Basics for keeping safe
Protect your health. Take care of yourself and others when using pesticides.
Before spraying
Read your pesticide label to find out what to do if things go wrong. Make sure you know your emergency contacts and know what to do in the event of a major pesticide spill or pesticide poisoning.
Consider your health. Spraying pesticides safely takes skill, so you must be fit and well to use pesticides. If your health is not at its best, delay spraying until you are fit. Consider these health symptoms that could lead to excess exposure to pesticides.
- Migraine or blurred vision may stop you from fully focusing on the spraying task.
- Cuts or sores on your skin may allow the pesticide to be absorbed more easily through the damaged skin.
- A cold or sore eyes may distract you as it may not be safe to wipe your nose or eyes.
- Bandages or plasters, pesticide absorbed into the fabric can be in contact with your skin for a long time.
- Aches, pains or fevers may stop you from carrying and using the sprayer safely.
If your health is not at its best, delay spraying until you are fit.
During spraying
Care for yourself and others. Do not take risks. Know how to avoid harm and follow best practices. Refer to your pesticide label: make sure that you use the right PPE to protect your eyes, face, lungs, hands, feet, body and head.
Wash your hands with soap as often as you need to, in particular before: using anything that someone else may touch touching someone else eating or drinking. smoking, using a toilet
If your PPE and/or clothing becomes contaminated: stop spraying and remove the knapsack sprayer remove the contaminated PPE/clothing and put it in a thick plastic bag shower/wash yourself put on clean clothing and PPE. Find and fix the cause. Check your sprayer, check your spraying practice.
Wash your gloves before removing them to wash your hands.
After spraying
After using pesticides and cleaning your knapsack sprayer, wash your gloves. Then remove your PPE carefully, so that you do not further contaminate your PPE.
Wash/shower your whole body with soap as soon as you can.
Put on clean PPE (at least clean coveralls or shirt and trousers and clean gloves)
and wash your spraying clothes separate from other clothes, in detergent and hot water.