Safety Precautions

Worker Safety & Re-entry

• Re-entry into Treated Areas
  • Restricted Entry Intervals on Pesticide Labels
  • Restricted Entry Intervals of Worker’s Compensation Board

Some pesticides can be hazardous to people. Following pesticide label information and BC Workers’ Compensation Board Act and Regulations helps keep workers safe. To help keep workers safe:

• Post warning signs that state when treated areas can be re-entered.
• Only allow workers into treated areas during restricted entry intervals if they use the proper protective clothing.
• Make sure workers wear proper protective clothing when mixing, loading, or applying pesticides.
• Store pesticides in a locked area.
• Make sure people applying pesticides have been trained on pesticide application, mixing, loading, disposal, clean-up, emergency procedures, and safety.
• Have emergency wash water available at all mixing, loading and application sites.
• Post emergency phone numbers.

Re-entry into Treated Areas [top]

People can be exposed to pesticides if they enter a treated area too soon after application. When treated plants are touched during work activities such as weeding, thinning, or brushing against plants, some pesticide may be transferred to skin. People in treated areas may also breathe fumes from a recent pesticide application. Restricted entry intervals or re-entry times have been established to prevent people from being exposed to pesticides immediately after application.

A restricted entry interval (REI) or re-entry time is the time after the end of a pesticide application during which entry into the treated area is restricted. This time allows residues to disperse and not pose a risk.

Restricted Entry Intervals on Pesticide Labels

REI’s or restricted entry intervals are on some pesticide labels. When a REI is on a label, the REI must lapse before people can re-enter a treated area. If people need to enter a treated area before this time has lapsed, they must wear protective equipment. The pesticide label will say what protective equipment is needed.

Before, there were very few REI’s on pesticide labels. Now more and more pesticide labels have REI’s. Always check the pesticide label for REI’s. Current pesticide labels are on the PMRA web site and can be accessed through the Pesticide Label Section of this web site.

Different pesticides will have different REI’s. Each pesticide has a different acute oral, dermal, and inhalation toxicity. Each pesticide also has a different potential for other adverse effects. Therefore, the REI for each pesticide is different.

Each pesticide may have one or more different REI’s.

• Since different rates are used for each crop, the REI can vary between crops. For example, the REI for raspberries could be 7 days while the REI for apples could be 14 days.
• The type of work activity also affects the REI. This is because the amount of human contact with treated foliage varies. For example, a REI could be 14 days for thinning, but only 48 hours for irrigating.
• The amount of rainfall can affect the REI. Some labels increase the REI in areas where there is less rainfall.

Restricted Entry Intervals of Worker’s Compensation Board

The BC Workers’ Compensation Board Regulations for Occupational Health and Safety have restrictions for re-entering areas treated with pesticides. People may not enter a treated field until they have waited the following re-entry or restricted entry interval:

• 24 hours for a slightly toxic pesticide
• 48 hours for moderately or very toxic pesticides.

The relative toxicity of pesticides is in each Crop Production Guide and will be in the Toxicity and Hazard Section of this site in the future. The following categories are used for these ratings: