In response and to support the EPA’s goal to ensure the agricultural workforce is appropriately protected from pesticide exposure, the EPA is issuing this memorandum to provide temporary guidance for agricultural handler employers and pesticide handlers.
The EPA has developed this document with the goal of continuing to protect the health of pesticide handlers while acknowledging the challenges that handler employers and pesticide handlers may face with respect to personal protective equipment (PPE). Other federal agencies address how to protect the agricultural workforce from COVID-19 and the prioritization of PPE.
Section II outlines four compliance options for handler employers and pesticide handlers that EPA will deem to satisfy applicable regulatory requirements for the duration of the public health emergency. Section III provides additional information to consider when dealing with shortages of respiratory protection and fit testing services caused by the COVID-19 public health emergency.
In order to provide fair and sufficient notice to the public, the EPA will post a notification at https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/covid-19-enforcement-and-compliance-resources and www.epa.gov/pesticides at least seven days prior to terminating this temporary policy.
View the entire document here: