Pesticides
Practical Solutions for Pesticide Safety: Handheld Equipment
Safety solutions for handheld application equipment
For this project we work with agricultural industry partners to discover and share practical pesticide safety measures for handheld application equipment. We are finding solutions in greenhouses, nurseries, and forest services industries.
Forestry Services
Forestry services work occurs nationwide, yet is often hidden from the public eye.
Practical Solutions for Pesticide Safety
Handheld pesticide application takes place in farming and forestry work, and unintentional exposures can be common. Few evidence-based and practical solutions have been developed and shared across these industries.
Project Overview
PNASH works with farmers, educators, and researchers across the Northwest to test and develop solutions originally developed by growers and workers for themselves. We have expanded from our original airblast application systems, to now include handheld and greenhouse applications. Each solution is assessed for the goals:
Prevention of Occupational Exposure to Pesticide Drift
Pesticide drift is a long-standing issue in the Pacific Northwest, especially for the tree fruit industry and workforce. Studies have shown that at least 60% of drift events were linked to wind speed or direction changes. Understanding the role winds play in pesticide drift can prevent unintended exposure for workers and nearby communities.
Project Overview
Notification of Pesticide Applications to Minimize Workplace Exposures
Farmworker exposure to agricultural pesticide drift is a high priority concern for public health. In May 2014, the Washington Department of Health (WA DOH) alerted state agencies and growers of a spike in pesticide spray drift illness cases among orchard workers. Over a two-month period, approximately 60 individuals were exposed to pesticides in 15 drift events, which is equal to the number of cases that the agency normally sees over the course of an entire year.