Pesticide Worker Safety

Worker Protection Standard and Application Exclusion Zone Frequently Asked Questions

These documents provide general guidance to help you comply with the requirements of the Federal Worker Protection Standard (WPS) for agricultural pesticides, 40 CFR part 170, as amended in 2015.

Frequently asked questions about the WPS with a focus on the Application Exclusion Zone requirements are included although neither document provides all of the information necessary to be in compliance with the WPS. The “Application Exclusion Zone” or AEZ is a new term used in the WPS rule and refers to the area surrounding the pesticide application equipment that must be free of all persons other than appropriately trained and equipped handlers during pesticide applications.

For complete information about the WPS rule requirements, refer to the final WPS rule: www.federalregister.gov/articles/2015/11/02/2015-25970/pesticides-agricultural-worker-protection-standard-revisions.

For additional information about the WPS, visit: www.epa.gov/pesticide-worker-safety.

For questions about how to comply with the WPS rule requirements, contact Richard Pont at pont.richard@epa.gov.

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