15.9 General

15.9.1 Departments shall ensure that decisions related to pesticide application programs and subsequent re-entry shall be developed in consultation with the workplace Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Committee. To the extent possible, all pesticide applications shall be carried out when employees are not present.

15.10 Indoors

15.10.1 Five days prior to the application, employees shall be informed of the intended pesticide application by way of posting signs and a notice. Both of them shall include:

  1. name of the product to be used;
  2. PCP registration number;
  3. reason for application;
  4. date of application;
  5. telephone number to contact for information;
  6. time for safe re-entry into the treated area.

15.10.2 Signs shall remain posted for at least 48 hours after application, unless a longer safe re-entry time is specified.

15.10.3 The time for safe re-entry into the treated area shall be determined by referring to the product label, the MSDS, or the Occupational and Environmental Health Services Directorate of Health Canada.

15.11 Outdoors

15.11.1 Warning signs shall be posted 24 hours prior to application. However, it is recognized that under certain unforeseen weather conditions, spraying operations may have to be initiated on short notice; under these circumstances, the 24 hour pre-application posting requirement may not be possible, but signs must nonetheless be posted prior to pesticide application.

15.11.2 Signs shall remain posted for at least 48 hours after application, unless a longer safe re-entry time is specified.

15.11.3 Signs must be made of weather resistant material. They should be approximately 50 cm high by 40 cm wide.

15.11.4 The sign shall contain the following wording:

Warning - pesticides used / Attention - pesticides utilisés

15.11.5 The sign shall also contain a warning pictogram that alerts the public not to touch or walk on treated plants or areas.

15.11.6 The sign shall also indicate the following:

  1. date of application;
  2. name of pesticide used;
  3. PCP Registration number;
  4. reason for application;
  5. telephone number for information; and
  6. safe re-entry date.

15.12 Greenhouses, barns, etc.

15.12.1 Application requirements are the same as for outdoors except that signs shall be posted 24 hours prior to application.

15.13 Personal hygiene

15.13.1 After handling pesticides and before attending to personal needs, employees should wash thoroughly, with special attention to the face, hands, hair, and under fingernails.

15.13.2 Departments shall ensure that protective clothing and equipment are cleaned after every use in accordance with Directive 14 Personal protective equipment.

15.14 Pesticide emergencies

15.14.1 If a spill or leak of pesticides occurs, the spill contingency plan prepared in accordance with 15.16.1 shall be implemented.