Safety with farm chemicals

Keep the following in mind when handling agricultural chemicals:

• Always check the product label! The label provides specific information on the proper selection of protective clothing for the chemical.
• Make wearing protective gloves a habit when handling pesticides. Never use leather, paper or fabric gloves when working with pesticides. These materials easily absorb and hold liquids and dusts, and can become a serious source of exposure.
• Replace protective gloves often, even if they may not appear worn or contaminated.
• Wear chemical-resistant boots or footwear during most mixing, loading and application jobs. Never wear leather or canvas shoes, as they will absorb chemicals.
• Always protect your eyes from pesticides. Use a face shield or goggles when you are using pressurized equipment or liquid concentrates.
• Consider wearing a respirator during mixing and loading and/or during long periods of exposure to highly toxic pesticides which create fine dusts or mists.
• Keep plenty of clean water accessible. Should contact with chemicals occur, they can be quickly rinsed off.
• Mix and load chemicals on a concrete pad. Should a spill occur, this reduces the chance that the chemicals will escape into the ground and cause contamination.
• Make sure that only people who are properly trained and certified handle the chemicals on your operation.