§ 170.120 - Notice of applications.

§ 170.120 Notice of applications.

(a) Notification to workers of pesticide applications in greenhouses. The agricultural employer shall notify workers of any pesticide application in the greenhouse in accordance with this paragraph.

(1) All pesticide applications shall be posted in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section.

(2) If the pesticide product labeling has a statement requiring both the posting of treated areas and oral notification to workers, the agricultural employer shall also provide oral notification of the application to the worker in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section.

(3) Notice need not be given to a worker if the agricultural employer can assure that one of the following is met:

(i) From the start of the application until the end of the application and during any restricted-entry interval, the worker will not enter, work in, remain in, or pass through the greenhouse; or

(ii) The worker applied (or supervised the application of) the pesticide for which the notice is intended and is aware of all information required by paragraphs (d)(1) through (3) of this section.

(b) Notification to workers on farms, in nurseries, or in forests of pesticide applications. The agricultural employer shall notify workers of any pesticide application on the farm or in the nursery or forest in accordance with this paragraph.

(1) If the pesticide product labeling has a statement requiring both the posting of treated areas and oral notification to workers, the agricultural employer shall post signs in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section and shall provide oral notification of the application to the worker in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section.

(2) For any pesticide other than those for which the labeling requires both posting and oral notification of applications, the agricultural employer shall give notice of the application to the worker either by the posting of warning signs in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section or orally in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section, and shall inform the workers as to which method of notification is in effect.

(3) Notice need not be given to a worker if the agricultural employer can assure that one of the following is met:

(i) From the start of the application until the end of the application and during any restricted-entry interval, the worker will not enter, work in, remain in, or pass through on foot the treated area or any area within 1⁄4 mile of the treated area; or

(ii) The worker applied (or supervised the application of) the pesticide for which the notice is intended and is aware of all information required by (d)(1) through (3) of this section.

(c) Posted warning signs. The agricultural employer shall post warning signs in accordance with the following criteria:

(1) The warning sign shall have a background color that contrasts with red. The words “DANGER” and “PELIGRO,” plus “PESTICIDES” and “PESTICIDAS,” shall be at the top of the sign, and the words “KEEP OUT” and “NO ENTRE” shall be at the bottom of the sign. Letters for all words must be clearly legible. A circle containing an upraised hand on the left and a stern face on the right must be near the center of the sign. The inside of the circle must be red, except that the hand and a large portion of the face must be in a shade that contrasts with red. The length of the hand must be at least twice the height of the smallest letters. The length of the face must be only slightly smaller than the hand. Additional information such as the name of the pesticide and the date of application may appear on the warning sign if it does not detract from the appearance of the sign or change the meaning of the required information. A black-and-white example of a warning sign meeting these requirements, other than the size requirements, follows:

(2) The standard sign shall be at least 14 inches by 16 inches with letters at least 1 inch in height. Farms and forests shall use the standard size sign unless a smaller sign is necessary because the treated area is too small to accommodate a sign of this size. In nurseries and greenhouses, the agricultural employer may, at any time, use a sign smaller than the standard size sign. Whenever a small sign is used on any establishment, there are specific posting distances depending on the size of the lettering and symbol on the sign. If a sign is used with DANGER and PELIGRO in letters at least 7⁄8 inch in height and the remaining letters at least 1⁄2 inch in height and a red circle at least 3 inches in diameter containing an upraised hand and a stern face, the signs shall be no further than 50 feet apart. If a sign is used with DANGER and PELIGRO in letters at least 7⁄16 inch in height and the remaining letters at least 1⁄4 inch in height and a red circle at least 11⁄2 inches in diameter containing an upraised hand and a stern face, the signs shall be no further than 25 feet apart. A sign with DANGER and PELIGRO in letters less than 7⁄16 inch in height or with any words in letters less than 1⁄4 inch in height or a red circle smaller than 11⁄2 inches in diameter containing an upraised hand and a stern face will not satisfy the requirements of the rule. All signs must meet the requirements of paragraph (c)(1) of this section.

(3) The employer may replace the Spanish portion of the warning sign with a non-English language read by the largest group of workers who do not read English. The replacement sign must be in the same format as the original sign and be visible and legible.

(4) On farms and in forests and nurseries, the signs shall be visible from all usual points of worker entry to the treated area, including at least each access road, each border with any labor camp adjacent to the treated area, and each footpath and other walking route that enters the treated area. When there are no usual points of worker entry, signs shall be posted in the corners of the treated area or in any other location affording maximum visibility.

(5) In greenhouses, the signs shall be posted so they are visible from all usual points of worker entry to the treated area including each aisle or other walking route that enters the treated area. When there are no usual points of worker entry to the treated area, signs shall be posted in the corners of the treated area or in any other location affording maximum visibility.

(6) The signs shall:

(i) Be posted no sooner than 24 hours before the scheduled application of the pesticide.

(ii) Remain posted throughout the application and any restricted-entry interval.

(iii) Be removed within 3 days after the end of the application and any restricted-entry interval and before agricultural-worker entry is permitted, other than entry permitted by § 170.112.

(7) The signs shall remain visible and legible during the time they are posted.

(8) When several contiguous areas are to be treated with pesticides on a rotating or sequential basis, the entire area may be posted. Worker entry, other than entry permitted by § 170.112, is prohibited for the entire area while the signs are posted.

(d) Oral warnings. The agricultural employer shall provide oral warnings to workers in a manner that the worker can understand. If a worker will be on the premises during the application, the warning shall be given before the application takes place. Otherwise, the warning shall be given at the beginning of the worker's first work period during which the application is taking place or the restricted-entry interval for the pesticide is in effect. The warning shall consist of:

(1) The location and description of the treated area.

(2) The time during which entry is restricted.

(3) Instructions not to enter the treated area until the restricted-entry interval has expired.

[57 FR 38151, Aug. 21, 1992, as amended at 61 FR 33207, June 26, 1996]