Clothing and Personal Equipment Used by Fruit Growers and Workers When Handling Pesticides

Fruit growers and workers were surveyed to determine the types of protective clothing and equipment they would wear while mixing and applying Parathion and Captan; their knowledge of pesticide hazard; and the relationships between knowledge of hazard, demographic data, and clothing and equipment choices. The data indicate that the growers and workers often do not wear recommended clothing and equipment when handling pesticides. The majority of the sample would normally wear work shirts and pants for mixing and spraying either pesticide. Nearly 50 percent of the respondents would wear waterproof gloves and respirators when handling Parathion. A statistically significant relationship was found between respondents' knowledge of the relative hazard of Parathion and the use of protective clothing. Growers and workers rating Parathion as "very hazardous" would use more protective clothing and equipment than would those giving Parathion a lower rating. The results suggest that agencies with major responsibilities for training and advising growers and workers on pesticide safety should give greater emphasis to the protective gear needed for pesticides with varying toxicities.