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California proposes more pesticide rules The California Department of Pesticide Regulation is proposing new rules to provide workers with more information about pesticides in the fields. The regulations will provide agricultural workers in California with protection that goes beyond any other state or federal guidelines, according to a press release from the department.
The proposed Worker Notification Regulations will:
- Require pesticide applicators to notify the grower before and after a chemical is used, and renotify if the scheduled application date changes;
- Require the grower to manage his or her property as if the application could occur any time within a 24-hour window; and
- Require hired contractors and growers to assure prior notification for any employees who walk within a quarter mile of a treated field.
The proposed rules culminate several years of investigation and analysis by the department¹s health and safety experts, who consulted with industry and worker advocates. The department will seek public comments on the regulations when they are formally proposed later this year.
There were 828 suspected cases of pesticide exposure in the state in 2004, up from 802 in 2003. More than half the exposures were related to nonagricultural pesticide use. For more information, see www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/whs/pdf/hs18 65.pdf.
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