The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection enforces the federal Worker Protection Standard (WPS) in Wisconsin. The WPS is a regulation issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency intended to use information, training, and practices to reduce the risk of pesticide exposure for pesticide handlers and other workers producing crops:
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On farms
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In forests
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In nurseries
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In greenhouses
Workers and handlers include employees, self-employed contractors and, in some cases, owners.
Qualified Trainers Under Worker Protection Standard
The WPS requires that employers be qualified to conduct pesticide safety training for their workers and pesticide handlers, or to use a qualified trainer. A qualified trainer meets at least one of these criteria:
- Be a currently certified pesticide applicator
- Complete UW-Extension pesticide applicator training and take the exam to get certified
- Complete the Environmental Protection Agency's PowerPoint-based curriculum for Train the Trainer.
If the trainer is a certified pesticide applicator or gets certified, no further action is needed.
Safety posters
Requirements for posting WPS information
Posters for downloading and printing on 11 x 17 paper, with Wisconsin contact information
Order larger or laminated posters (no Wisconsin contact information)
Working with a Labor Contractor
Labor contractors do not have specific responsibilities under the WPS. Agricultural employers and commercial pesticide handler employers are responsible for protecting agricultural workers and pesticide handlers from pesticide poisoning and injury. As an agricultural employer, you may request that the labor contractor share some of those responsibilities depending on what is agreed upon in the work agreement/contract.
As a labor contractor, your customers might be looking for you to supply workers who already have WPS training. It might be a competitive advantage for you to provide training and training records that meet the agricultural employer’s requirements. Similarly, the agricultural employer may ask you to provide some of the required protections, such as decontamination supplies or emergency assistance, and assist with information exchange. Ultimately, however, responsibility for compliance with the WPS resides with the agricultural employer or commercial pesticide handler employer.
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