Farmworkers and Pesticide Exposure
Exposure to pesticides, or chemicals that kill pests on plants and food crops, can be very dangerous to human health. Excessive exposure to pesticides can harm a person internally due to poisoning, or externally due to injuries. Some pesticides contain high levels of toxins, and a small amount can severely impact human health. Even at low levels, chemicals in pesticides can have detrimental effects with overexposure. The toxicity of chemicals can depend heavily on how they enter the body.
Chemicals can enter the body in a few ways:
- Dermal absorption – toxin is absorbed into the skin and enters the bloodstream.
- Inhalation – toxin is breathed in and enters the lungs and airways.
- Ingestion – toxin is eaten and enters the digestive system.
As a general rule, chemicals that are ingested are more toxic than chemicals that are inhaled, and chemicals that are inhaled are more toxic than chemicals that are absorbed through the skin. Some of the toxic effects of pesticide exposure are short-term or long-term, and reversible or irreversible. Sometimes full recovery from the effects of pesticides can take a long. The symptoms of pesticide exposure can vary based on the type of pesticide and the way it enters the body.
Symptoms of pesticide toxicity in humans are:
- Minor skin irritation
- Allergy-like symptoms
- Strong headaches
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Coma
- Convulsions
A chemical’s level of toxicity is determined by whether a chemical exposure will make you sick at low, infrequent doses, and high, frequent doses. Higher doses mean greater impacts.
- Acute Toxicity – The toxicity of a chemical after a single, short-term exposure. This typically describes the effects that happen immediately or in the first 24 hours after exposure. These effects are often indicated on product labels with signal words like “CAUTION” on relatively or slightly toxic chemicals, “WARNING” on moderately toxic chemicals, AND “POISON” on highly toxic chemicals.
- Sub-chronic Toxicity – The toxicity of a chemical after repeated exposures over several weeks or months to years of exposure.
- Chronic Toxicity – The toxicity of a chemical after repeated or continuous exposures over many months, years, or a lifetime. This type of toxicity can impact not only those working directly with pesticides, but also the general public should they come into regular contact with the chemical.
Significant exposure to pesticides can occur during mixing and loading pesticide products, applying the spray solution, and cleaning the spraying equipment. One way to reduce pesticide exposure among farmworkers is to encourage the use of adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Waterproof, synthetic fabrics are more protective against pesticides than non-waterproof fabrics like cotton. The proper use and wearing of PPE is critical to maximize their protective capabilities.
Types of PPE:
- Gloves
- Boots
- Hats
- Long sleeve shirts
- Chemical-resistant coveralls
If you suspect that you or someone you know has been exposed to pesticides and need medical attention, call 911 or contact the Poison Control Center at 800-222-1222.