The Principles Of The Occupational Health And Safety Act

Click here to view a video that explains OHSA.

Safety

• Keep agro-chemicals locked away from children and untrained workers.
• Chemicals should be locked up in a separate store, away from feed, seed and fertiliser to avoid contamination by spillage or vapours from unstable chemicals.
• In the case of fire or floods, these materials will be confined to one area.

Read the Label Carefully

• Avoid poisoning
• Wash the applicator after you have used it.
• Keep away from the spray drift or dust cloud.
• Do not smoke, eat or drink while applying the pesticide.
• Take a bath when you have finished and put on clean clothes.
• Wash contaminated clothing.

When Working with a Pesticide you Should Wear:

• Rubber gloves
• Rubber boots
• A face shield
• An apron

Do not Harm the Environment

• Apply pesticides only when it is absolutely necessary.
• Keep to the dosage prescribed.
• Apply pesticides only on windless days.
• Choose pesticides that work quickly or that are safe to wildlife.
• Do not contaminate water by drift or when washing application equipment.
• Use only pesticides that are prescribed for your particular problem.

How to Store and Transport Pesticides

• Always pack or load pesticides in such a manner that the containers will not be damaged.
• Keep the container in a cool place, away from direct sunlight or near the fire.
• Store pesticides away from food and seed.
• Do not store pesticides in containers that normally hold food or soft drinks.

Application Equipment

• Always use equipment that is in good working condition.
• Service your equipment regularly and fix leaks immediately.
• Clean the equipment properly after use and do not leave pesticides in the applicator overnight.
• DO NOT throw the rinsing water into rivers, dams or onto grazing after you have cleaned the equipment.
• Application equipment must be calibrated properly.

In Case Of Spills, Have On Hand A:

• Broom
• Spade
• Supply of dry fine sand.

In case of expired or contaminated material, have on hand: Large containers (1/3 of a 200 l drum) for disposal of contaminated material and empty containers.

Protective Equipment Must Be Available And Used

Protective clothing includes:

• Overalls
• Rubber gloves
• Face shields
• Goggles
• Boots

Disposing of Agrochemical Containers in a Safe Way

• Ensure that the container is empty.
• Rinse the container three (3) times with clean water.
• Put rinsing water into the spray tank and spray it onto the fields.
• Make holes in the container and bury it in a specified area.
• Make use of a collection service to get rid of empty containers.

• The pit must be at least 50 m from any water source (river, dam, spring, borehole, etc.).
• Line the pit with a 3 to 5 cm thick layer of lime.
• Put flattened containers and other farm waste in the pit in layers not more than 10 to 15 cm deep.
• Cover the pit between deposits to prevent the contents from getting wet when it rains.
• When the pit has been filled to a level 50 cm from the top, seal and compact it with soil and stack the top with a final mound to force rainwater to run off.
• Erect a signpost in the area that indicates its purpose.