Protective Gear And Safety Equipment

All chemicals should be considered hazardous until indicated otherwise. Plant protection products can be hazardous to humans, animals and to the environment. When PPPs are being applied, health and safety regulations must be strictly obeyed.

In terms of planning the PPP applications, the requirements for protective gear and safety equipment for that particular chemical must be known to all who will take part in the application. The contact numbers for emergency services must be displayed prominently in a place where all workers have access. It could be the Changing room.)

It is of utmost importance that the user is adequately protected when using plant protection products. Pictograms are displayed on product labels advising on the protective gear and safety equipment that are necessary when handling a particular chemical.

Advice Pictograms

The biggest risk to the person that handles and applies PPPs is poisoning! The chemical can enter a person’s body in the following three manners:

• By way of the mouth (orally)
• Through contact with the skin (dermal contact)
• By breathing (inhalation)

The most common manner of poisoning is through dermal contact. The following protective clothing must be available to those who use PPP to eliminate the risk of poisoning.

Cotton Overalls – Cotton, in comparison with lightweight synthetic alternatives, has shown to be superior in durability, protectiveness and comfort. A two-piece overall is preferable.

Apron – An apron is used when mixing chemicals in case of spillage.

Raincoat and Hat – This protecting gear is used when foliar spraying is applied with mist blowers to protect the tractor driver against skin contact.

Goggles – Eye protection when working with chemicals is essential.

Unlined Rubber Gloves – Wearing rubber gloves decreases the possibility of skin contact.

Rubber Boots – Rubber boots or gumboots are worn to further decrease the chance of dermal exposure.

Facemask – A facemask is used as protection against inhalation.

Respirator – A respirator protects the user more effectively against inhalation, as it provides a separate supply of oxygen. Respirators are used if specified on the product label.

Contact Details of Emergency Services

Contact details of emergency services must be readily available to all persons who use PPPs. Display emergency telephone numbers close to the telephone so that they are easily noticeable and easy to find.

The following is a list of helpful numbers that should be available:

• Bateleur (a call centre that provides emergency advice)
• Poisons Information Centre (University of the Free State)
• Poisons Information Centre (Red Cross WMC Hospital)
• Tygerberg Pharmaceutical and Toxicology Consultation Centre
• Local doctor
• Local hospital
• Ambulance service

Pre-Application Checklist

A pre-application checklist can now be compiled from the above information. The format of the pre-application checklist is not standard, and different farms may use different methods or formats for this purpose.

It is however essential that this type of information is recorded in a format that is easy to use for the persons responsible for the application. The checklist must contain all the necessary information to avoid confusion and the need to consult various records.

A pre-application is prepared for every application that has to be done according to the crop protection program. The pre-application checklists can then be used during the application to verify that the application is done correctly.

After the application has been completed, the pre-application checklist is filed with the application reports as part of the records kept for the farm.

Below is an example of a pre-application checklist.

Important Notes

• To protect a crop against pests and diseases one needs a compilation of a crop protection program and pre-application planning.
• The most important components of pre-application planning are the plant protection products, application methods, application equipment and health and safety requirements.
• Plant protection products are classified as pesticides, fungicides and herbicides.
• Plant protection products must be registered with the Department of Agriculture for specific uses and may only be used for the purpose for which they are registered.
• The information displayed on the product label is full usage instructions, a physical description, the chemical composition, the toxicity, the pre-harvest interval and the expiry date of the product.
• The crop protection manager must ensure that the required products are available in sufficient quantities.
• Application methods mostly used are foliar sprays, trunk applications and soil drenching.
• The three main types of foliar applications are light covering, medium coverage and full covering spraying.
• The equipment requirements are calculated based on the area of application, the period available for the application and the number of workers available.
• Knapsacks, handguns, mist blowers (spraying machines) and crop spraying aircraft are commonly used for foliar applications, depending on the size of the trees and the spraying requirements.
• Calibra applicators or paintbrushes are mostly used for trunk applications.
• Measuring cups and jugs are used for soil drenching.
• The health and safety requirements include the use of protective gear and safety equipment and displaying emergency contact details in an accessible place.
• The protective gear and safety equipment that is required is indicated on the label of each product with pictograms.
• The pre-application checklist must include all the information required to complete the application.