Total Landscape Care Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/85702
Tear out & share with your crew Spraying Chemicals BY OLIVIA GRIDER Follow product labels and use caution to minimize risks. THE ACCIDENT: A 27-year-old landscape work- er is spraying insecticide at a residential estate when a breeze picks up. Seemingly each time he turns his back to the wind, it changes direction and a cloud of the chemical washes over his face and bare arms. By the time the worker fi nishes the job, he has a head- ache, feels nauseated and dizzy, is sweating profusely and is experiencing muscle tremors. A co-worker calls 911. When emergency personnel arrive, they ask for the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for the chemical the man was using, and a crew member retrieves it from the company truck. Doctors use the information to treat the worker, who recovers. THE BOTTOM LINE: Do not apply landscape chemicals on rainy or windy days. Rain can wash chemicals into runoffs, and wind will keep them in the air, where they are a danger to you and others. Even in the absence of wind, wear the gear indicated on the product label – usually pants, a Warning Signs Place chemical application notifi cation fl ags along driveways and walkways on properties so anyone near a treated area will know a hazardous chemical has been applied. long-sleeved shirt, eye protection, chemical-resistant gloves and sometimes a respirator. Ask homeowners whether they have children or pets and, if they do, tell them when, according to the product label, it will be safe for them to re-enter treated areas. TO FURTHER REDUCE RISKS: Read and understand the product label of every chemical. Have the MSDS for the chemicals you use on hand. Wash your hands with soap and water immediately after applying chemicals to minimize exposure from touching your face, food, a vehicle steering wheel, etc. Shower after work, and wash work clothes separately from other clothes. May 2012 / TOTAL LANDSCAPE CARE