The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Worker Protection Standard (WPS)protects agricultural workers from the health risks associated with pesticides. The WPS requires agricultural employers to comply with minimum safety precautions when using pesticides on farms and in nurseries, greenhouses or forests. Requirements include: training of workers handling pesticides or working in treated areas, provision of adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), communication of information about work areas recently treated with pesticides and when it is safe to re-enter these areas, and in case of emergency, availability of decontamination facilities and provision of medical assistance. The following guide reflects the WPS provisions currently in effect, which were last updated in 2015.
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