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Worker Protection Standard for Agricultural Pesticides: Key Features

Summary

On August 21, 1992, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the final Worker Protection Standard (WPS) governing the protection of employees on farms and in forests, nurseries and greenhouses from occupational exposure to agricultural pesticides. The Standard covers workers in areas treated with pesticides and employees who handle pesticides for use in the production of agricultural plants. On January 2, 2017, EPA enacted key revisions to the WPS to decrease pesticide exposure incidents among farmworkers and their family members. This MU Extension publication focuses on providing a general overview of the WPS.