(1) Handler responsibilities. Any person who performs handler activities involving a pesticide product must use the clothing and personal protective equipment specified on the pesticide product labeling for use of the product, except as provided in WAC 16-233-316.

(2) Employer responsibilities for providing personal protective equipment. The handler employer must provide to the handler the personal protective equipment required by the pesticide product labeling in accordance with this section. The handler employer must ensure that the personal protective equipment fits, is clean and in proper operating condition. When two or more pesticides are applied to the treated area at the same time, the employer must ensure employees, workers, and handlers wear the applicable PPE that would protect against all of the pesticides as a mixture and combined product. For the purposes of this section, long-sleeved shirts, short-sleeved shirts, long pants, short pants, shoes, and socks are not considered personal protective equipment, although such work clothing must be worn if required by the pesticide product labeling.

(a) If the pesticide product labeling requires that "chemical-resistant" personal protective equipment be worn, it must be made of material that allows no measurable movement of the pesticide being used through the material during use.

(b) If the pesticide product labeling requires that "waterproof" personal protective equipment be worn, it must be made of material that allows no measurable movement of water or aqueous solutions through the material during use.

(c) If the pesticide product labeling requires that a "chemical-resistant suit" be worn, it must be a loose-fitting, one- or two-piece chemical-resistant garment that covers, at a minimum, the entire body except head, hands, and feet.

(d) If the pesticide product labeling requires that "coveralls" be worn, they must be loose-fitting, one- or two-piece garments that cover, at a minimum, the entire body except head, hands, and feet.

(e) Gloves must be the type specified on the pesticide product labeling.

(i) Gloves made of leather, cotton, or other absorbent materials may not be worn while performing handler activities unless gloves made of these materials are listed as acceptable for such use on the pesticide product labeling.

(ii) Separable glove liners may be worn beneath chemical-resistant gloves, unless the pesticide product labeling specifically prohibits their use. Separable glove liners are defined as separate glove-like hand coverings, made of lightweight material, with or without fingers. Work gloves made from lightweight cotton or poly-type material are considered to be glove liners if worn beneath chemical-resistant gloves. Separable glove liners may not extend outside the chemical-resistant gloves under which they are worn. Chemical-resistant gloves with nonseparable absorbent lining materials are prohibited.

(iii) If used, separable glove liners must be discarded immediately after a total of no more than ten hours of use or within twenty-four hours of when first put on, whichever comes first. The liners must be replaced immediately if directly contacted by pesticide. Used glove liners must not be reused. Contaminated liners must be disposed of in accordance with any federal, state, or local regulations.

(f) If the pesticide product labeling requires that "chemical-resistant footwear" be worn, one of the following types of footwear must be worn:

(i) Chemical-resistant shoes.

(ii) Chemical-resistant boots.

(iii) Chemical-resistant shoe coverings worn over shoes or boots.

(g) If the pesticide product labeling requires that "protective eyewear" be worn, one of the following types of eyewear must be worn:

(i) Goggles.

(ii) Face shield.

(iii) Safety glasses with front, brow, and temple protection.

(iv) Full-face respirator.

(h) If the pesticide product labeling requires that a "chemical-resistant apron" be worn, a chemical-resistant apron that covers the front of the body from mid-chest to the knees must be worn.

(i) If the pesticide product labeling requires that "chemical-resistant headgear" be worn, it must be either a chemical-resistant hood or a chemical-resistant hat with a wide brim.

(j) The respirator specified by the pesticide product labeling must be used. If the label does not specify the type of respirator to be used, it shall meet the requirements of chapter 296-307 WAC, Part Y-5. Whenever a respirator is required by the pesticide product labeling, the handler employer must ensure that the requirements of (j)(i) through (iii) of this subsection are met before the handler performs any handler activity where the respirator is required to be worn. The respiratory protection requirements of chapter 296-307 WAC, Part Y-5, shall apply. The handler employer must maintain for two years, on the establishment, records documenting the completion of the requirements of (j)(i) through (iii) of this subsection.

(i) The handler employer shall assure that the respirator fits correctly by using the procedures consistent with chapter 296-307 WAC, Part Y-5.

