Workers must wear protective clothing correctly when spraying biocides or pesticides says HSE research

HSE Press Release E156:02 - 7 August 2002

Workers should make sure they wear suitable protective overalls correctly when spraying biocides or pesticides, says a study by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Leaving sleeves rolled up or zips undone will fail to protect workers from being contaminated with pesticides or biocides.

Research was carried out into the role clothing plays in reducing skin exposure to pesticides and to quantify the amount of protection given by different types of clothing, so that the information can be used by workers carrying out a risk assessment in the future. Researchers also wanted to establish what fraction of the amount of pesticides deposited on workers clothing actually reaches the skin.

An articulated mannequin which moves the way a typical worker would while using biocides and pesticides was used in the study. Test fluids were sprayed on the clothing, mimicking patterns seen in the workplace. A series of replicate tests were taken using different types of clothing and on the mannequin wearing the clothing incorrectly.

Significant decreases in skin contamination were achieved from all the types of clothing tested, including personal clothing such as long sleeve shirt and a pair of jeans.

Wearing an extra layer of protective clothing such as a cotton boiler suit, further reduced skin contamination. However, there was still significant exposure to pesticides due to leakage around cuffs and collar and penetration directly through the direct fabric.

Specialist protective coveralls were shown to provide the best protection and reduced skin contamination to very low levels. Wearing specialist protective coveralls incorrectly such as leaving zips undone or sleeves rolled up, resulted in high levels of skin contamination.

Significant amounts of spray fluid were found on the worker's normal clothing even though they wore a protective overall which highlights the need for maintaining high standards of hygiene.

James Wheeler, HSE occupational hygienist, said:

"This study shows there is an increased potential for worker exposure to biocide and pesticide if coveralls are not suitable or used properly. The two main lessons to learn here are that people spraying biocides or pesticides should ensure that the coveralls chosen comply with any relevant conditions of approval and be worn correctly. Also personal clothing worn by workers applying biocides and pesticides will invariably be contaminated with these chemicals and should not be washed with domestic or personal items."

Notes to editors

The research was carried out by dstl Porton Down, Salisbury SP4 0JQ, funded by HSE.

Dermal exposure resulting from liquid contamination RR004 is available on the HSE website at www.hse.gov.uk/research/rr/index.htm

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