On February 20, 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency announced proposed changes to the agricultural Worker Protection Standard (WPS) to increase protections from pesticide exposure for the nation's two million agricultural workers and their families. This is an important milestone for the farm workers who plant, tend and harvest the food that we put on our tables each day.

The proposed changes and rationale are provided in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, which published in the Federal Register on March 19, 2014. The comment period on this proposal closed on August 18, 2014. Comments and related information is available at docket number EPA-HQ-OPP-2011-0184.

Overview of Proposed Changes

Proposed changes to the WPS include:

• Increased frequency of mandatory trainings (from once every five years to annually) to inform farm workers about the protections they are afforded under the law, including:
  • restrictions on entering pesticide-treated fields and surrounding areas;
  • decontamination supplies;
  • access to information; and
  • use of personal protective equipment.
• Expanded trainings will include instructions to reduce take-home exposure from pesticides on work clothing, as well as other safety topics.
• Expanded mandatory posting of no-entry signs for the most hazardous pesticides.
  • The signs prohibit entry into pesticide-treated fields until residues decline to a safe level.
• Minimum age requirement (previously there has been no minimum age):
  • Children under 16 will be prohibited from handling pesticides, with an exemption for family farms.
• No-entry buffer areas surrounding pesticide-treated fields will protect workers and others from exposure from pesticide overspray and fumes.
• Measures to improve the states’ ability to enforce compliance including requiring employers to keep records of application-specific pesticide information as well as farmworker training and early-entry notification for two years.
• Personal Protection Equipment (respirator use) must be consistent with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards for ensuring respirators are providing protection, including:
  • fit test;
  • medical evaluation; and
  • training.
• Make available to farm workers or their advocates (including medical personnel) information specific to the pesticide application, including the pesticide label and Safety Data Sheets.
• Additional changes make the rule more practical and easier to comply with for farmers.
• Continues the exemptions for family farms.

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