News Release
April 16, 2009

UW extension offers worker protection standards class in Cody and Powell

The University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service (UW CES) is offering for employers the Introduction to Worker Protection Standards class in Cody and Powell Tuesday, April 28.

The session in Cody is 9-11 a.m. in the EOC room in the Park County Courthouse basement, and 1-3 p.m. in Powell in the multi-purpose room at the Park County Fairgrounds.

Worker protection standards (WPS) cover such topics as mixing and handling pesticides, posting fields, field wash stations, field re-entry intervals, personal protective equipment, personal hygiene and decontamination supplies, field or greenhouse spray records and emergency contact numbers.

Rural residents, greenhouse owners, foresters, nursery owners, seed companies, labor contractors, commercial applicators, crop consultants and farmers may need to provide Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-approved WPS training to employees.

 “Employers protect themselves and employees by ensuring everyone on the operation knows safety procedures and follows them,” said Sandra Frost, UW CES educator based in Powell and serving Big Horn, Fremont, Hot Springs, Park and Washakie counties and the Wind River Indian Reservation. “Employers have responsibilities under WPS to provide a safe working environment.”

Agricultural employers must assure untrained workers receive basic pesticide safety information before they enter a treated area on the establishment. No more than five days after their employment has commenced, all untrained agricultural workers must receive the complete WPS pesticide safety training. The training must be delivered in a language the employee understands. The EPA has free training videos in English and Spanish for both workers and pesticide handlers.

Frost said employers can find everything they need to know in the EPA publication “How to Comply with the Worker Protection Standard for Agricultural Pesticides: What Employers Need to Know” available at www.epa.gov/oecaagct/htc.html. Employers can find more information on the Web at www.epa.gov/opp00001/health/worker.htm. Worker protection posters are available from Frost.

To register for the classes or more information, contact Frost at (307) 754-8836 or sfrost1@uwyo.edu.

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Contact: Steven L. Miller, Senior Editor
Phone: (307) 766-6342
E-mail: slmiller@uwyo.edu
Archived News Site http://uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/UWAG/news.asp

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