Ontario Pesticide Education Program

Pesticide Safety for Farmer Assistants Assistants who use Class B or C pesticides on farms must be trained. Certified Farmers are responsible for all pesticide use and handling on their farms including the use and handling of Class B or C pesticides by Farmer Assistants supervised by Certified Farmers.  Assistants could be family members, farm employees or seasonal workers.   Farmer Assistants must: ·   be 16 years of age or older ·   w ork on a farm under the supervision of a Certified Farmer ·   be trained in pesticide safety ·   re-train every five years. There are two ways for assistants to get the pesticide safety training they need.   They can: ·   participate in a Grower Pesticide Safety Course (no written test), or ·   p articipate in Pesticide Safety for Farmer Assistants training presented by a On-Farm Instructor.   On Farm Pesticide Safety Instructors An On-Farm Pesticide Safety Instructor must have valid certificates from both the On-Farm Instructor

Emergency Numbers 9-1-1 Spills Action Centre: 1-800-268-6060 Ontario Poison Centre: 1-800-268-9017 Transport Emergencies: *666 (cell) 1-888-CANUTEC 1-888-226-8832 Farm Information Contact Person: Phone: 9-1-1 Address: Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks: -      Regional Office: -       District Office: Pesticide Vendor: Insurance Agent: Pest Management Regulatory Agency:                              1-800-267-6315 Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs:  1-877-424-1300 Ontario Pesticide Education Program www.opep.ca 1-800-652-8573

Water Soluble Packages (WSP) are designed to reduce exposure during mixing and loading.  However, the Agricultural Handlers Exposure Task Force (AHETF) found that ►   users were more exposed when using Water Soluble Packages than Wettable Powders. Exposure occurred when users sprayed high pressure water on the packets and/or intentionally broke the packets to help them dissolve.   Use Water Soluble Packages properly to reduce exposure.   Follow these handling and mixing instructions developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the AHETF. Handling Instructions •   Mix in the spray tank only.   •   Keep the WSP intact. Do not cut or puncture the WSP.  Do not break or release the contents. •   Keep the WSP in the outer packaging until just before use. •   Keep the WSP dry until adding it to the spray tank. •   Reseal the WSP in its outer packaging to protect any unused WSP(S). •   Handle with dry gloves. If the WSP tears or ruptures before or

Certified Farmers must take extra precautions when using a pesticide that is a fumigant or a suspension in air.  A fumigant is a pesticide that is formulated as a gas or vapour, or forms a gas or vapour shortly after application. These pesticides include fumigant gases, liquid and solid soil fumigants, and other products that volatilize. A fumigant gas means a fumigant that, (a) is a gas at a temperature of 20° C and standard pressure, or (b) produces or evolves a gas at a temperature of 20° C and standard pressure and functions as a pesticide exclusively or primarily by the action of the gas (O. Reg. 63/09). The only Class B fumigant gases that Certified Farmers can purchase and use are fumigant gases that contain aluminum phosphide for groundhog control. Certified Farmers MAY NOT buy and use fumigant gases that contain methyl bromide, carbon dioxide or ethylene oxide.   Soil fumigants that contain chloropicrin, metam-sodium, dazomet, or metam potassium are applied and incorpo

For Sale: Restricted Entry Interval Signs Trilingual - Spanish, French, and English One way to notify farm workers and others of the Restricted Entry Interval is to post a sign at the main ways into areas applied with pesticides. Two types of 12 x 12” signs are available:      REI Sign Laminated                      REI Sign Corrugated Plastic  -   Durable laminated cardstock                  - Sturdy plastic  -   Dry erase, suitable for writing                 - Indoor and outdoor u  -   1 grommet hole for hanging                   - 2 grommet holes To order , please call 1-800-652-8573. HST and shipping included in the prices below. A.  REI Sign Corrugated Plastic – package of 3 – PRICE $19.20 B.  REI Sign Corrugated Plastic – package of`10 – PRICE $42.95 C.  REI Sign Laminated – package of 3 – PRICE $19.20 D.  REI Sign Laminated – package of 10 – PRICE $42.95 Ontario Pesticide Education Program,  University of Gu

Pestic ide Safety for Farmer Assistants  For each Assistant you train, you need the:       Pesticide Safety for Farmer Assistants  book which is available in English, Spanish, Thai, Low German  and French. Order copies from us: call 1-800-652-8573 or e-mail us at rcopep@uoguelph.ca Register your Assistant   ·   Document your training of each Assistant by completing a “Record of Safety Training for Assistants to Certified Farmers”.  ·   Send the form with the registration fee of $25.00 to the Ontario Pesticide Education Program.  We accept payment by cheque or credit card.  Training is valid for five years. Visit the Ontario Pesticide Education Program’s website opep.ca to learn more about the Grower Pesticide Safety Courses, On-Farm Instructor Courses.  Call 1-800-652-8573 or e-mail us at rcopep@uoguelph.ca .

Ontario’s Occupational Health & Safety Act (OHSA) came into force in October 1979.  The main principle of the OHSA is that workers, supervisors and employers share the responsibility for health and safety in the workplace. The OHSA sets out the rights and duties of all workplace parties and it gives Ministry of Labour inspectors the authority to inspect the workplace to ensure compliance with the OHSA, and to investigate complaints, critical injuries and fatalities. Farm operations came under the OHSA on June 30, 2006. This means that: the rights and duties for workers and employers outlined in the OHSA apply; inspection and enforcement apply; and both workers and employers must participate in workplace health and safety matters. Farm operations without paid workers are exempt from the OHSA . Employers Under the OHSA, the employers must: provide information, instruction and supervision to workers; advise workers about hazards in the workpla