• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.136-141
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• 2013

Background: Occupational end users of pesticides may experience bodily absorption of the pesticide products they use, risking possible health effects. The purpose of this paper is to provide a guide for researchers, practitioners, and policy makers working in the field of agricultural health or other areas where occupational end use of pesticides and exposure issues are of interest. Methods: This paper characterizes the health effects of pesticide exposure, jobs associated with pesticide use, pesticide-related tasks, absorption of pesticides through the skin, and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for reducing exposure. Conclusions: Although international and national efforts to reduce pesticide exposure through regulatory means should continue, it is difficult in the agricultural sector to implement engineering or system controls. It is clear that use of PPE does reduce dermal pesticide exposure but compliance among the majority of occupationally exposed pesticide end users appears to be poor. More research is needed on higher-order controls to reduce pesticide exposure and to understand the reasons for poor compliance with PPE and identify effective training methods.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 2001

Since 1982, female agricultural workers are populous than male in Korea. Previous study was suggested that female workers are more sensitive to the agricultural medicine poisoning than male. This study was conducted with the aim of evaluating the impact on plasma components and nutrient intakes in female agricultural workers by the use of pesticides. Data were obtained from 44 females residing in Wonjoo, Kangwon-do area. Analysis for the general characteristics, nutrient intakes, and plasma components of the subjects were performed by physical examination, 24-hour recall method and venous blood sampling. They were divided into 3 groups according to the degree of the pesticide use: 8 in none(Non-expose group), 14 in low(<4/yr)(Low-expose group), and 22 in high$({\geq}4/yr)$(High-expose group). The results are summarized as follows. Serum glucose, SGOT, SGPT, triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol did not correlated with pesticide use and were not different among the groups. But serum total cholesterol was higher in pesticide use group. With increasing the number of pesticide use times, leukocyte count was tended to increased. Eighty two percent of the subjects were hemoglobin less than or equal to 12g/dl. Hematocrit, MCV, MCH, MCHC, serum Fe, Serum ferritin belonged to normal range and did not correlated with pesticide use. Intake of energy, Fe, vitamin $B_2$ were lower than RDA. Fe, K, and vitamin A intake were higher in don't use group than the other groups. There are not many differences according to using the pesticide in anthropometric measurements, nutrient intakes, and blood components, except for serum total cholesterol level and some nutrients intake. But these results suggest the need the systemic researches about the effects the pesticide using on nutritional status in Korean agricultural workers.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.23-31
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• 2022

Background: Potato is the main crop of Ardabil Plain (accounting for one-fifth of potato production in Iran). Its health hazard risk to farmers is rising due to the increasing rate of pesticide use. The present study analyzes potato farmers' health hazard risk in the use of chemical pesticides. Methods: The rate of pesticide use by farmers (n = 370) was first compared with the recommended dosage (on pesticide label). Then, a composite index was employed to estimate the health hazard risk of farmers during pesticide use, and the variables accounting for pesticide overuse and nonoveruse were analyzed. Safety behavior was examined in four steps, namely of pesticide purchase and storage, preparation, application, and postapplication. Results: It was found that 74.6 percent of potato farmers used pesticides in higher concentrations than the recommended dosage. The higher average rate of pesticide use versus recommendation (label instruction) was related to Chlorpyrifos and Trifluralin, and the highest average health hazard risk among farmers was related to the use of Chlorpyrifos and Metribuzin. Farmers with a higher risk of health hazard displayed much lower safety behavior than the other farmers at all steps of pesticide use. Conclusion: The most important variables discriminating the health hazard risk of farmers' overuse included health behavior identity, attitude, knowledge and awareness, and cues to action. Therefore, using social media, holding local exhibitions, and engaging local leaders and skilled farmers in the region to improve farmers' attitudes and health behavior identity toward the dangers of chemical pesticides can play a significant role in motivating farmers' display of overuse preventive behaviors.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.231-236
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• 2013

A solution on pesticide minor use is being requested world widely on behalf of growers and for the appropriate measure for pesticide regulation. Presently, definition on "minor use" is different by country. And furthermore registration for pesticide use and the regulation approach are dependent on whether the crop is minor or major. For these reasons, management for pesticide minor use are more complicated and aggravated. This paper aimed to provide information on definition of minor use, minor use programs and regulatory incentives for minor use registration, with the purpose of supporting in developing a possible solution on minor use situation in Korea. In conclusion, two suggestions were made based on the worldwide information on pesticide minor use. First, a prudent consideration should be taken in defining minor use legally in Korea, which should include all situations regarded with minor use of pesticide, besides the use of pesticide on the crops cultivated in small area. Secondly, it is proposed to strengthen the present program, the "Ex Officio Registration" (implemented since 1998 in Korea, lead by the Rural Development Administration) by introducing a cooperative program like IR-4 Project of the USA, which is well known as an effective program for minor use solution as mentioned in the OECD guidance.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.3979-3982
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• 2016