(ii) Handler employers must provide handlers with training in the use of the respirator specified on the pesticide product labeling in a manner that conforms to the provisions of chapter 296-307 WAC, Part Y-5 Respirators.

(iii) Handler employers must provide handlers with a medical evaluation by a physician or other licensed health care professional that conforms to the provisions of WAC 296-307-604 to ensure the handler's physical ability to safely wear the respirator specified on the pesticide product labeling.

(3) Use of personal protective equipment.

(a) The handler employer must ensure that personal protective equipment is used correctly for its intended purpose and is used according to the manufacturer's instructions.

(b) The handler employer must ensure that, before each day of use, all personal protective equipment is inspected for leaks, holes, tears, or worn places, and any damaged equipment is repaired or discarded.

(4) Cleaning and maintenance.

(a) The handler employer must ensure that all personal protective equipment is cleaned according to the manufacturer's instructions or pesticide product labeling instructions before each day of reuse. In the absence of any such instructions, it must be washed thoroughly in detergent and hot water.

(b) If any personal protective equipment cannot or will not be cleaned properly, the handler employer must ensure the contaminated personal protective equipment is made unusable as apparel or is made unavailable for further use by employees or third parties. The contaminated personal protective equipment must be disposed of in accordance with any applicable laws or regulations. Coveralls or other absorbent materials that have been drenched or heavily contaminated with a pesticide that has the signal word "DANGER" or "WARNING" on the label must not be reused and must be disposed of as specified in this subsection. Handler employers must ensure that any person who handles contaminated personal protective equipment described in this subsection wears the gloves specified on the pesticide product labeling for mixing and loading the product(s) comprising the contaminant(s) on the equipment. If two or more pesticides are included in the contaminants, the gloves worn must meet the requirements for mixing and loading all of the pesticide products.

(c) The handler employer must ensure that contaminated personal protective equipment is kept separate from noncontaminated personal protective equipment, other clothing or laundry and washed separately from any other clothing or laundry.

(d) The handler employer must ensure that all washed personal protective equipment is dried thoroughly before being stored or reused.

(e) The handler employer must ensure that all clean personal protective equipment is stored separately from personal clothing and apart from pesticide-contaminated areas.

(f) The handler employer must ensure that when filtering facepiece respirators are used, they are replaced when one of the following conditions is met:

(i) When breathing resistance becomes excessive.

(ii) When the filter element has physical damage or tears.

(iii) According to manufacturer's recommendations or pesticide product labeling, whichever is more frequent.

(iv) In the absence of any other instructions or indications of service life, at the end of each day's work period.

(g) The handler employer must ensure that when gas- or vapor-removing respirators are used, the gas- or vapor-removing canisters or cartridges are replaced before further respirator use when one of the following conditions is met:

(i) At the first indication of odor, taste, or irritation.

(ii) When the maximum use time is reached as determined by a change schedule conforming to the provisions of chapter 296-307 WAC, Part Y-5 Respirators.

(iii) When breathing resistance becomes excessive.

(iv) When required according to manufacturer's recommendations or pesticide product labeling instructions, whichever is more frequent.

(v) In the absence of any other instructions or indications of service life, at the end of each day's work period.

(h) The handler employer must inform any person who cleans or launders personal protective equipment of all the following:

(i) That such equipment may be contaminated with pesticides and there are potentially harmful effects from exposure to pesticides.

(ii) The correct way(s) to clean personal protective equipment and how to protect themselves when handling such equipment.

(iii) Proper decontamination procedures that should be followed after handling contaminated personal protective equipment.

(i) The handler employer must ensure that handlers have a place(s) away from pesticide storage and pesticide use areas where they may do all of the following:

(i) Store personal clothing not worn during handling activities.

(ii) Put on personal protective equipment at the start of any exposure period.

(iii) Remove personal protective equipment at the end of any exposure period.

(j) The handler employer must not allow or direct any handler to wear home or to take home employer-provided personal protective equipment contaminated with pesticides.

(5) Heat-related illness. Where a pesticide's labeling requires the use of personal protective equipment for a handler activity, the handler employer must ensure that no handler is allowed or directed to wear personal protective equipment without implementing measures sufficient to prevent heat-related illness and that each handler is instructed in the prevention, recognition, and first-aid treatment of heat-related illness.