BASIC PESTICIDE TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR WORKERS

The Worker Protection Standard (WPS) is intended to reduce the risk of pesticide poisonings and injuries among agricultural workers who are exposed to pesticide residues. The WPS includes workers in or on farms, forests, nurseries, and greenhouses.

The WPS requires Cornell to assure that untrained workers receive basic pesticide information before they work with treated agricultural plants. Anyone who has not attended the complete WPS training before initial exposure to pesticides or pesticide residues must complete this form before any exposure occurs.

BASIC PESTICIDE TRAINING

Pesticides may be on or in plants, soil, irrigation water, or may drift from nearby applications.

Prevent pesticides from entering your body by:

• Following directions and/or signs about keeping out of treated or restricted areas.
• Washing before eating, drinking, using chewing gum or tobacco, or using the toilet.
• Wearing work clothing that protects the body from pesticide residues.
• Washing/showering with soap and water, shampooing hair and putting on clean clothes after work.
• Washing work clothes separately from other clothes before wearing them again.
• Washing immediately in the nearest clean water if pesticides are spilled or sprayed on the body and, as soon as possible, showering, shampooing, and changing into clean clothes.

Further training will be provided within 5 work days.

Project Leader or Supervisor (print):

Location of department or site central posting area:

Name of Trainee (print):

Signature of Trainee:

Date:

Within 5 days after beginning to work with treated plants, workers must receive the complete WPS pesticide safety training. The complete training is offered weekly on campus in Ithaca. The sessions last approximately 1 hour; the schedule of upcoming sessions is available from Eric Harrington (eh22@cornell.edu; 5-0485).