ACE Pesticide Use & Safety 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which route of pesticide exposure is generally considered the most significant for pest control operators during routine applications?
- Inhalation
- Dermal absorption (Correct answer)
- Oral ingestion
- Ocular absorption
Correct answer: Dermal absorption
Dermal absorption accounts for the majority of pesticide exposure for applicators because skin contact with treated surfaces, sprays, and drift is most common during routine pest control work.
Question 2: What does the re-entry interval (REI) specified on a pesticide label require?
- Workers must wait the specified time before entering treated areas without required PPE (Correct answer)
- Applicators must re-enter treated areas to verify coverage after the interval
- The product must be reapplied after the specified interval has passed
- Supervisors must re-inspect equipment after the specified downtime
Correct answer: Workers must wait the specified time before entering treated areas without required PPE
The REI mandates that workers not enter treated areas without PPE for a defined period to allow pesticide residues to dissipate to safe levels.
Question 3: Which class of insecticides inhibits acetylcholinesterase, causing overstimulation of the nervous system?
- Pyrethroids
- Neonicotinoids
- Organophosphates (Correct answer)
- Insect growth regulators
Correct answer: Organophosphates
Organophosphates (and carbamates) inhibit acetylcholinesterase, preventing the breakdown of acetylcholine and causing continuous nerve stimulation.
Question 4: When transporting pesticides in a vehicle, which practice is most important for safety?
- Keeping containers in the passenger compartment for easy monitoring
- Storing pesticides in unlabeled containers to prevent theft
- Transporting pesticides separately from food, feed, and people (Correct answer)
- Mixing pesticides before transport to save time on arrival
Correct answer: Transporting pesticides separately from food, feed, and people
Pesticides must always be transported separately from food, feed, clothing, and people to prevent contamination and accidental poisoning.
Question 5: A pesticide's LD50 value is used to measure:
- The lethal dose required to kill 50% of a test population (Correct answer)
- The minimum effective dose for 50% pest mortality in field conditions
- The dose at which 50% of applicators show symptoms of poisoning
- The concentration that degrades to 50% of original potency
Correct answer: The lethal dose required to kill 50% of a test population
LD50 (lethal dose 50) is the dose of a substance that kills 50% of a test population, expressed in mg of toxicant per kg of body weight.
Question 6: Which type of pesticide formulation poses the greatest inhalation hazard during application?
- Wettable powder (WP)
- Granular (G)
- Emulsifiable concentrate (EC)
- Ultra-low volume (ULV) concentrate (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Ultra-low volume (ULV) concentrate
ULV applications produce extremely fine droplets that remain airborne for extended periods, creating the greatest inhalation risk of any common pesticide formulation.
Question 7: What is the primary purpose of the Worker Protection Standard (WPS) in the United States?
- To regulate pesticide registration and labeling nationwide
- To protect agricultural workers and handlers from pesticide exposure (Correct answer)
- To set maximum residue limits on food commodities
- To establish certification requirements for commercial applicators
Correct answer: To protect agricultural workers and handlers from pesticide exposure
The EPA's Worker Protection Standard requires agricultural employers to take specific measures to reduce the risks of illness or injury from occupational exposure to pesticides.
ACE Pesticide Use & Safety 3
Which route of pesticide exposure is generally considered the most significant for pest control operators during routine applications?