Notification of Pesticide Applications to Minimize Workplace Exposures: A Feasibility Study

摘要

Minimization of workplace exposure to off-target movement of agricultural pesticides during applications is a high priority issue for the Washington State Department of Health. The focus of this project was to evaluate the feasibility of a notification system activated by an orchard applying pesticides that would allow work crew supervisors in adjacent orchards to ensure that workers were not located in areas where off-target movement of pesticides might occur. In theory, users would indicate their intention to spray specific farmland and neighboring property owners would be automatically notified through simple, cost-effective smart phone or similar technology. The specific goals of this project were to: (1) interview tree fruit industry personnel responsible for pesticide applications regarding the desirability of a notification system and barriers to the implementation of such a system, (2) examine existing pesticide spray notification systems to determine their strengths and limitations, as well as their relevance to the Washington tree fruit industry, and (3) evaluate the ability of the Washington State University (WSU) Decision Aid System (DAS) to incorporate neighbor-to-neighbor spray notification. Results from 20 interviews, the framework of existing notification systems, and applicability to DAS are reported. Next steps include engaging a variety of stakeholders such as pesticide applicators, farm owners and managers, farmworker groups, research and education communities, and state agencies to determine how to best develop an agricultural spray notification system in the State of Washington.