WASHINGTON D.C. — The U.S. EPA has unveiled enhanced restrictions aimed at reducing the number of farm workers exposed to high levels of pesticides. The more stringent requirements announced Sept. 28 are called "landmark" for improving the safety of all farm workers, including migrant laborers, who may be more at-risk for chemical exposure.

"It also means protection for a group of workers that’s been all too frequently exploited in the past," said U.S Department of Labor Secretary Thomas Perez, adding people in all occupations when leaving for work have a right to know they’ll be "working in a safe and sound environment. That’s what this rule is all about."

The restrictions, last updated in 1992, apply to farms, nurseries, forests and greenhouses and take effect 14 months after they are first published in the Federal Register. Included in the new EPA restrictions are children under 18 on commercial farms being prohibited from handling pesticides; and mandating the posting of signs warning that entry cannot be made into a freshly treated field until the chemical residues decline to a safe level.

Educating workers on reducing the amount of pesticides on their clothing, so when they go home family members and others don’t become ill, is among the enhancements to the required training. Pesticide users must also keep records on who’s been trained in usage and handling of the chemicals, to help states during inspections and follow-up investigations at sites where violations turned up.

"This is a really big step forward to better protect the nation’s 2 million farm workers and their families from pesticide exposure," said Gina McCarthy, EPA administrator.

Workers must also be trained on how to avoid exposure to high levels of pesticides every year. Previously, training on a federal level was required by workers every five years, officials said.

McCarthy said between 1,800-3,000 potentially preventable pesticide exposure incidents are reported each year, in addition to a widespread number of unreported cases. That comes with a high cost in terms of millions of dollars lost from sick days, lost wages, medical bills and absences from school.

"The existing rule was just not working as it should," McCarthy said.

Other requirements include providing more than one way for farm workers and their representatives to gain access to pesticide application information and safety data sheets, by having them centrally posted or available by request. Records of application-specific pesticide information, including farm worker training, must be kept for two years.

The new rules also include provisions to prevent the firing or harassment of workers for reporting pesticide violations, Perez said.

Darrell Hensley, a pesticide education coordinator for ag at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, said exposure to high levels of pesticides does happen and one of the biggest causes is a high percentage of migrant workers being unable to speak or understand English well.

Pesticides come with labels providing information on how to safely use and handle them, leaving migrant workers susceptible to exposure unless someone who understands English is available to read them the directions, he explained.

There are others, including those knowledgeable about handling pesticides, who simply disregard the instructions. It might be a hot day when a worker wearing a mask to keep from inhaling pesticides decides to take it off to try to cool down, or chooses not to wear long sleeves and pants that would shield their limbs from potential contact with the chemicals, he said.

"So many people looking for work in agriculture are not from this country and this is supposed to help them get training," said Hensley.

He said enforcement will require extra manpower at the state level. He’s not sure how many employees will have to be added for enforcement, but feels the biggest challenge in terms of compliance will be the work it’ll take for states to update their databases for additional required recordkeeping before the rule takes effect.

"I know the individual that’s putting in the data here now is swamped. Each state is going to be affected differently," said Hensley.