The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is hosting a personal protective equipment (PPE) exhibit in the Toyota Arena building of the Keystone Farm Show in York, PA , January 4-6 2011. NIOSH is a part of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, a federal research agency that aims to protect workers health and safety. NIOSH does not enforce regulations. The purpose of the exhibit is to speak with farmers about personal protective equipment used for pesticide applications, mixing and loading. If you answer “yes” to any of the questions below, you’ll want to come to the NIOSH exhibit.
- Do you have questions about the personal protective equipment you use for pesticides?
- Have you ever had difficulty in finding the right pesticide personal protective equipment?
- Have you ever had difficulty with using personal protective equipment?
- Do you have any difficulty in understanding the personal protective equipment required on the pesticide label?
Mr. PPE in the NIOSH Exhibit
The NIOSH exhibit features several displays:
- PPE according to label – Mr. PPE, a life-sized mannequin, is dressed in personal protective equipment according to pesticide label and personal protective equipment requirements are reviewed and interpreted for many commonly used pesticides
- Gloves – a vast display of gloves are presented showing that not all gloves materials are equally protective against all classes of pesticides according to EPA guidelines
- Clothing – differences in chemical protective suits are displayed
- Eyewear – chemical protective eyewear will be displayed and EPA guidelines will be discussed
- Agricultural Pesticide PPE Hotline – this is a bilingual toll-free hotline in English and Spanish and email used to address pesticide personal protective equipment concerns
- Pesticide Applicator Glove Display
NIOSH may also be looking to partner with you…
NIOSH is leading a five-year National Pesticide Personal Protective Equipment Surveillance and Intervention Program. The purpose of this program is to determine the extent to which personal protective equipment use practices by agricultural pesticide handlers are appropriate and to identify barriers to appropriate use and to overcome those barriers. NIOSH is looking for partners in this effort. If you work with pesticides in agriculture, or are a pesticide or PPE manufacturer or distributor, pesticide safety educator, or enforcer of pesticide safety state and federal regulations, NIOSH wants to partner with you. You can be involved in developing the program by contacting Kim Faulkner at 412-386-6609 or KFaulkner@cdc.gov.
Also, everyone is invited to attend the NIOSH 2011 Personal Protective Technology (PPT) Stakeholders Meeting at the Hyatt Regency in the Pittsburgh Airport on March 29, 2011. The theme for the agricultural sector’s meeting is “A Safety Roadmap for Agricultural Pesticide Handlers: Overcoming Barriers to Optimal Personal Protective Equipment Use.” This meeting is a rare opportunity for you to work together with diverse stakeholders to collaboratively discuss and address pesticide PPE concerns. Registration is free, but necessary due to limited seating and early registration is strongly recommended. For more information please see the National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) web site to find information about the 2011 Stakeholders Meeting or you can contact John Sporrer at 412-386-6435. Pesticide applicator recertification credits in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Washington, and West Virginia for your attendance to the meeting are pending.
Until next time,
Be Safe!
