J. E. Dewey

Extraneous Pesticide Exposure

Publisher Summary The greatest potential for exposure within the research and development phase is during pilot plant design and operations. Here, chemical reactions are scaled up, new technologies are tried, and larger quantities of toxic materials are present. Recognition of the dangers involved, as well as government and industrial regulations mandating safety precautions, reduces this potential to within acceptable limits. The same procedures generally reduce the potential exposure for manufacturing workers. Although accidents and carelessness within both the research and development and manufacturing phases may result in some dangerous exposure situations, the overall potential is low. Formulators, on the other hand, may possess a fair potential for significant exposure. Although most formulators operate highly automated plants with remote handling and filling facilities, some, especially the smaller customer specialty formulators, by necessity operate under more hazardous conditions. For example, those involved in the local mixing of fertilizers and pesticides may run the risk of increased exposure.