WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2015 - The EPA announced Monday it will prohibit children from handling pesticides and require farm workers to complete pesticide safety training more frequently, bolstering protections for 2 million U.S. farm laborers and their families.

 

The revisions to EPA's Worker Protection Standard - the only changes since the standard was instituted in 1992 - were released in their final form today during a press conference. “What we're announcing today has been a long time coming,” EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy told reporters. “Protecting our nation's farm workers from harmful pesticides exposure is part of EPA's mission to ensure equal protection for all Americans.”

 

Each year, between 1,800 and 3,000 potentially preventable pesticide exposure incidents are reported on farms, nurseries and commercial forestland, and many more go unreported, according to EPA.

 

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