HSE launches 2004/05 Pesticide Incidents Report

E140:05 24 October 2005

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) today published its annual Pesticide Incidents Report on its agriculture website.

Between 1 April 2004 and 31 March 2005, HSE inspectors investigated 150 pesticide related incidents. This was a reduction from last year's total of 204. 55 incidents involved allegations of ill health, seven less than the previous year. The remaining 95 incidents involved environmental and other non-health complaints about the use of pesticides, 47 less than in 2003/04.

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 has been a steady fall over recent years in the reported number of incidents alleging ill health. I welcome this trend and hope that it continues in future years. Whilst many factors may have influenced the figures, the part played by the successes of the Voluntary Initiative and other industry led programmes cannot be overlooked. I strongly advise farmers to participate in the schemes and in particular to take part in continuous professional development programmes."

The 55 incidents involving allegations of ill health were considered by HSE's Pesticide Incidents Appraisal Panel (PIAP). The panel concluded that two of the reports should not be classified as ill health incidents.

Of the remaining incidents, the panel was unable to confirm that any of the reported incidents were linked to pesticide exposure, although five incidents (9%), involving eight people, were assessed as having a 'likely' link. None of these 'likely' incidents were considered directly related to work activity. All involved either members of the public or people who were incidentally exposed whilst at work.

No complaints of chronic ill health were reported during the year. As in most previous years, the majority of people were assessed as having 'mild' symptoms while the remaining subject was assessed as having 'moderate' symptoms. No one was considered by the panel to have suffered from 'severe' symptoms.

HSE inspectors issued a total of 41 enforcement notices (citing 43 contraventions) under the pesticide legislation and a total of 12 Informations (charges) were laid before the Courts.

Convictions were secured in all cases with an average fine of £1,650 for each offence compared with £1,824 for 2003/04.

As in previous years, complaints from the public about spray drift from the application of agricultural pesticides comprised the largest category of incidents investigated. These complaints usually arise when crops or land are sprayed when the wind is in the wrong direction or the wind speed is too high. Inadequate arrangements for storing pesticide continued to give rise to complaints and attract attention during routine inspection of users' premises and for the first time the report includes a case taken by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) after a fatal incident involving a paraquat-based pesticide.

Notes 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. This publication can be downloaded from HSE's website www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ais16.htm

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. It can be downloaded from the HSE website www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg141.pdf

4. PIAP classifies incidents as 'confirmed', 'likely', 'open assessment', 'unrelated' or 'insufficient information'. The severity of symptoms is recorded as 'mild' (requiring no or self-treatment), 'moderate' (presenting to a GP or hospital Accident and Emergency Department) or 'severe' (in-patient treatment). Further details are given in the Report.

5. The Voluntary Initiative is a programme of measures, agreed by the Government, to minimise the environmental impacts of pesticides. The signatories to the Voluntary Initiative are the National Farmers Union, NFU Scotland, the Country Land and Business Association, the Ulster Farmers Union, the Crop Protection Association, the National Association of Agricultural Contractors, the Agricultural Engineers Association and the Agricultural Industries Confederation. Further information on the Voluntary Initiative can be found at www.voluntaryinitiative.org.uk

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