4063.0: Tuesday, November 14, 2000 - Board 2

Abstract #11625

Farmworker illness following exposure to pesticide drift in Kings County California, 1999

Patrice M. Sutton, MPH1, Rupali Das, MD, MPH2, Daniza Abascal1, Bernadette Santamaria, MPH1, John Beckman1, and Robert Harrison, MD, MPH1. (1) Occupational Health Branch, California Department of Health Services, 1515 Clay Street Suite 1901, Oakland, CA 94612, 510-622-4382, psutton1@dhs.ca.gov, (2) California Department of Health Services, Occupational Health Branch, Public Health Institute, 1515 Clay Street, Suite 1901, Oakland, CA 94612

The Sentinal Event Notification of Occupational Risk (SENSOR) Pesticide Poisoning Prevention Project is conducted by the California Department of Health Services through the support of NIOSH and US EPA. In 1999, a field was sprayed aerially with naled, chlorpyrifos and mepiquat chloride. One hour later, 24 farm workers began working in a second, adjacent field. After complaining of odor and illness, the workers were moved to a third field. The third field was adjacent to a fourth field that had been sprayed about one hour before with chlorpyrifos. Two and one-half hours after arriving at work, 15 of 24 workers left work. Eight workers (33%) sought medical care and were hospitalized. At least six of the hospitalized workers went home prior to decontamination and medical care. Of 24 exposed workers, 10 (42%) were interviewed by SENSOR staff eight days after the incident. Seven of the workers interviewed were hospitalized, one sought medical care three days after the incident, and two did not seek medical care. All workers interviewed were symptomatic following the incident. Symptoms most commonly reported were: headache (90%), anxiety and irritability (80%), muscle weakness (70%), nausea (70%), shortness of breath (70%), wheezing (60%), throat irritation (60%), and eye irritation (60%). Eight days after the incident, 80% of the workers interviewed remained symptomatic. The hazards posed by aerial applications of pesticides, the need for prompt decontamination and medical care for exposed workers, the potential for secondary contamination of family members, and recommendations to prevent pesticide poisoning will be presented.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this presentation, the participant in this session will be able to: 1. Describe an incident of pesticide poisoning among farmworkers; 2. Recognize the risk of pesticide exposure to farmworkers' health; 3. Identify measures to prevent pesticide exposure among farmworkers

Keywords: Pesticide Exposure, Migrant Workers

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: California Department of Health Services, Occupational Health Branch
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

The 128th Annual Meeting of APHA