OPERATOR EXPOSURE GUIDANCE FOR AMATEUR (HOME GARDEN) PESTICIDES
CONTENTS
(i)
Packaging
(ii)
Classification and Personal Protective Equipment
(iii) Exposure assessment – Users
a)
b)
c)
d)
Spray Application
Ready to Use Products - Aerosol and Trigger Sprays
Dustable Powder formulations
Granule application
(iv) Exposure assessment – Bystanders
(v) Exposure assessment – Children (spray applications)
(vi) Exposure assessment – Children (granule applications)
This document does not replace the approach outlined in the European
Food Safety Authority (EFSA) guidance document[1] on the assessment
of operator, worker and resident & bystander exposure to plant
protection products, however it may be used in the absence of relevant
guidance. The content of this document is to be reviewed and may be
amended at any time. The applicant should ensure that where relied
upon, the guidance reflects the latest edition issued on the HSE website.
(i)
Packaging
The product should be supplied in appropriately sized packaging so that when
applied in typical home garden situations all of the pesticide will be used within two
seasons after purchase. For products supplied as concentrates, pack sizes up to 1
litre/kilogram will typically provide a sufficient volume for two seasons use. For
larger pack sizes the applicant should justify the maximum pack size being sought
by reference to the uses being proposed (in terms of application rates / number of
applications) and the areas typically being treated. Please refer to the guidance
document on pesticide containers for further details regarding limitations on
maximum pack size.
These requirements apply to all new product applications. For existing products,
these will be applied either when changes to the conditions of approval are made
which require technical evaluation by HSE or at re-registration.
(ii)
Classification and Personal Protective Equipment
The appropriate PPE specified for a product is determined by two separate factors.

The hazard classification of the product. Certain toxicological classification may
require specific PPE to be worn e.g. an eye irritant may necessitate the wearing of
a face shield when handling the concentrate. The PPE imposed depends upon the
severity of the effects demonstrated in the toxicological tests and a qualitative
consideration of the risk of exposure. Products are assessed on a case by case
basis.

PPE may also be required to reduce exposure to an acceptable level (i.e. to within
the relevant reference dose) when using the product according to the label
recommendations (e.g. opening, mixing, loading, applying, cleaning and handling
contaminated surfaces). This will be based on a quantitative assessment of the risk
to operators.
Approval cannot be given for products used in the home garden sector where the use of
personal protective equipment (PPE) is required to ensure the risk to users is within
acceptable limits.
(iii) Exposure assessment – Amateur Users
[1]
Guidance on the assessment of exposure of operators, workers, residents and bystanders in risk
assessment for plant protection products: EFSA Journal 2014;12(10):3874
In the absence of specific usage information on the intended uses of a product, the
following areas are considered as representative areas for home garden use;




Lawn – 200 square metres
Ornamentals – 50 square metres
Fruit and vegetables – 50 square metres
Patio and paths– 50 square metres
a)
Spray Application
Exposure for home garden users applying pesticide sprays may be quantified using the
UK Predictive Operator Exposure Model (UK POEM) for hand-held application. A specific
exposure model for amateur users has been produced, which assumes a 5 litre hand-held
sprayer is used to apply the spray solution, with the duration of the spray task taking
approximately 30 minutes.
Research commissioned by CRD has shown that levels of operator exposure
when decanting home garden concentrates may differ from the UK POEM
pouring values established for professional products. Reports of these
studies on amateur packaging are available on the Defra website (PA1722
and PS2007). These studies demonstrate that:


containers with integral squeeze-to-fill measuring chambers are likely
to result in lower levels of contamination, and may be easier for
amateurs to use, than containers which require the use of separate
measuring equipment; and
containers with measuring caps (or separate measures which are
stored inverted on the cap after use) may result in higher levels of
contamination from contact with product draining from the measure
down the outside of the container).
