5.1 PPE types (chemical-resistant gloves, respirators, eye & body protection)

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Types

Personal protective equipment is the applicator's last line of defense against pesticide exposure. Safe handling practices and engineering controls come first, but when a pesticide label calls for gloves, a respirator, or protective clothing, that equipment must be worn correctly every time it is used. The label lists the minimum PPE required for mixing, loading, and applying a product, so you may always wear more protection but never less. This section covers the four categories tested on the EPA Core exam: chemical-resistant gloves, respirators, eye protection, and body protection.

Chemical-Resistant Gloves

Because most pesticide poisonings occur through the skin (dermal exposure), and the hands and forearms receive the heaviest contact, gloves are the single most important item of PPE. Gloves must be chemical-resistant, meaning that little or no pesticide moves through the material during the expected period of use. Dependable materials include nitrile, butyl rubber, neoprene, natural rubber, Viton, and barrier laminate. The label sometimes lists a glove selection "category" (A through H) keyed to the product's solvent system; barrier-laminate gloves offer the broadest protection against the widest range of chemicals.

Never wear gloves made of or lined with leather, cotton, canvas, or other fabric. These absorbent materials soak up liquid pesticide and hold it against the skin, so a lined glove can cause more exposure than wearing no glove at all. Choose unlined gloves so they can be washed inside and out, and keep them long enough to protect the wrist and lower forearm. Replace any glove that has been drenched with a concentrate; even chemical-resistant materials break down over time, and the label or glove chart states a maximum use period.

Glove technique matters. When you work with your hands raised overhead, keep the glove cuffs on the outside of your sleeves and turn the cuffs up to form a lip that catches drips, which keeps pesticide from running down your arm and into the glove. When you work with your hands lowered, tuck the sleeves inside the gloves. Inspect gloves for pinholes before each use, wash them before removing them, and discard any glove that is torn.

Respirators

Respirators protect against inhaling pesticide dusts, mists, and vapors. Two different airborne problems exist, and the label tells you which respirator to use. Particulate (dust/mist) filters trap solid or liquid particles such as dusts, powders, and spray mists but do not stop vapors. Chemical-cartridge and canister (gas/vapor) respirators contain sorbent material such as activated charcoal that removes gases and vapors, and are required when handling fumigants or highly volatile liquids in enclosed spaces. Many respirators combine a vapor cartridge with a particulate pre-filter for both hazards.

Any respirator the label requires must be NIOSH-approved, and its approval matches a specific class of protection. A respirator only works if it fits and seals to the face, so users must be fit-tested and clean-shaven where the facepiece contacts the skin, because facial hair breaks the seal. Store respirators in a clean, sealed container so the sorbent does not adsorb contaminants from open air. Powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs) and supplied-air respirators are reserved for oxygen-deficient or extremely hazardous atmospheres.

Eye Protection

The eyes absorb pesticide quickly, so the label may require protective eyewear whenever there is a splash, dust, or mist hazard. Acceptable options include safety glasses with brow and side shields, goggles, or a full-face shield, and a full-face respirator satisfies the requirement. Goggles give the best protection against splashing liquids, while a face shield protects the whole face during pouring and mixing of concentrates. Ordinary prescription eyeglasses are not adequate alone because they lack side and brow protection.

Body Protection

Body protection ranges from everyday work clothing to fully chemical-resistant suits, depending on the label. The baseline is a long-sleeved shirt and long pants of tightly woven fabric. Higher-hazard products require chemical-resistant coveralls, aprons, footwear, and headgear. A chemical-resistant apron is worn while mixing and loading concentrates, the most hazardous task. Chemical-resistant boots (or booties over shoes) protect the feet; never wear leather or canvas shoes, which absorb spills, and keep pant legs outside the boots so liquid runs off. A chemical-resistant hood or wide-brimmed hat protects the head and neck during overhead application, again with no absorbent felt or leather hatbands.

PPE Type Reference

No single set of PPE fits every job. The correct combination is dictated by the product label, but understanding what each item does, and its limits such as a dust filter's inability to stop vapor, lets you recognize when the label's minimum is right and when a cautious applicator should add more.