Pesticide Safety & Environmental Education
Eye Protection
For Pesticide Applicators
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www.extension.umn.edu/pesticides
The Pesticide Label
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pesticidepics.org
Risk Assessment
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Toxicity
Formulation
Use pattern
Exposure
Dose
Closed-mixing
VERY RARELY would this much
systems
protection be warranted,
Topics
 Requirements
 Eye
for Eye Protection
Hazards
 Ways to Protect Eyes
 Pesticide Labels and MSDSs
 First Aid
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How often do you wear eye protection
when using or handling pesticides?
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2.
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6.
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All the time
Always when the label requires
Sometimes when the label requires
Only in high risk situations
Seldom/never, even when label requires
Don’t use pesticides that require eye
protection
Requirements for Eye
Protection
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Eye Protection Requirements
OSHA (federal)
 MNOSHA (OSHA plus MN state
requirements)
 Worker Protection Standard
 Eye PPE meets ANSI Z87 standards
 Pesticide Label and MSDS
Requirements are minimums – can do more if
you feel situation requires it to provide full
protection
 Employer policies
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Eye Hazards
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Eye Hazards
Harm to eyes is one of the most common on
the job injury in the United States
 Easily prevented
 Pesticides may harm eyes through:
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Poisoning via dose (amount that enters the body)
Irritant
Cornea damage
Corrosive / chemical burn
Allergic reaction
Eye damage and even blindness
Eyes Are Extremely Absorbent
Blood vessels very close to the surface of
the eye
 For size, able to absorb large amounts of
chemical
 Chemicals harm eyes directly (contact
harm) or can move elsewhere in the body
(systemic harm)
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Eye Hazards

Pesticides vary in toxicity and corrosiveness
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Active ingredient (the pesticide)
Formulation - physical form
Formulation - other or inert ingredients
Pesticide Eye Exposure: Sources
Dusts, particles, mist, vapors, liquids
 Floating in air, splashes, drift, broken hoses,
spills
 Rubbing eyes with contaminated hands or
clothing
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Eye Risk
Source Chemical
Chemical Reaches the Eye (exposure)
Chemical that Enters the Body (dose)
Source
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eye surface (exposure) inside eye (dose)
Preventing Exposure
Engineering
 Proper storage and disposal
 Packaging and closed-handling systems to load
pesticides
 During application (sprayer hoods, enclosed cabs)
Behaviors
 Safety practice
 Wearing PPE
 Knowing First Aid for eyes
 Decontamination procedures (PPE removal and
cleaning)
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Personal Protective Equipment
(PPE)
PPE – Last Line of Defense
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The Pesticide Label
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Who is Exposed?
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Mixer-loaders
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Applicators
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Equipment
maintenance
PPE is noted on
the label per
task
Lorsban 4E (2012)
National PPE Effort
2010 NIOSH National
Personal Protection
Technology Laboratory
 Extension Pesticide Safety
Education Coordinators
 EPA
 Pesticide Manufacturers
 PPE manufacturer
 Other researchers

Pesticide Label PPE Database
Developed by Dr. Anugrah Shaw.
 Looked at 1,864 labels in CDMS for PPE
requirements
 Information assists in determining the scope of
the issue with the current PPE requirements
on the label.
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Protective
Eyewear
Requirements
Protective
eyewear is
required for
Toxicity
Categories I
and II
Protective
Headwear
Requirements
 Headwear is required for Dermal
Toxicity Category I or II products
that might involve overhead
exposure.
 48 labels that require headgear
require long-sleeved shirt and
long pants
 the lowest level of protection
for the rest of the body.
 Rain suits/chemical resistant
suits are often worn for orchard
spraying where not only the
head but the entire back is wet
from exposure.
Ways to Protect Eyes
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Face Shields
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For minimal exposure
conditions
do not fully protect eyes
against splashes
Provides full face protection from particle impacts
– better if bottom curves inward towards chin
Comfort and less fogging
Good protection against impacts
Helps protect face from corrosive pesticides
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Shielded Safety
Glasses
For minimal exposure
conditions
do not fully protect eyes against splashes
 Brow shields and side shields
 Should have scratch resistant lenses
 For comfort and low fogging
 Many styles for those who want something
more attractive with options for sunglasses
and ‘readers’
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Goggles
For good eye protection
against splashes
 Must fit secure against face all around the eyes
 Polycarbonate lenses protect eyes from impacts
 Direct vent goggles do not fully protect eyes
against splashes
 Use indirect vent or no vent goggles for
splash protection & when label says ‘goggles’
 Some have fog free lenses and/or ‘readers’
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Full Face Respirator
If label requires respiratory
protection can wear label
required eye protection
with half face respirator
 Full face respirator provides maximum
protection for eyes and face due to air tight
seal to skin
 Respirators have special medical, fit testing and
user leak check requirements
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Sources for Eye Protection
Gempler’s
 3M
 Viking Industrial Center (safety supply)
 Grainger
 Many many other suppliers
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Eye PPE Maintenance
Each item should be assigned and fitted to
each person – find correct size and model for
different size faces.
