Safety nugget #1 : Safety precautions when handling pesticides
Pests are annoying, destructive, and at all cost we really want to rid them off our surroundings. Almost every home uses pesticides to deal with these pests.
The pesticides are very effective in getting rid of pests in our homes and farms. Despite the satisfaction that it brings, after a person must have severely dealt with the pests, they carry along dangerous hazards if proper handling are not well employed.
What are the steps a handler must adopt for proper handling of pesticides to prevent chronic ailments? Where can it be stored to ensure everyone is safe around the home? Answers to these questions are brilliantly answered in this article.
Safety Tips to Cultivate For Proper Handling of Pesticides
The safety tips accentuate below are not some sort of heavy tasks. They are simple, and quite easy to apply. All tips are tied around appreciating ones life, and that of others.
- Use Protective Measures
Gloves, nose masks, long-sleeves, long trousers, and safety boots are essential protective gears to be worn when handling pesticides.
There are some chemicals in pesticides, that when inhaled, are harmful to health. In fact they can evolve health associated risks.
Excitingly numerous companies endorse unique directions, and they have them printed on the body of the pesticides with respect to what protective measures to be worn when handling the pesticides.
It is foremost that you strictly follow the instructions to repudiate health hazards.
It is also noteworthy that clothes that were used during the application of pesticides must be changed instantly after completion. Hands must be washed with medicated soaps.
- Don't Buy More Pesticides Than What Will be Needed
It is a bad habit to buy more pesticides than what you will needing. When you buy the exact pesticides that you will need, it will reduce the hazards that can result from accumulating leftovers.
For example, you limit family members' exposure to the pesticides, there will be no worries on foods being contaminated. The best and the most secured step is to buy what is exactly needed.
But in cases whereby your estimations goes wrong, what can be done? You may have to check with local authorities to help determine if the community has household hazardous waste collection techniques.
You can check if there are programs set-up for proper disposing of leftover pesticides. Also, the last resort might be to follow directions by the producer of the pesticides respecting proper disposals.
Finally, when proper estimations are made, it will save you the stress of seeking for proper disposal. Therefore, don't buy more than you will need.
- Study The Weather Condition.
When you intend spraying outdoor, you should never spray when it is:
- Rainy
- Windy
The best bet during these periods is not spray pesticides. If you spray outdoors during windy times, you risked the pesticides drifting into someone else's garden.
When raining, storm water may transport the pesticides to streams and pools, thus affecting aquatic life and making the water unsafe for household use. Be conscious of the raining periods when you would need to spray outdoors.
Additionally, before spraying outdoor, ensure you did a proper screening. Remove pets, toys, and food items from the area that will be sprayed. Return back these items to their spots until the pesticide used dry off or until it attain the number of hours recommended by the manufacturers.
- Cover Food Items During Indoor Application
To avoid being infested by chemicals before the application of pesticides indoor, you should ensure you cover properly food items. It is to prevent the pest from crawling into food items thus contaminating them after being sprayed, hence making it unsafe for consumption.
To ensure proper covering, you must get a container with a tight lid. But if the safety of the food is still not ascertain, remove the food from the area completely.
- Stay Within Confine Limits
One might be tempted to use a product not meant for a particular pest to spray the home. Although, a times it might work out fine, but in most cases, it is often disastrous.
Pest differs from one another. The pesticide that will work for pest "A" might not work for pest "B" and if used for other pest, it might have a serous adverse effect.
How would you be sure that you are using the right pesticides for the exact pest intended for? Read the label accurately. In ensuring accurate understanding, some manufacturers would have the diagrams of pests that the pesticide can kill on the label of the pesticides. Ensure you stay within this limit.
When mixing, do not use beyond the recommended amount of mixes, thinking it will do more job. It will only lead to serious hazards.
- Adopt Non-chemical Control Method
The best and effective way to minimize or reduce the risk of pesticides is to adopt an alternative that has nothing to do with chemical usage. This is more secure and safer when used to fight pests. These non-chemical method could be tagged "prevention against pests". An environment free of pest will have no need to buy pesticides, needless to talk about its hazards.
SOURCE
**The non-chemical control methods are: **
- Keep the environment clean
An unkept area is a shelter for pests. Make sure refuse are properly disposed. Either you burn them or you bury them. If you do, you will disallow the breeding of pests in your community. Make it a habit to keep your environment clean regularly.
Consistent checking for leaky pipes is vital. If leaky pipes are identified, endeavour to fix them without delay.
Conclusion
Prevention is sure better than cure. These points outlined above are preventive measures. They must be taken seriously. If you are a constant user of pesticides, genuinely apply these and experience a tremendous outcome.
In addition to the listed guidelines, ensure you keep telephone number of the area Poison control center in case of any improper application of pesticides. They are available 24/7 rendering help during cases of emergencies.
References : http://npic.orst.edu/health/safeuse.html , http://www.pesticides.montana.edu/reference/safe-handling.html
Thank you for reading. Have a nice friday. Good day.