Pesticide Illness and Injury
Workplace pesticide illness and injury prevention
When used properly, pesticides offer a variety of benefits to society. They increase crop production, preserve produce, combat insect infestations, and control exotic species. However, pesticides also have the potential for causing harm.
Approximately one billion pounds of pesticide active ingredient are used annually in the U.S., and over 16,000 pesticide products are being marketed in the U.S. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 10,000-20,000 physician-diagnosed pesticide poisonings occur each year among the approximately 2 million U.S. agricultural workers, groundskeepers, pet groomers, and fumigators. A variety of occupations are at risk for exposure to pesticides including fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, rodenticides, and sanitizers.
How Concentra can help
Concentra can implement a systematic program of medical surveillance that monitors workers with exposure to pesticides in order to control or prevent exposure-related disease. The program includes education on pesticide-related hazards and prevention, workplace and work practices monitoring, regular medical screenings to provide the earliest possible detection of adverse health effects, referral of workers for diagnostic confirmation and treatment, and systematic reporting.
These services can be delivered at employer worksite locations, at Concentra Medical Centers, or through Web-based tools.
