Individuals that work on your farm must be protected from the potential hazards associated with pesticides under the Worker Protection Standard (WPS) federal regulation. The information in this brief comes from the WPS Handbook for Agricultural Employers. For a complete list of requirements, please refer to the official “How to Comply” manual.
What is the WPS Regulation?
The Worker Protection Standard (WPS) is intended to protect people involved in the production of agricultural plants from exposure to pesticides and potential health effects as a result from an exposure. The WPS regulation was designed to protect t
wo types of employees:
- Agricultural workers - people who perform tasks related to growing and harvesting plants on farms or in greenhouses, nurseries, or forests.
- Pesticide handlers - people who mix, load or apply agricultural pesticides; clean or repair pesticide application equipment; or assist with the application of pesticides.
Employers are required to follow the WPS regulation whenever a pesticide label contains an “Agricultural Use Requirements” section (see image for example). To determine if the WPS applies to your specific situation, visit the Pesticide Educational Resources Collaborative (PERC) website and answer a series of questions about your operation.
No agricultural establishments that use WPS-labeled pesticides are completely exempt from the WPS. However, if you own an agricultural establishment, you and members of your immediate family are exempt from certain WPS requirements.
The WPS is issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and enforced, in Iowa, by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. It is a violation of the WPS for an employer to intimidate, threaten, or discriminate against any worker or handler for complying with the WPS and/or reporting violations of the WPS to state or federal regulatory agencies.
WPS Employer Responsibilities
Inform Employees About Pesticide Safety
Ensure that workers and handlers receive annual pesticide safety training before they begin working in treated areas or handling pesticides. If your employees are certified pesticide applicators or certified crop advisers, they are exempt from the training requirements. Employers must use EPA-approved training materials and keep records for at least two years.
You must let your employees know when and where pesticides are applied and inform them to stay out of treated areas during any restricted entry intervals (REI). Follow all label directions found within the pesticide’s agricultural use requirements section on whether you must post a sign warning people not to enter, provide oral instructions to your employees, or both. Do not allow employees into the treated area until the REI has expired and all warning signs have been removed or covered, except in certain circumstances.
Display records of pesticide applications made over the last 30 days, Safety Data Sheets, and a WPS safety poster (print or order) in a location that is accessible to both employees and emergency responders. Keep records of the pesticide application and hazard information for two years.
Provide Protections from Potential Pesticide Exposure
Do the following to protect employees from potential exposure to pesticides:
- Ensure that workers do not clean, repair, or adjust pesticide application equipment unless they have been trained as a pesticide handler.
- Ensure that all handlers are at least 18 years old.
- Inform handlers of all required label and application information.
- Instruct all handlers how to safely use equipment for mixing, loading, transferring, or applying of pesticides.
- Provide and maintain any required personal protective equipment.
- Provide handlers with respirator training, a medical evaluation, and a fit test if they are required to wear a respirator by the pesticide label.
- During applications, keep workers out of the Application Exclusion Zone and the treated area.
Mitigate Pesticide Exposure
Provide clean water, soap, and single-use towels within ¼ mile of all workers and handlers, but outside of treated areas and those under a REI. If a worker or handler has experienced a potential pesticide exposure, you are required to provide transportation to a medical facility and make sure the employee receives proper medical care.
Links to this article are strongly encouraged, and this article may be republished without further permission if published as written and if credit is given to the author, Integrated Crop Management News, and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. If this article is to be used in any other manner, permission from the author is required. This article was originally published on March 24, 2025. The information contained within may not be the most current and accurate depending on when it is accessed.
- Pesticide Safety Education Extension Specialist