Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 3, § 6764 - Fieldworker Training

(a) The employer shall assure that each employee assigned to work in a treated field has been trained within the last 12 months, in a manner the employee understands, before beginning work in the treated field.

(b) The training shall include the following information:

(1) Where and in what forms pesticides may be encountered, including treated surfaces in the field, residues on clothing, personal protective equipment, application and chemigation equipment, irrigation water, and drift;

(2) Potential hazards that pesticides present to fieldworkers and their families including acute, chronic, and delayed effects, and sensitization effects;

(3) Routes by which pesticides can enter the body;

(4) Signs and symptoms of overexposure;

(5) Routine decontamination procedures when working in a treated field and the employer's responsibility to provide decontamination supplies:

(A) Wash hands before eating, drinking, using the toilet, chewing gum, or using tobacco;

(B) Thoroughly wash or shower with soap and water; and

(C) Change into clean clothes as soon as possible.

(6) Wear work clothing that protects the body from pesticide residues when working in treated fields, and wash work clothes separately from other laundry before wearing them again;

(7) How Safety Data Sheets provide hazard, emergency medical treatment, and other information about the pesticides with which they may come in contact;

(8) The hazard communication program requirements of sections 6761 and 6761.1;

(9) First aid and emergency decontamination procedures including emergency eye flushing techniques, and if pesticides are spilled or sprayed on the body to wash immediately with decontamination supplies and as soon as possible, wash or shower with soap and water and change into clean clothes;

(10) How and when to obtain emergency medical care;

(11) Prevention, recognition, and first aid for heat-related illness in accordance with Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations, section 3395;

(12) Restricted entry intervals and what posting means, including both California and federal field posting sign formats;

(13) Employer responsibility to keep workers out of application exclusion zones;

(14) Employees must be at least 18 years old to perform early-entry activities. The responsibility of the employer to provide specific information to the employees before directing them to perform early-entry activities;

(15) Employers are prohibited from allowing or directing any employee to handle pesticides unless the employee has been trained as a handler;

(16) Do not to take pesticides or pesticide containers home from work;

(17) Potential hazards to children and pregnant women from pesticide exposures, including that:

(A) Children and nonworking family members should keep away from pesticide-treated fields;

(B) After working in pesticide-treated fields, remove boots or shoes before entering the home and remove work clothes; and

(C) Employees should wash or shower before physical contact with children or family members.

(18) How to report suspected pesticide use violations; and

(19) Employee rights, including the right:

(A) To personally receive information about pesticides to which he or she may be exposed;

(B) For his or her physician or an employee representative designated in writing to receive information about pesticides to which he or she may be exposed;

(C) To be protected against retaliatory action due to the exercise of any of his or her rights; and

(D) To report suspected use violations to the Department or county agricultural commissioners.

(c) An employee who holds a valid personal pesticide license or certificate issued by the department, current documented pesticide handler training pursuant to section 6724, or other valid certificate of pesticide training approved by the director is considered to be trained for the purposes of this section.

(d) The information shall be presented in a manner the employee can understand, orally from written materials or audio visually, using nontechnical terms in a location reasonably free from distraction. The trainer shall be present throughout the training and shall respond to employee questions.

(e) The record of initial and annually required training given to the employee must include the date; employee's printed name and signature; the title(s) and source(s) of the training materials used; employer's name; and trainer's name and qualifications as specified in (f). This record shall be retained by the employer for two years at a central location at the workplace accessible to employees. The record must be provided to the employee upon request.

(f) The person conducting the training shall be qualified as one of the following:

(1) A California certified applicator;

(2) A person holding any other valid license or certificate of personal pesticide qualification issued by the department;

(3) A person who has completed an "instructor training" program presented by one of the following:

(A) The University of California, Integrated Pest Management Program;

(B) Other instructor training program approved by the director;

(4) A California Registered Professional Forester;

(5) A person holding a valid County Biologist License in Pesticide Regulation or Investigation and Environmental Monitoring issued by the California Department of Food and Agriculture;

(6) A University of California Extension Advisor; or

(7) Other valid trainer qualification approved by the director.

Notes

Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 3, § 6764

1. Amendment filed 9-26-88; operative 10-26-88 (Register 88, No. 41).
2. Amendment of section heading, repealer and new section, and amendment of NOTE filed 12-31-96; operative 1-1-97 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(d) (Register 97, No. 1).
3. New subsection (a)(9), subsection renumbering and amendment of newly designated subsection (a)(11) filed 4-15-2015; operative 7-1-2015 (Register 2015, No. 16).
4. Amendment of subsections (a), (c) and (d), new subsection (e), subsection relettering and amendment of newly designated subsections (f)(3)(A)-(B) filed 10-17-2016; operative 1-2-2017 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(2) (Register 2016, No. 43).
5. Amendment filed 12-20-2017; operative 3-1-2018 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(3) (Register 2017, No. 51).

Note: Authority cited: Section 12981, Food and Agricultural Code. Reference: Sections 12980 and 12981, Food and Agricultural Code.

1. Amendment filed 9-26-88; operative 10-26-88 (Register 88, No. 41).
2. Amendment of section heading, repealer and new section, and amendment of Note filed 12-31-96; operative 1-1-97 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(d)(Register 97, No. 1).
3. New subsection (a)(9), subsection renumbering and amendment of newly designated subsection (a)(11) filed 4-15-2015; operative 7/1/2015 (Register 2015, No. 16).
4. Amendment of subsections (a), (c) and (d), new subsection (e), subsection relettering and amendment of newly designated subsections (f)(3)(A)-(B) filed 10-17-2016; operative 1/2/2017 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(2) (Register 2016, No. 43).
5. Amendment filed 12-20-2017; operative 3/1/2018 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(3) (Register 2017, No. 51).