Fresh from the orchard: Best practices for preventing pesticide exposure

The tree fruit industry is prominent in Washington State; the annual revenue in 2007 was approximately 2.3 billion dollars. These orchards span over 200,000 acres and employ thousands of workers annually. Many orchard employees work with pesticides, and there is concern regarding exposure.

University of Washington's Pacific Northwest Agriculture Safety and Health Center (PNASH) interviewed orchard managers and workers, industrial hygienists, and pesticide safety educators to investigate their views on pesticide exposure and prevention strategies. Interviews were analyzed qualitatively, and results are being combined with field observations, surveys, and published literature in a best practices document. The goal of this document is to identify practical and affordable solutions for preventing pesticide exposure and to share novel approaches already being used in orchards.

An integral part of the project is the collaboration that has been set up with a group deemed the Expert Working Group (EWG). The EWG is composed of orchard managers who have had extensive experience working in orchards. Members from PNASH have been holding regular meetings with the EWG throughout the progression of the document. This group has largely formed the direction of the project, given valuable insight to the true concerns of workers, and assisted in identifying orchards for surveys and field observations.

The best practices document addresses the need for protection of those who work with pesticides, taking examples and strategies directly from orchards. It is also a unique example of collaborating with those who are intimately acquainted with the intricacies of the orchard workplace.