HSE launches 2003/04 Pesticides Incident Report

HSE Press Release: E147-04 - 18 October 2004

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) today published the Pesticides Incident Report detailing pesticides related incidents investigated between 1 April 2003 and 31 March 2004.

The report, published on HSE's agriculture web site shows that inspectors investigated 204 incidents; a decrease of 11 from the previous year's figure of 215. 62 incidents involved allegations of ill-health, two more than in the previous year. The remaining 142 incidents were other complaints on use of pesticides.

A total of 65 incidents involving allegations of ill-health (three forwarded by local authorities) were considered during the year by HSE's Pesticide Incidents Appraisal Panel (PIAP). The panel concluding that three of the reports should not be classified as ill-health incidents.

Of the remaining incidents, the panel assessed only one as having a 'confirmed' link to pesticide exposure. A further 14 incidents (21%) were assessed as having a 'likely' link to pesticide exposure. None of these 'likely' incidents were directly related to work activity; all involved either members of the public or those incidentally exposed while at work.

HSE inspectors issued a total of 66 enforcement notices (citing 78 contraventions) under pesticide legislation during the year and a total of eight Informations were laid before the courts. Convictions were secured against all the Informations for which the average fine was £1,824 compared with an average of £1,250 for 2002/03.

As in previous years, complaints from the public about spray drift from the application of agricultural pesticides comprised the largest category of incidents investigated.

Allegations that spraying had taken place in adverse weather conditions (generally when the wind speed was too high) and/or of failure to notify neighbours of an intended application, figured prominently and, not for the first time, some of the case studies in the report focus on these issues. The case studies also draw attention to the issues of user competence and training, spillage of pesticides and pesticide storage.

Commenting on the report, Dr Roger Nourish, HSE's Head of Agriculture and Food Sector said: "The figures do fluctuate from year to year but there was a general fall in the number of allegations of ill health in the period 1995/96 to 2000/01. Over the last three years the numbers have reached a plateau at about 60 cases per year.

"Our investigations often reveal wholly unacceptable arrangements for the storage of pesticides. The case studies in this report clearly show that inspectors are prepared to prosecute without prior warning when serious contraventions are discovered. So make sure that all pesticides are kept in a suitable secure store."

Note To Editors

1. Guidance for sprayers and other users of agricultural pesticides is contained in the 'Code of Practice for the Safe Use of Pesticides on Farms and Holdings' (The Green Code), published by the Department for Food, the Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). This free publication provides detailed guidance on good working practice and practical advice on how to comply with the law. It is available from DEFRA Publications, ADMAIL 6000, London SW1A 2XX. (Telephone 0645 556000).

2. Advice on the storage of pesticides is contained in HSE Information Sheet AIS 16 "Guidance on storing pesticides for farmers and other professional users".

3. Guidance to members of the public on how to report an incident if they think people, animals or the environment have been harmed by exposure to pesticides is available in a free HSE leaflet INDG141 (rev1) 'Reporting incidents of exposure to pesticides and veterinary medicines'

4. Enforcement action (cases) were taken for storage of pesticides, spraying in windy conditions that led to drift of pesticides from target area, spillage of pesticides which led to a dog being fatally poisoned and misuse and supply of pesticide exposing members of public to risk.

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