Department of Pesticide Regulation

GUIDELINES FOR RESPONDING TO NON-OCCUPATIONAL PESTICIDE USE-RELATED EXPOSURE INCIDENTS

The Department of Pesticide Regulation's Worker Health and Safety and Enforcement branches have developed these procedures to provide guidance to county agricultural commissioners in responding to non-occupational pesticide use-related exposure incidents. This document supplements guidance in the Pesticide Episode Investigation Procedures, Investigative Technique Manual, and Pesticide Enforcement Investigative Sampling Manual.

The intent of this guidance is to give county agricultural commissioner's staff a tool to assist them in conducting their investigations when responding to non-occupational pesticide use-related incidents involving large numbers of affected people. The enclosed forms may be reformatted and printed on county letterhead, and the procedure could be modified to meet the specific needs of each county.

These guidelines will be incorporated in the Pesticide Episode Investigation Procedures Manual that is scheduled to be updated in fiscal year 2003/04.

If you have any comments or suggestions to improve this procedure, please contact the senior pesticide use specialist serving your county.

cc:   Mr. Daniel J. Merkley, Agricultural Commissioner Liaison (w/Enclosure)