Background: Thailand remains a primarily agricultural country and Thai farmers are heavy users of pesticides. Coincidentally the incidence of cholangio carcinoma (CCA) is high in parts of the country, but no previous study has examined any association between the two. Materials and Methods: The present matched, case-control study covered patients admitted to Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University, Thailand. The case group comprised 210 cases diagnosed with CCA and the control group 840 diagnosed with other diseases. Cases and controls were matched for sex, age within five years, and date of admission within three months. Multiple conditional logistic regression was used for the analysis. Results: After adjusting for potential confounders, pesticide use as compared with never used pesticide was not associated with CCA (ORadj=1.11, 95% CI: 0.77, 1.60) and neither was there any significant relationship between CCA and duration of pesticide use, type or number of types pesticide use. Conclusions: The current study thus found no association between pesticide use and CCA.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Toocicology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.121-123
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• 2003

The registration of a pesticide for use in the gardens or a farmer's field requires assessment of the potential negative effects of that pesticide on human health. To anticipate how a pesticide might impact human health, laboratory animals such as mice and rats are exposed to varying dosages in their foods -from very minimal to extremely high levels. Toxicologists then evaluate the observable effect(s) of consuming known quantities of that specific pesticide on acute, subchronic, chronic, mutational, reproduction and neurological effects. Information gained from such test is evaluated by toxicologists and medical experts to determine potential human effects

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.90-93
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• 1993

Increasing Public Concern : Pesticide residue is probably one of the fastest growing problems in regard to environmental contamination. Pesticide use in agriculture in this century has produced certain benefits, including a decrease in crop waste and an increase in crop yields and food quality. However, pesticide use also creates problems of having effects on the environment and remaining in food chain. The presence of pesticide residue in food, water, and soil has aroused public concern over potential health hazards. Despite information provided by national and private level agencies suggesting that food is safe, consumer groups worldwide are demanding assurance as to the safely of agricultural products.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.183-188
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• 2006

A nation-wide monitoring survey was performed to look into pesticide use pattern and amount on farmers' field after the national registration of pesticides from 2003 to 2004. Tow hundred ninety two leading farmers involved in the survey were chosen from main cultivating regions of targeted crops in consideration with area. Most farmers involved in the survey follow the safe use guideline of pesticides, while their information to select and making-decision for purchasing pesticides were done according to the recommendation of mainly pesticide market dealers or agricultural cooperative dealers. Used amount of pesticide per unit cropping area was surveyed as 5.51 on paddy, 3.91 on field cabbage, 2.93 on greenhouse cabbage, 0.76 on lettuce, 0.55 on spinach, 1.34 on perilla leaf, 4.89 on leek and 0.42 kg $ha^{-1}$ on young radish. As compound with those surveyed from 1999 to 2000, the pesticide amounts used for rice, lettuce and perilla leaf were reduced while that for cabbage was increased.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.210-215
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• 2007

This study aims to investigate if the properly use of pesticide in Ginseng farmland at Gangwon-do, Korea. Questionnaire included 36 questions such as control method for plant diseases, pests and weeds and pattern of pesticide use was answered by 271 Ginseng farmers lived in 4 cities and 8 counties at Gangwon-do. Ginseng farmers have noxious plant diseases, insects and weeds such as leaf spot, anthracnose, snail, stem-mining fly, horseweed and hairy crabgrass. To control of these, 35% of farmers relied on various type of pesticides and 31.5% of farmers used pesticides mingling with natural enemy, microorganism and organic materials. Farmers selected the pesticide based on the their own experiences or by recommendation of market dealers and neighbors, resulting in the use of inappropriate pesticides in the Ginseng farmland(78.8 % ). They followed standard dosage of the pesticide from Handbook of Pesticide Application(96.3%). They, however, used the same pesticides from 2 to 5 years(44.1 %). This consecutive use of pesticide could be induced resistance. This survey resulted that study for pesticide resistance and systematic educational program for proper use and selection of pesticide to Gingseng farmers should be conducted in farmland at Gangwon-do, Korea.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.28 no.910
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• pp.1292-1299
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• 2004

This survey was carried out on 256 smallholder farmers of the Jeonbuk Province to analyze their current behavior in pesticide usage and the use of protective clothing during spray work. The interviewees were at the age of about 50's in both males and females: they performed spray work mainly for their own farms. Many of them were not very well aware of the danger of pesticides and the adequate methods of pesticide handling. Water drinking and smoking during break time were the endangering factors of pesticide intoxication, reaching to 30-60% sprayers. Most of sprayers had experienced the exposures to pesticides during spray work and appealed some subjective clinical symptoms to the exposure, but they seldom sought medical treatments. More than 70% of respondents had not been wearing protective equipments during spray work. The results will be used as basic information in designing the improved protective clothing more acceptable by pesticide sprayers.