Gloves University of Minnesota Extension (Adapted from Penn State

1. Pesticide Exposure and Personal Protective Equipment Gloves University of Minnesota Extension (Adapted from Penn State Pesticide Education Program)

2. 0 of 180 What is the most common route of exposure for pesticide applicators? • Lungs • Mouth • Eyes • Skin

3. 0 of 180 When are disposable latex medical gloves a good choice? • Granular formulations • Liquids • Low toxic products • Working on equipment • None of the above

4. 0 of 180 Nitrile gloves provides high protection against all pesticides • Yes • No • Not sure

5. Exposure • How pesticides enter the body • You cannot control the toxicity of a product but, you can control your exposure to a product

6. 4 Routes of Exposure • Dermal - any covered or uncovered skin • Eyes – direct splash or contact with hands • Inhalation – carried in with air • Oral – taken into mouth or on lips Skin Eyes Nose Mouth

7. Dermal Exposure • 97% of all pesticide exposures are dermal • The most common routeis through thehands and forearms

8. First Aid Measures • Rinse exposed area immediately with water • Remove contaminated clothing • Wash with plenty of soap and water • Check product label

9. Dermal Protection Look on the pesticide label PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENTS Explains the type of personal protective equipment (PPE) and work clothing needed 9

10. Dermal Protection • The label is very specific about the PPE required for mixing/loading, application, and early entry • Long-sleeve shirt, long pants, waterproof gloves, and shoes and socks are the minimum PPE found on most agricultural pesticide labels

11. “Breakthrough” Time • Some gloves may specify the length of time it takes for a chemical to move from the outside surface to the interior—the “breakthrough” time • Protection times vary: --Few minutes for single-use disposable --Several hours for repeated use gloves --Reusable gloves should have breakthrough of at least 240 minutes (4 hr.)

12. Dermal Protectionbased on the recommended 14 mls thick gloves HIGH: Highly chemical-resistant. Clean or replace PPE at end of each day's work period. Rinse off pesticides at rest breaks. MODERATE: Moderately chemical-resistant. Clean or replace PPE within an hour or two of contact. SLIGHT: Slightly chemical-resistant. Clean or replace PPE within ten minutes of contact. NONE: No chemical-resistance. Do not wear this type of material as PPE when contact is possible.

13. Dermal Protection: Type of Personal Protective Material

14. EPA chemical resistance category selection chart can be found on the EPA web site www.epa.gov/oppfead1/safety/ workers/ equip.htm

16. Disposable Latex Gloves • Good to prevent biological exposure – but not chemical exposure • Fast breakthrough time for almost all pesticides….. …..And then traps pesticide against your skin

17. Natural Rubber • Provide excellent hand protection from physical hazards such as cuts, punctures, abrasions • Limited chemical resistance • Do not hold up well in organic solvents, oils, greases, kerosene or gasoline

18. PVC • General work glove applications • Provide limited protection from chemical exposure and physical hazards • Economical and durable

19. Neoprene • Provide excellent hand protection from physical hazards such as cuts and abrasions • Excellent chemical resistance from exposure to organic and inorganic acids, organic solvents, oils, greases and petrochemicals

20. Nitrile • Provides tough protection from physical hazards such as cuts, puncture or abrasion • Designed for chemical resistance to petrochemicals, oils, greases, pesticides and other agricultural chemicals

21. Butyl • Provides excellent chemical resistance to gases and ketones • Ideal for handling hazardous materials • Butyl is affected by exposure to fuels and aromatic hydrocarbon solvents

22. Barrier Laminate • Resists breakthrough to nearly all pesticide formulations • These gloves are flat and are clumsy to wear. Wear fitted rubber gloves over barrier-laminate gloves for comfort, protection, and dexterity • They do not provide mechanical protection and should be used as a liner with nitrile or latex gloves.

23. Specific Glove Suggestions • EPA Worker Protection Standard says: -- Wear only unlined gloves OR -- Gloves with separate liners • Do NOT wear leather or cloth gloves -- They offer no chemical protection -- May absorb chemicals leading to pesticide poisoning • Gloves should be chemically resistant and at least 14 mls thick

24. How to Wear Your Gloves • When spraying downward: -- Put the sleeves over the gloves and fasten the cuffs • When spraying overhead: -- Put the shirt sleeves inside the gloves & turn up the cuff of the glove to catch any material that may run down your arm

25. After You Have Finished Your Work • To avoid secondary exposure & before removing the gloves: -- Thoroughly wash the gloves with soap & water -- Rinse with large amount of running water -- Then remove the gloves -- Thoroughly wash your hands and arms with soap & water

26. Glove Use & Maintenance • Inspect gloves for visual signs of wear before each use– i.e. cuts, holes, abrasions, bubbling, cracking.. • Discard if there are any signs of wear • Discard disposable gloves after use • Triple-rinse gloves before disposal, then cut off the fingers to prevent reuse • Keep an extra, clean pair of gloves in a zip-closed plastic bag in a location free of pesticides in case the pair you are wearing gets torn or contaminated

27. Glove Use & Maintenance-- continued…. • Store contaminated, reusable gloves in zip-closed plastic bag until final clean-up or disposal • Keep pesticide-contaminated gloves separate from other safety equipment • Never try to patch gloves with duct or electrical tape • Do not leave pesticide-contaminated gloves on surfaces such as truck floor board, seat, bed– pesticides can transfer to these surfaces • Never wear pesticide-contaminated gloves when feeding or watering livestock, harvesting fruits & vegetables or cleaning animal pens

28. Glove Summary • Always read the label to see what materials are resistant to the pesticide product • If the label does not specify a glove material select a barrier laminate, butyl or nitrileglove • Wear gloves that reach at least halfway to the elbow

29. Summary The best way to avoid a pesticide poisoning is to protect yourself by Reading the label and Wearing personal protective equipment

30. Acknowledgements • Thank you to Penn State Pesticide Education program for permission to adapt their program for use in the University of Minnesota Extension Pesticide Education program. • These slides were originally adapted by Karen LaBat, Sherri Gahring, and Elizabeth Bye, College of Design, University of Minnesota. • This project was funded by Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station Hatch Act.