10.2 PPE Components, Donning, Doffing & Care
Key Takeaways
- Wash gloves before removing them, and remove gloves last so contaminated hands never touch skin or clean clothing.
- Wear glove cuffs outside the sleeve for downward spraying and inside the sleeve when spraying upward, so runoff cannot enter the glove.
- Wash pesticide-contaminated clothing separately from family laundry, in hot water with heavy-duty detergent, and run an empty rinse cycle afterwards.
- Store clean PPE away from pesticides, in a separate cabinet or area, so it does not absorb vapours during storage.
- Discard PPE that is torn, punctured, degraded or heavily contaminated; it cannot be reliably decontaminated.
Last updated: August 2026
PPE Components, Donning, Doffing & Care
Why this matters: "Decontamination and cleanup" is the third leaf of Domain 2, and most of it is about PPE — the order you take it off in, how it is washed, and where it is stored so it does not contaminate everything around it.
1. In-Depth Component Specifications: Head, Eye, Face, Body & Footwear
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│ ANATOMY OF COMPLETE HANDLER PPE │
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│ 1. HEAD: Wide-brimmed chemical-resistant hat (sou'wester) or hood; │
│ no absorbent cloth/felt/leather sweatbands. │
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│ 2. EYES / FACE: Indirectly vented chemical splash goggles (ANSI Z87.1)│
│ PLUS full-face shield during high-splash mixing and loading. │
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│ 3. BODY: Chemical-resistant coveralls / suit over work clothing; │
│ heavy-duty chemical apron (neck to mid-shin) for mixing/loading. │
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│ 4. HANDS: Unlined chemical-resistant gloves (≥ 14 mil, Category-rated)│
│ with sleeves positioned over/under cuffs based on spray direction. │
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│ 5. FEET: Unlined chemical-resistant neoprene / rubber boots; │
│ pant legs worn OUTSIDE the boot tops to shed runoff. │
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1. Eye & Face Protection (ANSI Z87.1 Standards)
Pesticide concentrates, solvent mists, and corrosive spray droplets pose immediate threats of chemical burns, conjunctivitis, and permanent corneal opacity. All eye protection must carry the ANSI Z87.1 impact and splash certification stamp.
- Safety Glasses with Brow and Side Shields: Provide basic impact and minimal frontal splash protection. Acceptable only when applying dry granular formulations or low-toxicity sprays directed away from the body.
- Chemical Splash Goggles (Indirectly Vented): Feature baffled, hooded ventilation ports that permit air circulation to minimize lens fogging while completely blocking the direct trajectory of liquid chemical splashes. Direct-vented goggles (perforated holes) are strictly prohibited for chemical handling.
- Non-Vented Goggles: Provide a complete hermetic seal against airborne vapors, fine aerosols, and mists. Essential when handling fumigants, highly volatile liquids, or highly corrosive Category I chemicals.
- Face Shields: A transparent polycarbonate or acetate shield extending from above the eyes to below the chin. Crucial Rule: A face shield is secondary protection designed to shield the face and neck; it must always be worn in conjunction with chemical splash goggles, never as a standalone substitute for eye protection.
2. Glove Selection, Length & Cuff Management
- Glove Length: Mixing, loading, and chemical transfer operations require gauntlet-style gloves extending 12 to 14 inches up the forearm to prevent splashes over the wrist.
- Sleeve and Cuff Geometry:
- Downward Spraying (Boom spraying, turf applications, backpack wand below waist): Pant legs must be outside boots, and shirt sleeves must be worn OUTSIDE the glove gauntlets. Any pesticide runoff running down the arm drips harmlessly off the outside of the sleeve onto the ground, rather than channeling inside the glove.
- Upward Spraying (Orchard canopy air-blast, vine trellises, structural ceilings): Shirt sleeves must be tucked inside the glove gauntlets, and the top 1–2 inches of the glove gauntlet must be folded outward and rolled downward to create a catchment trough (drip cup) that catches chemical running down the forearm before it reaches the applicator's body.
- Sealing Interfaces: For high-volume or heavy drift applications, duct tape or chemical-resistant tape can be wrapped around the glove-sleeve junction.
3. Footwear and Leg Protection
- Unlined Rubber or Neoprene Boots: Footwear must be constructed of 100% chemical-resistant rubber, neoprene, or PVC, extending at least mid-calf. Leather work boots, canvas sneakers, and porous hiking boots are totally prohibited.
- Pant Leg Positioning: Applicators must always pull pant legs OUTSIDE of the boot tops. Tucking pant legs inside boots directs spray drift, spills, and chemical runoff down the legs directly into the boots, soaking socks and skin in concentrated pesticide.
4. Bodywear, Coveralls, and Heavy Chemical Suits
- Standard Handler Attire: Long-sleeved shirt, long pants, chemical-resistant gloves, chemical-resistant footwear, and socks.
- Coveralls over Work Attire: Woven fabric coveralls (heavy cotton twill) or disposable non-woven synthetic suits (spunbond-meltblown-spunbond polypropylene, e.g., Tyvek®) worn over regular clothing provide a sacrificial barrier against light dry dusts and minor spray drift.
- Chemical-Resistant Aprons: A heavy-duty apron made of butyl, nitrile, neoprene, or PVC covering the body from the neckline down to below the knees. Mandatory during mixing and loading of liquid concentrates, connecting liquid transfer hoses, and cleaning spray rigs.
- Chemical-Resistant Suits (Impervious): Complete two-piece jacket/overall sets or one-piece encapsulating suits constructed of thick PVC, rubberized fabric, or multi-layer barrier laminates (Saranex®). Mandatory for high-exposure scenarios: entering dense crop canopies, commercial air-blast orchard spraying, greenhouse fogging, or clearing severe line blockages.
