Objective: To know the types and causes of pesticide exposure and how to prevent exposures.
Trainer’s NoteDiscuss how personal protective equipment can protect the applicator from the different types of exposure. The training modules, “Pesticide Protective Equipment” and “Reading Pesticide Labels,” can provide additional information. Review the true or false quiz. |
Background
There are four ways toxic materials can be taken into the body. They are: oral, dermal, inhalation, and ocular exposures, with dermal the most common type of exposure. These types of exposures are explained in the chart below.
|
Type of Exposure |
Definition |
Cause of Exposure |
|---|---|---|
|
Oral exposure |
Swallow or ingest a pesticide |
|
|
Dermal exposure |
Skin coming in contact with a pesticide |
|
|
Inhalation exposure |
Breathing in a pesticide |
|
|
Ocular exposure |
Pesticide gets in the eye. |
|
Exposure is considered
Acute: One-time case of pesticide exposure and effects are illnesses or injuries that may appear immediately after exposure (usually within 24 hours). For example: a spill on the body. Exposure is usually easy to determine.
Chronic: Low-level exposure over a longer period of time. Exposure is usually difficult to determine.
Allergic (Skin and respiratory): Exposure to a pesticide that produces an immune response from the body.
A combination of the two exposures can be dangerous. For example, daily exposure to a pesticide through contaminated clothing combined with an acute exposure like spilling a pesticide on your skin poses the greatest risk because the body may not be able to deal with the acute exposure.
Avoiding Exposure
In order to avoid exposure, it is important to avoid the causes of exposure. For example, by wearing the proper eye protection you can prevent a pesticide from getting in the eyes.
To avoid exposure:
- Wear proper personal protective equipment (Refer to the training module “Pesticide Protective Equipment”).
- If you do start to breathe pesticide mist or dust, move away from that area as quickly as possible and get into fresh air.
- Use a closed handling system.
- Maintain and clean personal protective equipment.
- Wash exposed body parts often to reduce dermal exposure.
- Read pesticide labels thoroughly (Refer to training module “Reading Pesticide Labels”).
Review the Following Points
- Dermal exposure to a pesticide means that it gets on the skin.
- Ocular exposure to a pesticide means that it gets in the eye.
- Oral exposure to a pesticide is swallowing or ingesting it.
- Inhalation exposure is inhaling a pesticide.
- Using improper personal protective equipment can lead to exposure to the pesticide.
About These Modules
The Ag Tailgate Training Series was developed by members of the Agricultural Safety and Health Program in the Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering. Revised by Dee Jepsen, State Agricultural Safety Leader, with editing assistance by Lisa Pfeifer and Cody McClain.
True or False Answer Key
|
1. T |
4. F 5. T |
Quiz: Pesticide Exposure
Name___________________________________
True or False?
| 1. Oral exposure to pesticides can be caused by a spill of pesticides entering your mouth. | T | F |
| 2. Inhalation of pesticides can occur if you have the wrong respirator or one that does not fit correctly. | T | F |
| 3. Eye exposure to pesticides can be cause by a spill of pesticides into your mouth as a result of an incident or carelessness. | T | F |
| 4. Applicators or workers do not need to wash their hands after applying pesticides. | T | F |
| 5. Personal protective equipment (PPE) can decrease exposure to pesticides. | T | F |