Transporting and storing pesticides can be especially risky to people, pets, and the environment. You can prevent many pesticide accidents if you are prepared before beginning a handling task. Always read and understand the pesticide label, know how to clean up a spill, and have a pesticide spill kit immediately available. Carefully plan and perform transportation and storage tasks with safety being the primary concern. When possible, specify pesticides with safer formulations of active and/or inert ingredients. Safety is no accident.
Transportation Tips
Before handling or transporting a pesticide, remember: The label is the law. However, keep in mind that labels sometimes change. You may be following the container label, but an update may have occurred. Make sure you are in compliance with the law by checking for label updates.
 Both the vehicle owner and operator are responsible for accidents and must respond to any damages. Carry a copy of the label and material safety data sheets (MSDS) in the vehicle. Carry a spill kit in your vehicle. If a spill should occur, never leave the site unattended. Have emergency numbers with you if they should ever be needed. If in doubt about the need for assistance, call 911 or, in emergencies only, call Chemtrec, a 24-hour hazardous material communication center, at 800-424-9300.
Rules Of Containment
Check and record the number of containers when loading. Compare the number with the total on the invoice to make sure no containers are missing. Containers should be inspected for defects. Do not accept materials in damaged or rusted containers. Make sure all lids are tightly closed and that there are no leaks. Handle containers carefully to avoid rips or punctures. The containers must have readable labels. Keep containers in their original cartons or protect the labels with clear plastic tape, lacquer, or polyurethane. If a label is damaged or missing, immediately request a replacement label from the dealer.
Anchor containers with approved straps to prevent sliding or shifting. Cover paper and cardboard containers with a tarpaulin to keep them dry. Avoid temperature extremes. Extremely hot or cold temperatures can damage containers and cause products to become unusable. A vehicle should never be left unattended, unless the pesticides are kept locked. You are responsible and liable if children or careless adults are accidentally poisoned or injured by pesticides.
Going For A Ride
Never transport pesticides inside the passenger compartment of a car or a truck cab because of a possible spill or the potential release of hazardous vapors. Never transport pesticides with food or other items which might contaminate people or animals. The safest way to transport pesticides is in a steel or plastic-lined truck bed. Flatbed trucks should have side and tail racks.
 Go directly to the delivery point when possible, taking the least congested route. Drive with alertness and exercise caution should it become necessary to stop. Check product inventory at the delivery point. Make sure the product is well attended or secured within a building and obtain a signed delivery ticket.
The background of new drivers should be carefully checked. Every driver should be licensed and trained in the handling of pesticides that may be hazardous in the hands of dangerous people.
Safe Storage
Storing pesticides is inherently dangerous. Stored pesticides need to be kept locked and secured. Pesticides should not be stored near food, fertilizers, clothing, etc., that could become contaminated. Pesticides need to be secured against the possibility of being used as weapons of terror. Fires, floods, and storms pose huge risks as well.
Take pesticide storage seriously. Children under the age of 10 account for half of all pesticide-related deaths in the U.S. The locked storage area should have proper ventilation and a warning sign. Signs should be in English and Spanish. Store pesticides in their original containers. You are legally responsible if someone is injured by pesticides you have placed in unlabeled or mislabeled containers. As required by law, keep an MSDS for each pesticide used or stored.
Keep An Eye On Inventory
 One way to eliminate storage problems is to keep pesticides for only a limited time. This concept of no storage is called zero pesticide storage or ZPS. Immediately achieving ZPS may not be possible because of a large inventory. However, with a few key management strategies, ZPS can be a reachable goal within two to three years.
The first step in implementing ZPS is to inventory pesticides. Then dispose of unneeded products safely by calling the agency responsible for pesticide pick-up in your area. Pesticides to dispose of include canceled, unlabeled, unusable, or unwanted products. These pesticides often are more than half the inventory. Then take an inventory of remaining usable products.
Take delivery just before the application date. “Just in time delivery” can shorten storage time to days or weeks instead of months. Use last year’s pesticides before ordering new product. Return any unneeded, unopened containers to the dealer, if possible. Keep an accurate inventory of remaining usable products. Then order only what is necessary for short-term application needs.
By following these common-sense practices and properly disposing of unusable pesticides, pesticide storage can be reduced to zero or reduced to a minimum. ZPS is an important goal to set because accomplishment can minimize the risk of pesticide accidents.
A pesticide accident can be costly to people, pets, and the environment. Pesticide escape can contaminate sensitive areas, including ground water. Clean-up costs as a result of a pesticide spill can be budget breaking. Utilizing every available safe practice will yield invaluable long-term dividends by preventing pesticide accidents.
Dana Venrick is a commercial horticulture Extension agent at the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. |
