ACE Pesticide Use & Safety 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which signal word on a pesticide label indicates the highest level of acute toxicity?
- CAUTION
- WARNING
- DANGER (Correct answer)
- NOTICE
Correct answer: DANGER
DANGER indicates the most acutely toxic pesticides (Toxicity Category I), while WARNING is Category II and CAUTION is Category III/IV.
Question 2: What does the term 'signal word' on a pesticide label legally indicate?
- The target pest spectrum
- The relative acute toxicity to humans (Correct answer)
- The environmental persistence of the product
- The required application rate
Correct answer: The relative acute toxicity to humans
Signal words (DANGER, WARNING, CAUTION) are required by EPA to communicate the relative acute toxicity of the pesticide to humans.
Question 3: Under FIFRA, which entity is primarily responsible for registering pesticide products for use in the United States?
- USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
- State departments of agriculture
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Correct answer)
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Correct answer: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
FIFRA (Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act) grants the EPA authority to register all pesticide products sold or distributed in the US.
Question 4: A pesticide label states 'For use only by certified applicators.' This restriction means:
- The product requires a special import permit
- Only individuals licensed by their state may purchase and apply it (Correct answer)
- The product is exempt from safety data sheet requirements
- Application must occur only in certified organic operations
Correct answer: Only individuals licensed by their state may purchase and apply it
Restricted-use pesticides (RUPs) may only be purchased and applied by state-certified pesticide applicators or persons under their direct supervision.
Question 5: What information is NOT required to appear on a pesticide product label by federal law?
- EPA registration number
- Name and address of the manufacturer
- Recommended retail price (Correct answer)
- Directions for use
Correct answer: Recommended retail price
FIFRA requires the EPA registration number, manufacturer information, directions for use, and other safety data, but not a retail price.
Question 6: Which personal protective equipment (PPE) is most critical when mixing concentrated liquid pesticide formulations?
- Steel-toed boots
- Chemical-resistant gloves and eye protection (Correct answer)
- Hard hat
- Reflective safety vest
Correct answer: Chemical-resistant gloves and eye protection
Mixing concentrated pesticides poses the greatest dermal and ocular exposure risk, making chemical-resistant gloves and eye/face protection essential.
Question 7: The pre-harvest interval (PHI) listed on an agricultural pesticide label refers to:
- The minimum time between pesticide application and crop harvest (Correct answer)
- The time required to mix the pesticide before application
- The interval between calibrating the sprayer and beginning application
- The waiting period before re-entering a treated greenhouse
Correct answer: The minimum time between pesticide application and crop harvest
The PHI is the minimum number of days that must elapse between the last pesticide application and harvest to ensure residues are below legal tolerances.
ACE Pesticide Use & Safety 2
Which signal word on a pesticide label indicates the highest level of acute toxicity?