Health, Safety and Environment - International Labour Organization

Manual 5:PESTICIDES AND HEALTH,SAFETY & THE ENVIRONMENTIntroductionHowpesticides canenter the bodyInhalation(respiratory)Skinabsorption(dermal)Ingestion(oral)Working with pesticides is dangerous. There are no safe substances, allchemicals can be poisonous and cause injury or death. Preventingpesticides entering the body is the key to avoiding acute or chronic injuryto health.The main routes of direct entry are: inhalation through the respiratory tract (nose, larynx, trachea, bronchi,lungs and pleura) dermal absorption through the skin ingestion through the digestive tract (stomach, intestines)Breathing in pesticides either in the form of spray droplets, fine dust,fumes, smoke and gases is a common route of entry. Larger droplets orparticles are filtered off in the nose. Smaller ones, or those breathed inthrough the mouth, settle on the walls of the upper respiratory tract orthroat and are coughed up and either spat out or swallowed (ingested). Thesmallest droplets or particles – which are so small or well dispersed thatthey cannot be seen – can be inhaled down into the lungs where they cancause local damage or can be absorbed into the blood stream andcirculated to other parts of the body.Dermal exposure is one of the most common poisoning routes withpesticides which can easily penetrate the intact human skin if allowed todo so, causing local damage or being absorbed into the blood stream.Some formulations are especially hazardous if they are both toxic andcontain penetrative solvents. These may pass through personal protectiveequipment including clothing, unnoticed by the worker. Hot workingconditions which open the pores on the skin, and skin damaged by cuts,abrasions or skin disease add further risks of more rapid skin absorption.The swallowing of chemicals can have very serious, often fatalconsequences. Also inhaled particles may be coughed up and thenswallowed. Ingestion can happen in a variety of ways:when contaminated fingers are placed in the mouth, or used to handlefood or cigarettescleaning a blocked sprayer nozzle by putting it between the lips andblowing through itpesticides are decanted from large and properly labelled containers intounlabelled bottles and sold. These could subsequently be mistaken forsoft drinks and consumed222 Health, Safety and EnvironmentA Series of Trade Union EducationManuals for Agricultural Workers