Acing Worker Protection Standard (WPS) Safety Training

{Sponsored} Pesticide safety training is one aspect of employee training that can’t be underdone. As of Jan. 2, 2018, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires that Worker Protection Standard (WPS) safety training be performed with all employees before entering an area where a Restricted Entry Interval (REI) was in place within the past 30 days and then at least every 12 months, regardless of whether or not those employees are applying pesticides.  Pesticide handlers and early entry workers must receive additional training prior to performing these types of tasks and then at least every 12 months.

In order to cover all of your bases, these aspects need to be included in your WPS safety training for all workers and handlers. All training material used must be approved by the EPA, and the EPA approval number must be included in your training documentation.

They key areas of the WPS are: inform, protect, mitigate. “The requirements in the WPS are intended to inform workers and handlers about pesticide safety, provide protections from potential exposure to pesticides and mitigate exposures that do occur,“ as stated in an online EPA guide about the WPS.

You can view the full Worker Protection Standard (WPS) and learn about what is required of you, as employers, at https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-worker-safety/agricultural-worker-protection-standard-wps.

To ensure your employees are prepared to safely handle or avoid pesticide applications within the greenhouse, training must be completed for all employees every 12 months. Coach employees on any questions missed during testing and be sure they understand all of the safety requirements before they are allowed to enter an area where an REI existed within the past 30 days or handle pesticides.

To check your coverage to ensure it includes greenhouse chemical incidents, please call

1-800-541-5082 or contact your agent. For more information about the greenhouse industry insurance leader, visit Hortica.com.

Note: The EPA and other governing bodies may change requirements at any time with or without notice to the authors of this document; as such, all employers must defer to the current EPA regulations about chemical safety rather than to this document. The updated requirements will supercede what is written here, and the authors or copyright holders of this document may not be held liable for the contents here. 

Hortica® property and casualty coverages are underwritten, and loss control services are provided, by Florists’ Mutual Insurance Company, Florists’ Insurance Company, and Florists’ Insurance Service, Inc., Edwardsville, IL, members of the Sentry Insurance Group. For more information, visit hortica.com. Policies, coverages, benefits and discounts are not available in all states. See policy for complete coverage details.

This document is made available by Sentry Insurance a Mutual Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates (collectively “SIAMCO”) with the understanding that SIAMCO is not engaged in the practice of law, nor is it rendering legal advice. The information contained in this document is of a general nature and is not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity, nor the best practices applicable to any particular individual or entity. Legal obligations may vary by state and locality, and best practices are unique to specific items and situations. No one should act on the information contained in this document without advice from a local professional with relevant expertise.

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