Adjustment of WPS Training Requirement To Be Considered

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will redraft a portion of its worker protection standard (WPS), a federal regulation designed to reduce the risk of pesticide-related illness and injury to agricultural workers throughout the nation. A major requirement that the WPS makes of employers is to provide general pesticide safety training not only to workers who directly handle pesticides but also to those who enter treated fields for production tasks after the restricted-entry period. This requirement was scheduled to take effect on April 15, but Congress recently voted to delay the enforcement until January 1, 1995.

One reason for the delay is that EPA had not completed development of its authorized training materials. Another is that grower, worker, and enforcement agency representatives had expressed strong concerns about some of the WPS provisions as they stand. This delay will allow employers time to develop their programs and train their employees before enforcement begins.

Katherine (Kay) Rudolph, in the San Francisco regional office of EPA, is working on adjustments related to the timing of training. She has asked for comments about two key parameters:

1. The "grace period" allowed between a worker's first entry into a treated field and receipt of the required training. The WPS currently states that workers must be trained before they accumulate 15 days of entry (work) into treated areas where a restricted-entry interval has been in effect within the past 30 days. These 15 days are cumulative - that is, they need not be consecutive and may accrue over several periods of employment over many seasons or years. After October 20, 1997, this grace period is presently scheduled to go down to 5 days.
2. The length of time after which a previously trained worker must be trained again. The WPS essentially states that a training in general pesticide safety is good for 5 years. The training requirement is considered met if the worker has been trained within the last 5 years or is a currently certified pesticide applicator or is currently trained as a handler working under supervision of a certified applicator.

Suggestions for changing these provisions to enhance their workability and effectiveness are requested. Send comments to Kay Rudolph, U.S. EPA, 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94105. Fax: 415/744-1073. E-mail: Rudolph.Kay@EPAMAIL.EPA.gov.