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Exposure Assessment
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Exposure assessment is how DPR identifies and assesses potential pesticide exposure to human populations. The Worker Health and Safety Branch estimate exposures for individuals who come in contact with pesticides through direct handling of products, those entering treated areas, and bystanders or individuals who may come in contact through ambient air, groundwater, or other sources. Dietary exposures from pesticides in food and drinking water are assessed by the Medical Toxicology Branch. DPR scientists review product labels and evaluate handling and crop cultivation practices, assessing occupational, residential, industrial, and institutional scenarios.
Exposure and Risk Assessment Publications
- Publication on monitoring and evaluating pesticide exposure, PDF (51 kb)
- Policies and procedures (Memoranda outlining DPR approaches to exposure assessment)
- Risk characterization documents (Risk assessments are prepared in the form of risk characterization documents)
- Worker Health and Safety Branch posters
Useful Resources
- California Laws and Regulations (frequently utilized in exposure assessments)
- 3 CCR Section 6400 - restricted materials
- 3 CCR Sections 6736 - 6746 - coveralls, personal protective equipment, respiratory protection, closed systems, etc.
- 3 CCR Sections 6760 - 6778 - fieldworker safety
- 3 CCR Sections 6780 - 6784 - fumigation safe-use requirements, fumigation of enclosed spaces, field fumigation
- 3 CCR Sections 6790 - 6792 - minimum use pesticides
- Human subjects protocol review, PDF (96 kb)
- Product/label database queries & lists
- Pesticide use reporting
- U.S. EPA pesticide reregistration eligibility decisions (REDs)
- U.S. EPA registration review status
- U.S. EPA Worker Protection Standard
- TOXNET - databases covering toxicology, hazardous chemicals, environmental health and related areas, managed by the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
- EXTOXNET - pesticide information profiles archived at Oregon State University.
- Product labels and MSDS database (maintained by Crop Data Management Systems, Inc.)
For content questions contact:
Joe Frank
1011 I Street, P.O. Box 4015
Sacramento, CA 95812-4015
Telephone: (916) 324-3517
E-mail: jfrank@cdpr.ca.gov