2. Ergonomic Donning, Doffing & Decontamination Sequencing
The greatest risk of self-contamination occurs not during spraying, but during the removal (doffing) of contaminated PPE at the end of the work period. Handlers must execute a disciplined step-by-step procedure:
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│ DONNING & DOFFING OPERATIONAL SEQUENCING │
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│ DONNING (Putting On PPE): │
│ 1. Inspect all PPE: Check gloves/boots for pinholes (air/water test), │
│ inspect goggles for cracks, verify respirator valves and seals. │
│ 2. Put on base work clothing (long-sleeved shirt and long pants). │
│ 3. Step into chemical-resistant boots; pull pant legs OVER boot tops. │
│ 4. Put on coveralls or chemical suit; zip completely. │
│ 5. Put on chemical-resistant apron (if mixing/loading). │
│ 6. Put on respirator (perform positive & negative user seal checks). │
│ 7. Put on chemical splash goggles and/or face shield. │
│ 8. Put on chemical-resistant gloves; adjust cuffs for spray angle. │
│ │
│ DOFFING (Removing Contaminated PPE - PREVENT SELF-CONTAMINATION): │
│ 1. WASH GLOVED HANDS thoroughly with soap and clean water BEFORE │
│ touching any other equipment or unclasping any garment! │
│ 2. Remove chemical apron, folding contaminated outer surface inward. │
│ 3. Remove boots, stepping directly into clean storage/change area. │
│ 4. Remove chemical suit / coveralls by unzipping and rolling outward │
│ and downward, touching only the clean inside lining. │
│ 5. Wash gloved hands a second time with soap and water. │
│ 6. Remove face shield and goggles from BEHIND (touch only headband). │
│ 7. Remove respirator from BEHIND (do not touch front filter/mask). │
│ 8. Peel chemical gloves off from the inside out: peel one glove down │
│ halfway, use clean inside to push off second glove completely. │
│ 9. IMMEDIATELY WASH HANDS AND FACE with soap and clean water; shower │
│ thoroughly as soon as possible and change into clean clothes. │
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3. PPE Laundering, Maintenance, Storage & Disposal Protocols
Proper post-application decontamination ensures that chemical residues do not accumulate over time or expose family members and co-workers.
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│ MANDATORY PESTICIDE LAUNDERING PROTOCOL │
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│ 1. DEDICATED HANDLING: Wear chemical-resistant gloves when handling │
│ contaminated laundry. Never handle with bare hands. │
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│ 2. ISOLATION: Keep pesticide-contaminated clothing COMPLETELY SEPARATE│
│ from family laundry. Store in a dedicated plastic hamper or bag. │
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│ 3. PRE-RINSE: Pre-rinse items outdoors with a hose or run a dedicated │
│ cold-water pre-soak / pre-wash cycle in the machine. │
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│ 4. WASH PARAMETERS: │
│ • Water Temperature: HOTTEST available setting (≥ 140°F / 60°C). │
│ • Detergent: Heavy-duty liquid detergent (liquid binds petroleum │
│ distillates and EC solvents far better than dry powders). │
│ • Load Size: Small load setting with MAXIMUM water volume to ensure│
│ complete chemical dilution and agitation. │
│ • Wash Cycle: Longest heavy-duty wash cycle. │
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│ 5. DOUBLE RINSE: Run a second complete rinse cycle to purge residues. │
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│ 6. LINE DRYING: Hang clothing outdoors on a clothesline in direct │
│ sunlight. Solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation accelerates photo- │
│ degradation of residual active ingredients. Do not use dryer. │
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│ 7. MACHINE DECONTAMINATION: After unloading, run an empty machine on │
│ HOT with heavy detergent and 1 cup of household bleach to clean. │
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The Category I / II Saturation Disposal Rule
Under EPA Worker Protection Standards and federal regulations, any fabric clothing, leather boots, or porous coveralls that have been drenched or heavily saturated with undiluted pesticide concentrates displaying the signal words DANGER-POISON, DANGER, or WARNING CANNOT be cleaned or decontaminated.
- Such saturated items must be immediately placed in a heavy-duty, sealed plastic bag and disposed of as hazardous chemical waste in compliance with federal RCRA and Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) regulations.
- Attempting to wash heavily saturated Category I/II items contaminates the washing machine, endangers the person doing the laundry, and fails to remove toxic chemical residues bonded to fabric fibers.
Clean PPE Storage Guidelines
- Store cleaned, thoroughly dried PPE in a clean, dry, well-ventilated location completely isolated from pesticide storage rooms, mixing pads, chemical containers, fertilizer bags, fuel storage, and direct sunlight.
- Storing rubber gloves, facepieces, or aprons inside a chemical shed allows volatile solvent vapors to permeate and degrade the clean rubber while it sits on the shelf.
- Keep clean gear sealed in airtight heavy-duty plastic storage totes or ziplock bags to prevent contamination from ambient dust and vermin.
Test Your Knowledge
When applying an insecticide upward into a mature orchard canopy using a hand-held spray gun, how should the applicator position their shirt sleeves and glove cuffs to prevent pesticide runoff from entering the gloves?
A
B
C
D
Test Your Knowledge
A handler accidentally knocks over an open container of an organophosphate insecticide concentrate bearing the signal word 'DANGER - POISON', completely drenching their cotton coveralls. What is the legally mandated procedure for handling these contaminated coveralls under WPS?
A
B
C
D