Family-Only Operations and the Worker Protection Standard–Respirators

For the Environmental Protection Agency’s Worker Protection Standard (WPS), family-only operations must comply with personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements, restricted entry intervals, and the application exclusion requirements outlined on the pesticide label.

If the pesticide label requires a respirator, then all steps of respirator protection must be completed by handlers. The first step is a medical evaluation to determine that you can safely wear a respirator. This can be done online (e.g., 3M) or at a local occupational health clinic.

Secondly, handlers must complete a respirator fit test. Fit tests can be done at an occupational health facility or by purchasing a respirator fit test kit from an agricultural supplier (e.g., Gempler’s, etc.). You must be clean-shaven to receive a fit test and bring the respirator that you use to the appointment.

Once you have completed the medical evaluation and the fit test, the final part of the WPS respirator requirements is respirator training. Respirator training must be completed annually and may include studying the respirator owner’s manual, the Pesticide Educational Resources Collaborative (PERC) respirator guide, or attending a training. The respirator training must cover the following topics:

• need for using a respirator
• respirator fit, usage, and maintenance
• selecting and scheduling for changing cartridges and canisters
• effective respirator use in emergencies
• inspecting, wearing, using, and checking seals
• respirator maintenance and storage
• recognizing medical signs and symptoms that may limit or prevent the effective use of respirators

If you use products that require a respirator, the WPS requires you to wear one and be fit-tested annually. If you cannot pass a fit test for whatever reason, you need to find a different product that does not require a respirator to manage your pests. Contact the manufacturer of the current product you are using and ask whether they have another product that performs similarly against the target pest but does not require a respirator. The only other option is to purchase a loose-fitting Powered Air-Purifying Respirator (PAPR), which does not require an annual fit test but does require a medical evaluation and annual training.

Rather than thinking of the WPS as just another regulation, remember that respirator protection exists to safeguard you from the harmful effects of pesticide exposure. In some situations, even when it is not required, wearing a respirator is a smart choice. Protecting your own health and your employees' health should always be your top priority. 

For more information about the respirator requirements for the WPS or general compliance questions, contact Joni Davis, Rural Health Farm Worker Protection Safety Specialist, via email at WPSprogram@psu.edu. To find a respirator fit test event near you, contact Shane Williams from the Penn State Pesticide Education Program at stw5035@psu.edu or call 814-863-9606.