Pesticide Laws

Misused and overused pesticides are one of the greatest safety threats to people who work on farms, in other parts of the food industry, and in gardening and lawn care companies, to name just a few. Heavy exposure to some of these chemicals can cause serious health problems and even death. For people with certain types of allergies, even small doses of some pesticides can cause severe illness.

However, as early as 1975, a federal court ruled that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)—not OSHA—is responsible for making sure that workers are not injured by exposure to pesticides at work. (Organized Migrants in Community Action, Inc. v. Brennan, 520 F. 2d 1161.)

There have been some disputes between the EPA and OSHA over this ruling in recent years—and the question of enforcement responsibility remains unsettled decades later. If you believe that you or your coworkers are being exposed to dangerous doses of pesticides at work, the best thing to do is to file complaints with both OSHA and the EPA—and let them decide who gets to regulate you. To find the nearest EPA office, look in the U.S. Government section of the white pages of the telephone book. You can also find a listing of local EPA offices at the agency’s website at www.epa.gov under “About EPA.”