Abstract

It has repeatedly been demonstrated that workers returning to work at sites treated with pesticides may be subjected to significant pesticide exposure. Currently, there is no way for Quebec farmers to determine the minimum safe interval between pesticide application and the return of workers on-site. In response to the preoccupations of the CSST and the farmers’ union, this project’s researchers adapted their toxicity-based approach to produce farming. The results demonstrate that when the calculated re-entry times are complied with, most workers have minimal pesticide absorption and face little risk. In the next phase of the research, an effective tool with which to manage re-entry times, based on the approach validated in this study, will be developed.