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:
- On farms
- In forests
- In nurseries
- 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.