Based on these data, the following values have been agreed for the level of
hand contamination when handling home garden liquid concentrates. These
values have been included in the UK POEM spreadsheet for home garden
use.
 Home garden, in-cap measure: 1 ml of formulation per pouring
operation.
 Home garden, separate measure: 0.1 ml of formulation per pouring
operation.
 Home garden integral squeeze-to-fill measuring chamber: 0.01 ml of
formulation per pouring operation.
b)
Ready to Use Products - Aerosol and Trigger Sprays
Levels of operator exposure for non-professionals when using products packaged
in pre-pressurised aerosol cans and hand-held trigger spray containers can be
estimated on the basis of the following data published on the European Chemicals
Bureau (TNsG / TNSG on Human Exposure / Report 2002, Part 2, pages 194 to
197). These data were generated by the (UK) Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL)
in 2001 and considered by the ACP (SC 11000. Consumer exposure to nonagricultural pesticides).
Operator exposure models (Microsoft Excel spreadsheets) based on these
values are available on the HSE website.
Dermal exposure is expressed as mg/min of ready-to-use product. Dermal deposition
rates relate to actual dermal exposure. Inhalation exposure is expressed as mg/m3 of
ready-to-use product. The nominal density of the product is assumed to be 1.0 g/ml.
Pre-pressurised aerosol cans. Model 1: space treatments
Task monitored
Intermittent discharge of a hand-held aerosol can into the air of a small sealed
room (this event was repeated four times). The results (all based on strontium
washings) represent the sum of 4 spraying events. The subjects remained in the
room for 30 seconds after each event before exiting. The aerosol continuous
discharge rate was 2.3 g/s.
The predicted inhalation exposure depends on the dwell time within the area
sprayed and careful judgement is required in the interpretation of both the
measured airborne concentrations and the dermal exposure values. In practice,
the dermal exposure probably occurs mainly during the period of spraying. The
value of the inhalation component results from a 36 second exposure (6 second
release + 30 second dwell time).
Hand and forearmLegs, feet & face Inhaled
Probability of exposure
100%
100%
100%
10 data
10 data
10 data
Range of non-zero values 21.6 to 432 mg/min24.5 to 233 mg/min64 to 374 mg/m3
75th % value 156 mg/min
113 mg/min
234 mg/m3
Pre-pressurised aerosol cans. Model 2 : surface treatments
Task monitored
1995 study: spraying a small room including a sofa, 6 metres of skirting board, 2
dining chairs and 6 m2 of carpet. Hand and forearm dermal measurements only
were taken.
1998 study: spraying a living room containing a 3-piece suite, 6 m2 of carpet and
a pet bed.
Probability of exposure
Range of non-zero values
75th %
value
Hand and
forearm
100%
15 data
Legs, feet &
face
100%
6 data
1.7 to 156
mg/min
64.7 mg/min
17 to 45.2
mg/min
35.7 mg/min
Inhaled
93%
15 data (1 =
zero)
0.33 to 49.5
mg/m3
35.9 mg/m3
For this application scenario use the Aerosol Surface treatment model
Hand-held trigger spray containers. Model : surface treatments
Task monitored
Hand-held trigger spraying 13 m of skirting board, 2 m2 of shelves and 8 m2 of
horizontal and vertical laminate surfaces. The sprayer discharged up to 1.1 g of
product per trigger pull. Note: hand muscles experience rapid fatigue after very
few minutes’ use of these devices. The results were all based on strontium
washings.
Probability of exposure
Range of non-zero values
75th %
value
Hand and
forearm
100%
11 data
3 to 68.2
mg/min
36.1 mg/min
Legs, feet &
face
100%
11 data
1.9 to 12.4
mg/min
9.7 mg/min
Inhaled
100%
11 data
2.6 to 19.5
mg/m3
10.5 mg/m3
For this application scenario use the Trigger spray surface treatment model
c)
Dustable Powder formulations
Levels of operator exposure for non-professionals when using DP
formulations packaged in puffer packs and GR/FG formulations packaged in
shaker packs can be estimated on the basis of the following data published on
the European Chemicals Bureau (TNsG / TNSG on Human Exposure / Report
2002 part 2 page 198). These data were generated by the Health and Safety
Laboratory (HSL) in 2001 and considered by the ACP (SC 11000. Consumer
exposure to non-agricultural pesticides).
