On the sidelines of the next harvest season, the Commission for Standards, Equity, Health and Safety at Work (CNESST) would like to remind you that pesticides present health and safety risks, which can even lead to poisoning, chemical burns, chronic illnesses and death.
As many farmers may be exposed to it in the course of their work, the CNESST considers that it is essential that measures be put in place to protect their health.
Among the recommendations made, note the possibility of replacing the use of pesticides with less toxic products. If this is not possible, wearing personal protective equipment is a way to reduce the risks.
“The product label and the safety data sheet remain essential to learn about information on health risks and to choose the least harmful products for humans, can we read via press release. Then, for each of the work steps, you have to check how the exposure of users can be effectively reduced.”
A combination of several measures, such as reducing the number of treatments, the layout of the facilities and the choice of equipment and work methods, may be required.
It is also appropriate to undergo training before handling pesticides to know the preventive measures to be put in place to reduce and control the risks. Hand washing remains essential after the use of such substances.
Parkinson disease
Following the sanction of the Act to modernize the occupational health and safety system (LMRSST), Parkinson’s disease has been added to the list of diseases benefiting from a presumption of occupational disease in the Regulations on occupational diseases.
This means that, if certain conditions are met, agricultural workers and all other Quebec workers who must handle pesticides will no longer have to demonstrate the link between Parkinson’s disease and exposure to pesticides in order to be compensated by the CNESST.
For Parkinson’s disease to benefit from the presumption of occupational disease, the LMRSST provides that the worker must have carried out work involving exposure to pesticides for a minimum of 10 years and that the diagnosis must not have been made more 7 years after the end of the exhibition.
It should be noted that work involves exposure to pesticides “when there is handling or use of pesticides by contact or inhalation” or “when there is contact with crops, surfaces or animals treated or with machinery used for application of pesticides”.
Moreover, a worker has 6 months to submit his request to the CNESST from the moment he is informed that he is suffering from an occupational disease. (N.P.)
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