Pesticides & Herbicides

Pesticides kill or control insects, weeds, fungi, rodents and other pests. Landscapers, pest control technicians, farm workers, golf course crews, groundskeepers, building maintenance workers and many others handle them. They’re made to be toxic to living things, so they can harm people too. The product label is the law, and following it protects you and everyone around you.

• Landscaping
• Pest Control
• Agriculture

Types of pesticides

Chemicals fall into families, such as organophosphates, carbamates, pyrethroids and glyphosate-type herbicides. Each has different effects, so always check the product label and the SDS. See Safety Data Sheets and Pest Control Technicians.

The label is the law

• In the United States, pesticides are regulated by the EPA under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), with state agencies. Every legal product has an EPA registration number and a label with directions.
• It is illegal to use a pesticide in a way that conflicts with its label. The label tells you what the product is for, the amount, how to mix and apply it, the PPE required, where it may not be used, how long to stay out of treated areas and how to store and dispose of it.
• Signal words on the label show how toxic it is: DANGER (the most toxic, or severely irritating), WARNING (moderately toxic) and CAUTION (slightly toxic). Danger products may also say “Poison.”
• Read the label before you buy, before you mix and before you apply. Don’t rely on memory or on what a coworker says.
• Restricted-use pesticides can be bought and applied only by certified applicators or people working under their supervision, because of risk to people or the environment. Many states also require licenses for commercial applicators. Check your state agency.

How exposure happens

• Skin contact: the most common route. Pesticides can soak through clothing and skin during mixing, spraying, cleaning equipment and touching treated surfaces. Hot, sweaty skin absorbs more.
• Breathing: vapors, mist, dust and fumes, especially in enclosed spaces, greenhouses and during fogging or fumigation.
• Eyes: splashes and drift.
• Swallowing: by eating, drinking or smoking with contaminated hands, or by storing pesticides in food containers.
• Drift and residues: spray can drift on the wind onto neighbors, other workers and bystanders, and residue on plants and surfaces can expose people who go back in too soon.

Health effects

• Short-term (acute): headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, sweating, blurred vision, skin and eye irritation, cough, weakness and muscle twitching. Severe poisoning from some products (like organophosphates and carbamates) can cause difficulty breathing, convulsions, loss of consciousness and death.
• Long-term (chronic): some pesticides are linked to nervous system effects, cancers, reproductive problems and other health problems with repeated exposure, depending on the product. See Occupational Cancer and Reproductive Hazards.
• Children, pregnant workers and people with asthma or other conditions are especially at risk.

Protecting yourself

• Wear the PPE the label requires. This often includes long sleeves and pants, chemical-resistant gloves (nitrile or other material the label specifies, not cotton or leather), chemical-resistant boots, eye protection, and a respirator for some products. See Chemical-Protective Clothing, Hand Protection, Eye & Face Protection and Respiratory Protection.
• Mix and load carefully: measure with the right tools, work in a ventilated spot, stand upwind, and don’t splash. Concentrates are far more hazardous than diluted products. Use closed mixing systems where available.
• Apply as directed: use the correct rate and equipment, and don’t spray in wind or when rain is expected, unless the label allows it. Keep the nozzle low, and stay out of the spray and the treated area.
• Prevent drift: watch wind speed and direction, use coarse droplets and low pressure where recommended, and maintain buffer zones near homes, water, schools and sensitive areas.
• Keep people and pets out of the treated area for the required time. Post signs where required.
• Respect re-entry intervals (REIs) and, for agricultural workers, the EPA Worker Protection Standard, which sets training, notification, decontamination and re-entry rules for agricultural pesticide use. See Farm Safety.
• Wash up: wash hands and face before eating, drinking, smoking or using the restroom, and shower after work. Keep work clothes separate and launder them separately, and wear clean clothes home. See Take-Home Contamination and Sanitation.
• Watch for heat illness when wearing PPE in hot weather: take breaks and drink water. See Heat Illness.
• Get training on the products you use, and know the SDS and the emergency plan. See Hazard Communication.

• Don’t use more than the label allows, thinking it will work better.
• Don’t mix products unless the label says to, since dangerous reactions can occur. Never mix with bleach or ammonia. See Household Chemicals.
• Don’t eat, drink or smoke while handling pesticides.
• Don’t put pesticides in food or drink containers, or unlabeled bottles.
• Don’t use a sprayer with leaks or clogs, and don’t blow clogged nozzles with your mouth.

Symptoms and first aid

• If you feel sick after pesticide work: stop, move to fresh air, take off contaminated clothing and wash your skin and hair with soap and water. Get medical help right away for anything more than mild symptoms.
• Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 (U.S., 24 hours), or 911 for severe symptoms. Have the product name and EPA registration number from the label ready, and take the label to the doctor.
• Skin: remove clothing and wash with plenty of soap and water for at least 15 minutes. Eyes: flush with clean water for at least 15 minutes. Swallowed: don’t induce vomiting unless the label or Poison Control says so. See Chemical Exposure First Aid and Eyewash & Showers.
• Tell your employer about any exposure incident. It may be a work injury. See Filing a Workers’ Comp Claim.

Storage, transport and disposal

• Store pesticides in their original labeled containers, in a locked, dry, cool, ventilated place, away from food, feed, children, pets and heat. Keep flammable products away from ignition sources. See Chemical Storage & Compatibility.
• Transport them secured upright, in a part of the vehicle away from people and food. Don’t leave them in a hot, closed vehicle.
• Dispose of leftover product and empty containers as the label and local rules say. Triple-rinse or pressure-rinse empty containers where the label calls for it, and use hazardous waste collection when required. Don’t pour pesticides down drains or into water.
• Clean up spills right away with absorbent, wearing PPE, and report large spills. See Spill Response.

Pesticide work checklist

• I read the label and SDS, and I am certified or supervised if the product is restricted-use
• I wear the PPE the label requires, and I know my respirator is fit tested if needed
• I mixed carefully, applied at the right rate and avoided drift
• People and pets stay out for the re-entry interval; signs are posted
• I wash up before eating and shower after work; work clothes are laundered separately
• I know Poison Control’s number (1-800-222-1222) and how to report exposure

Last updated: October 4, 2026