Statement of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health on exposure of employees to organophosphorus pesticides.

Details

• Personal Author:
  May JR
• Description:
  The hazards of organophosphorus (OP) pesticides to agricultural workers are reviewed. Restrictions implemented by the Department of Labor for Guthion (86500), Trithion (786196), Systox (8065483), Disyston (298044), EPN (2104645), methyl-parathion (298000), Phosdrin (7786347), Azodrin (6923224), parathion (56382), Dimecron (13171216), and tetraethyl-pyrophosphate (107493) (TEPP) are discussed. The mechanism of OP poisoning is described; it is primarily due to acetylcholinesterase inhibition that results in accumulation of acetylcholine (ACh) within the body. The ACh accumulation produces a classical cholinergic syndrome. Acute dermal toxicity ranges from 2.4 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) for TEPP to 230mg/kg for EPN. Episodes of mass agricultural worker poisonings are cited for some pesticides, including parathion, ethion (563122), and Guthion. Dissipation and degradation of OP pesticides are assessed. Some degradation products are less toxic than others. The hazards of worker contact to OP pesticide residues on foliage from inherent dermal and oral toxicity are stressed. It is estimated that several hundred thousand agricultural workers are potentially exposed to OP pesticide residues on crops every year. About 120 to 200 pesticide deaths per year are estimated, based on a pesticide morbidity reporting system. Actual numbers may be higher; the true extent of pesticide related death and illness is not known. An improved reporting system for pesticide accidents is suggested. Proposed strategies to provide protection to exposed workers include biological controls, substitutions of pesticides that are not ACh inhibitors, shorter lived pesticides, encapsulated pesticides, better protective clothing, improved personal hygiene, mechanical harvesters, use of decontamination agents, and establishment of field reentry safety intervals. The author concludes that the greatest cooperation is necessary between OSHA, NIOSH, and the Environmental Protection Agency to provide adequate protection for exposed workers while producing minimum disruption in agriculture.
• Subjects:
  Accidents, Occupational Hazardous Substances Inhalation Exposure Lung Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Respiratory Protective Devices Respiratory System Safety Toxicology
• Keywords:
  Exposure-limits Health-hazards Health-protection Industrial-exposures NIOSH-Author Pesticides-and-agricultural-chemicals Poison-control
• Document Type:
  Text
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-17
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00135957
• Citation:
  NIOSH 1973 Aug; :1-17
• CAS Registry Number:
  Azinphos-methyl (CAS RN 86-50-0) ; Carbophenothion (CAS RN 786-19-6) ; Demeton (CAS RN 8065-48-3) ; Disulfoton (CAS RN 298-04-4) ; O-Ethyl O-(4-nitrophenyl) phenylphosphonothioate (CAS RN 2104-64-5) ; Parathion-methyl (CAS RN 298-00-0) ; Mevinphos (CAS RN 7786-34-7) ; Monocrotophos (CAS RN 6923-22-4) ; Parathion (CAS RN 56-38-2) ; Phosphamidon (CAS RN 13171-21-6) ; Tetraethyl pyrophosphate (CAS RN 107-49-3) ; Ethion (CAS RN 563-12-2)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1973
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  NIOSH, U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, 17 pages, 8 references
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:65d0e4be775283ec32e6aac961b72c7f607fecee4adc9cd9b16b760af1a35c44fbac66af876210b64a18c917ca55838e35271557c8371ce39c30ae4a1c088e4d
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/179676/cdc_179676_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.29 MB ]