INDIANA PESTICIDE APPLICATOR CERTIFICATION

How do I become a certified Indiana Commercial Pesticide Applicator?

WORKER PROTECTION STANDARD (WPS) FAQS

How does it work?

• $159 will train your whole staff for a year (up to 25 employees)
• Training can be completed as often as needed for up to 25 employees
• Employees can watch the video course individually or all at once
• Certificates will be available for each worker at the end of the course

Who is an agricultural worker?

An agricultural worker is anyone who works in a field that has been sprayed with pesticides within the last 30 days or does high-contact agricultural tasks such as weeding, moving irrigation equipment, pruning and harvesting. Workers DO NOT handle pesticides.

Who is a handler?

A handler is anyone who:

• Assists with applications
• Mixes, loads or transfers pesticides into application equipment
• Cleans, repairs or maintains application equipment
• Works on equipment that has been used to mix, load or apply pesticides
• Disposes of pesticides or materials with pesticides on them
• Acts as a flagger
• Performs tasks as a crop adviser
• Applies pesticides

Which establishments are required to provide Worker Protection Standard Training?

The Worker Protection Standard (WPS) applies to all establishments involved in growing, producing, or maintaining for sale agricultural plants (including ornamental plants).

This may include, but is not limited to:

• Nurseries, garden centers, or other similar operations where plants are maintained for sale (retail or wholesale)
• All crop producing farms
• Dairy farms that produce hay for cattle
• Forestry operations
• Golf courses that produce their own sod
• Public park operations that produce their own plants
• Prisons that have "Prison Farms" where agricultural plants are produced and the prisoners are employed as workers or handlers
• The WPS also applies to any establishment operating as a commercial pesticide handling establishment that applies WPS-labeled pesticide products on agricultural establishments or provides crop advising services for an agricultural establishment

Which pesticide applicators are covered by the Worker Protection Standard?

Most establishments covered by the WPS are crop producing farms, forest operations or nurseries. WPS also covers family owned agricultural operations even if only family members handle and work around pesticides. Essentially, WPS applies to any entity that grows, maintains or produces agricultural plants.

The following facilities or operations that are not generally recognized as traditional agricultural production establishments are covered by the rule if they use WPS-labeled pesticide products:

• Nurseries, garden centers or other similar operations
• Dairy farms if they produce hay for cattle feed
• Golf courses that produce sod or ornamentals for their course
• Public parks or privately-held ornamental garden operations that produce ornamental plants
• Theme parks, hotels or other entertainment operations that produce ornamentals for their locations
• Prisons that have "prison farms" where plants are produced by employed prisoners
• University extension agricultural research facilities that conduct research on agricultural plants
• Educational classes or vocational agriculture programs where plant production is completed by students and students receive compensation or reduced tuition
• Pine straw harvesting/production operations
• Government-owned or managed agricultural operations

The WPS also applies to any entity operating as a commercial pesticide handling establishment applying or advising the application of WPS-labeled pesticide products on agricultural commodities.

What does Worker Protection Standard require?

Educate

All employers must provide EPA approved pesticide training for workers and handlers. Employers must also provide access to specific information including: applications on the establishment, safety data sheets for pesticides applied on establishment, and display a poster with pesticide safety and emergency information.

Caution

Employers must keep workers and others out of areas where pesticides are being applied and away from equipment during applications. Handlers must stop application if workers or others are near equipment during applications. Workers must stay out of areas that are under a restricted-entry interval (REI). All early-entry workers on the job in in pesticide-treated areas during REI must be trained in the correct usage of personal protective equipment. Any handlers using highly toxic pesticides must be monitored. Personal protective equipment must be provided and monitored by employers.

Mitigate

The Worker Protection Standard course will train handlers and workers on supply decontamination and emergency assistance including transportation in the case of a pesticide-related accident.

More information on the Worker Protection Standard requirements and how to comply can be found here.

When is Worker Protection Standard required?

As of January 2nd, 2017 employers are required to train workers and handlers annually before pesticide application.

What has changed with Worker Protection Standards?

• Full training for workers and handlers is now required annually (every year).
• No grace period for training. Workers must be trained before they work in an area where pesticide has been used or an REI has been in effect in the past 30 days.
• Handlers are no longer able to be the qualified person available during the training.
• Expanded training content requirements.
• Establishments must keep records of training for 2 years and provide records to workers and handlers if requested.
• Handlers and early entry workers must be at least 18 years old.

Which Pesticides are included under the Worker Protection Standards?

The Worker Protection Standard covers both general and restricted use pesticide that are used in the production of agricultural plants, these products will generally have an "Agricultural Use Requirements" section on the product label. The WPS applies whenever a pesticide is used in the production of agricultural plants on an agricultural establishment that has an “Agricultural Use Requirements” section on the product label.

How can I contact the EPA with Worker Protection Standard questions?

Please visit the EPA's Pesticide Work Safety Website to find answers to further questions and contact information.

Who is required to complete WPS training?

Employers at agricultural establishments and commercial pesticide handling establishments such as farms, forests, nurseries, and greenhouses.

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