Dermal exposure is expressed as mg/min of ready-to-use product. Dermal
deposition rates relate to actual dermal exposure. Inhalation exposure is
expressed as mg/m3 of ready-to-use product. The nominal density of the
product is assumed to be 1.0 g/ml.
Hand-held dusting applicator pack for crack and crevice treatments
Task monitored
Crack and crevice powders for fleas and ants, indoor and outdoor use.
The products were found to be particles of inert filler such as fine talc or
chalk (median 45% of dust less than 75 µm) in a flexible canister with a
single dispense hole with a diameter of 2 to 2.5 mm. A synthetic mixture
with 5% Tinopal and 1% strontium reproduced the finest grade of powder
found from six different products. Volunteers wearing minimal clothing
applied dust in a simulated ant treatment in a kitchen, including 13 m of
skirtings, 2 m2 of shelves and 3 m2 of horizontal laminate surfaces.
Probability of
exposure
Range of nonzero values
75th % value
Hand and
forearm
100%
Legs, feet &
face*
100%
Inhaled
10 data
0.4 to 4.18
mg/min
2.83 mg/min
10 data
0.22 to 6.56
mg/min
2.15 mg/min
10 data
0.21 to 8.01
mg/m3
1.78 mg/m3
100%
For this application scenario use the Puffer pack model
d)
Granule application
At present there is no available exposure model for predicting exposure for amateur users
applying granules (i.e. via a shaker pack). In the absence of specific exposure data for
granule products, the Puffer pack model for users applying dustable powder formulations
via puffer packs could be used as surrogate data for this exposure scenario.
(iv) Exposure assessment – Bystanders
It is expected that exposure for bystanders will not exceed that predicted for
persons applying the product. Therefore where an acceptable exposure
scenario is determined for a user, levels of exposure for bystanders are expected
to be within acceptable levels.
(v) Exposure assessment – Children (spray applications)
Please refer to the relevant sections of The European Food Safety Authority
(EFSA) guidance document1 on the assessment of operator, worker and
resident & bystander exposure to plant protection products
vi) Exposure assessment – Children (granule applications)
For products applied as granules there is a potential for these to be ingested
by children who may enter treated areas soon after the granules after they
have been applied. An example of how a risk assessment could be
conducted for this scenario is given below.
'XXX PK' is a granular product containing 1% w/w active (c), for use as a
soil pest killer in various vegetable crops. The product is to be applied at
a maximum rate of 16g product per m2 (0.16 g active/ m2). Exposure to
this product is calculated from the ingestion of soil by children, using the
product label application rate recommendations.
Active substance concentration in soil = 16 g/m2 (rate of application for
product) × 1% a.s. (concentration of a.s. in product) × 100%/cm (100% of
a.s. in top 1cm of soil) ×106 µg/g × m2/10000 cm2 (conversion factor) ×
0.67 cm3/g (soil density) = 11 µg a.s./g soil.
Exposure to the active substance via ingestion of soil is calculated for a
child ingesting 200 mg soil ingested per day (mean value). This value is
taken from the EPA’s Exposure Factors Handbook (page 431, Table 423).
Children
11 µg a.s./g soil × 0.2 g/day (average daily soil ingestion rate) = 0.0022
mg/child/day. For a child of 15kg bw intake = 0.00014 mg/kg bw/day
1
Guidance on the assessment of exposure of operators, workers, residents and bystanders in risk
assessment for plant protection products: EFSA Journal 2014;12(10):3874