 Equipment should not be shared
 Equipment should not block peripheral vision
 Discard scratched, damaged or stained items
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Cleaning Eye PPE
Clean all eye PPE after each use
 ALWAYS Follow manufacturer’s directions for
cleaning.
 Some types of eye PPE:
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Non-detergent soap and water
Soak for 10 minutes
Rinse with running water
Air dry or use cloth designed for cleaning eyewear
Storing Eye PPE
Store goggles and safety glasses first in their
cases.
 Store all eye PPE in clean, dust proof sealable
container (box, bag, etc.) away from pesticides
and pesticide residues
 If not cleaned, do not store inside vehicle or
cab
 Store away from heat and sunlight as they may
effect plastic components
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Contact Lenses
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Avoid wearing if possible
Consult with your doctor
Wear any required eye protection over your contact
lenses – contacts provide no protection to your eyes
Have an extra pair of lenses or prescription eye
glasses with you
Safety glasses and goggles with prescription lenses are
available
Certain types of goggles can be worn over regular
prescription glasses
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Pesticide Labels and
MSDSs
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Interpreting Labels for PPE
Not all the info you need
to select, use and maintain
PPE to adequately protect
yourself is found on the
label or MSDS
 Labels tell you the kind of
eye hazards and
requirements to protect
eyes
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Labels - Look For:
Signal Word
 Hazard to Humans and Domestic Animals
statement
 First Aid section
 PPE requirements
 Agricultural Use Box (for WPS labels)
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Label Language If Based on Eyes
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Danger (tox I) Corrosive. Causes irreversible eye
damage. Do not get in eyes or on clothing. (Lists
specific eye protection to wear.)
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Warning (tox II) Causes substantial but
temporary eye injury. Do not get in eyes or on
clothing. (Lists specific eye protection to wear.)
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Caution (tox III) Causes moderate eye irritation.
Avoid contact with eyes or clothing. (May require
eye protection.)
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Caution (tox IV) no eye statements /
requirements
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Labels Says…Wear:
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‘Wear protective eyewear’
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‘Wear safety glasses’
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Face shield, shielded safety glasses, indirect vent
goggles or full face respirator
shielded safety glasses, indirect vent goggles or full
face respirator
Wear goggles’
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indirect vent goggles or full face respirator
What are your options?
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MSDS look for:
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Section 2: Hazardous
Ingredients
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Section 6 Hazard Data
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health effects
Section 7 Prevention
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toxicity, exposure levels and
more
PPE, safety practices
Section 8: First Aid
First Aid
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If it is in the eyes….
Act as fast as possible…
Even a couple of seconds can make a difference…
As eyes can quickly absorb large amounts of chemical…
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If it is in the eyes….
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2.
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5.
6.
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Activate eyewash station
Continuously rinse the eye for 15 minutes
dripping water across the eye
Remove contact lenses after 5 minutes, if
wearing
If only one eye is involved, be careful not to
contaminate the other eye.
Flush water under the eyelids for debris.
Then cover the eye with a clean piece of
cloth and seek medical attention immediately.
Worker Protection Standard
Workers and Handlers:
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Enough water for routine washing and eye flushing
Water available at all times
Quality & temp will not cause illness or injury
Water kept from contamination by pesticides
Early Entry Workers
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1 pint of water per worker if label
requires eye protection carried
by worker or immediately accessible
Plumbed Eye Wash Stations
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Plumbed Eye Wash Stations
Eyewash and shower stations must meet ANSI
Z358 standards
 Many faucet-mounted stations do not meet
ANSI standards
 Water must be between 60 F and 100 F ensure the eyes and face can be flushed for 15
minutes
 Once activated must be hands-free operation
 Be10 seconds or less away from worker
 Nozzles capped or covered
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Self-contained Portable Stations
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For places not practical to have plumbed eye
wash station.
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Self-contained Portable Stations
Must provide 0.4 gallons a minute for 15
minutes (six-gallon capacity).
 The potable water or approved flushing fluid
must be replaced after any use and at intervals
recommended by the manufacturer.
 Nozzle covered to prevent contamination
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Eye Wash Squeeze Bottles
Are not hands-free and can not provide
enough water for 15 minute eye wash
 Best as an interim emergency measure - get to
eyewash station ASAP to complete 15 minute
wash
 Not acceptable replacement
for places where OSHA requires
eye
wash stations
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Are regular glasses ever acceptable
eye protection when handling
pesticides
1.
2.
3.
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No
Only when label has no
protective eye wear
requirement
Yes, for most situations
Who should care most about
your eyes?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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OSHA
MN-OSHA
EPA
MDA
Extension Educators
You
Pesticide Safety & Environmental Education
www.extension.umn.edu/pesticides
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