Protecting Yourself

• Discuss basic personal safety precautions you should take
whenever you handle pesticides.
• Explain the role of cholinesterase tests in protecting pesticide
applicators.
• Explain the role of personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Describe how the level of protection provided by PPE can vary.
• Tell how you may be able to tell if a PPE item is not providing
chemical resistance.
• Locate PPE requirements on a pesticide label for a given task.
• Explain the purpose of the EPA PPE selection chart.
• Tell which work clothes you should wear whenever you handle
pesticides.
• Discuss the different levels of protection afforded by work
clothes, coveralls, and aprons.
• Tell why most pesticide labels require you to wear protective
gloves.
• Discuss the proper use (including selection and wearing) of
protective:
– Gloves
– Footwear
– Headgear
– Eyewear
• For each type of respirator covered in your training materials,
tell:
– What level of protection it provides
– When its use is appropriate
– When to replace it or its components
• Regarding respirator fit tests and seal checks:
– Explain their purpose.
– Tell when each is needed.
– Describe how they are conducted.
• Describe the proper storage, inspection, and maintenance of
PPE, including when to discard it.
• Discuss the procedure and safeguards for laundering pesticide contaminated work clothes.