[ScienceNetwork 10 June 2014 by Rob Payne] — A REVIEW of pesticide use in workplaces recommends increased training, better safety compliance and replacement of the most hazardous pesticides to improve worker safety. The collaboration involved The University of Western Australia, Monash University and the University of Melbourne and looked at over 80 studies on the health effects of pesticide exposure, pesticide-related tasks, factors affecting absorption and use of personal protective equipment. While inhalation is often viewed by the public as the principle route of pesticide exposure, the review found that skin contact was most common, with respiratory entry limited, likely due to the low vapour pressures of many pesticides. This misconception has shed light on several gaps in safety. Professor Lin Fritschi (now at Curtin University) says that while proper equipment has been shown to reduce pesticide exposure, workers’ use of clothing providing basic skin covering when applying chemicals was shown to be far from ideal. “In Australia, one likely reason for the lack of personal protective equipment worn by workers is thermal comfort,” she says. “As the protection afforded by protective clothing increases, the breathability of the fabric is generally decreased, meaning it is less comfortable to wear in warm conditions. “So, although pesticide workers may appreciate the protective benefits, they may avoid using personal protective equipment because of physical discomfort.
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