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Tip for Your Operation: Sweeping Changes to the Worker Protection Standard...
Story Date: 1/3/2018
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Source: Anna Genasci, Asst. Director of Education, AGSAFE
Sweeping Changes to the Worker Protection Standard Impacts All Farms
On January 1, 2016, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized the revisions to the agriculture worker protection standard (WPS). The WPS is a federal regulation that applies to pesticide handlers and workers in areas where pesticides are used in production agriculture. The goal is to help protect the nation’s two million agricultural workers from pesticide related incidents and repeated exposure in hopes to create a healthier workforce. The first WPS was published in 1992 and implemented in 1995. Twenty years later, EPA saw the need to strengthen those regulations. According to EPA, there are 1,800-3,000 incidents annually involving pesticide exposure. The new regulations will offer similar health protections that are already given to workers in other industries.
http://www.ciclt.net/ul/ncagbc/DecWPS.PDF
The NC Agribusiness Council (NCAg) has a strategic collaboration with AgSafe to provide NCAg members with practitioner-based solutions and resources to advance our industries' commitment to a safe and compliant workforce as well as a healthy and safe food supply. As a member of NCAg, your organization is a member of AgSafe. To learn more about AgSafe, visit www.AgSafe.org or if you have a question or need assistance on topics such as worker safety, human resources, pesticide compliance, labor relations and food safety issues, call the NCAg/AgSafe help line at 800.434.6011. This helpline is an exclusive benefit of NCAg Membership.
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