Special UC Training Offered for Trainers of Pesticide Handlers and
Fieldworkers
DAVIS, CALIF. -- Educators with the University of California s Statewide
Integrated Pest Management Project will be conducting a "train-the-trainer"
workshop to qualify growers, farm supervisors, labor contractors, and others
to train pesticide handlers and agricultural fieldworkers.
"Under the federal Worker Protection Standard (WPS) people training pesticide handlers and/or fieldworkers who work in production agriculture or commercial greenhouses and nurseries must be qualified trainers," said Patrick O Connor-Marer, coordinator of IPM s Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP). "This program familiarizes trainers with the federal WPS requirements and California training requirements and provides useful information on how to conduct training programs."
This WPS workshop, offered only in northern California, will be held June 12, 2002, in Winters (Yolo County) and is designed for trainers of both pesticide handlers and agricultural fieldworkers. The workshop will be conducted in English only.
This 8-hour workshop teaches pesticide safety and effective teaching techniques. Course instruction covers label comprehension, environmental protection, health issues, laws and regulations, handling procedures, and fieldworker safety. Participants receive hands-on training in the use of equipment and protective clothing.
The $135 registration fee covers the 318-page Pesticide Applicator Instructor s Handbook, EPA and other resource materials, lunch, and refreshments. Enrollment is limited, so early registration is strongly advised. For further information or to enroll in the workshop, call (530) 752-5273 or e-mail your name, fax number, and telephone number to dmclarke@ucdavis.edu. Information about the workshop is also available at IPM s web site. Registration forms can be downloaded from this site.
The UC IPM Pesticide Safety Education Program is one of several teaching programs approved by DPR to qualify instructors to train pesticide handlers and agricultural fieldworkers under the federal Worker Protection Standard. PSEP develops and tests innovative materials and training programs to bridge the cultural, language, and educational barriers found in California s diverse agricultural workforce. Since 1994 PSEP staff have trained more than 4,800 instructors, who in turn have trained more than 870,000 fieldworkers and pesticide handlers.
