Where can you never mix, load or clean application equipment?

Where can you never mix, load or clean application equipment?

• A. Transferring pesticide to application equipment, handling an open pesticide container, rinsing a container, cleaning equipment and disposing of pesticide or rinsate
• B. In a closed, ventilated room
• C. At any outdoor site
• D. In the presence of a supervisor

Answer: (A)

Mixing, loading, cleaning application equipment, and handling or disposing of pesticide or rinsate all carry significant exposure and environmental risk. These tasks must be done only in a designated mix/load area with proper containment, ventilation, and rinsate collection. The activities listed—transferring pesticide to equipment, handling an open container, rinsing a container, cleaning equipment, and disposing of pesticide or rinsate—are the kinds of actions that create splash, drift, or runoff if done outside a proper setup, so they’re not performed in general or uncontrolled spaces. A closed, ventilated room can be a suitable designated area for these procedures, while outdoor sites increase drift risk, and simply having a supervisor present does not eliminate the hazards.

Mixing, loading, cleaning application equipment, and handling or disposing of pesticide or rinsate all carry significant exposure and environmental risk. These tasks must be done only in a designated mix/load area with proper containment, ventilation, and rinsate collection. The activities listed—transferring pesticide to equipment, handling an open container, rinsing a container, cleaning equipment, and disposing of pesticide or rinsate—are the kinds of actions that create splash, drift, or runoff if done outside a proper setup, so they’re not performed in general or uncontrolled spaces. A closed, ventilated room can be a suitable designated area for these procedures, while outdoor sites increase drift risk, and simply having a supervisor present does not eliminate the hazards.