Training farmworkers about pesticide safety: issues of control

Farmworkers experience a lack of control over the conditions of their work environment. In trying to reduce the effects of exposure to pesticides, most health care providers give instructions to farmworkers about how to protect themselves. Outreach programs that target farmworkers focus on health education and recommend washing hands, wearing appropriate clothing, and avoiding direct contact. The research reported in this paper shows that farmworkers in North Carolina perceive many of these preventive measures to be outside their control. The ability of farmworkers to engage in safe practices depends on their capability to communicate with their employer, have positive work relationships, and the availability of protective equipment. The perceptions of control identified in this paper are issues that service providers and policy makers should consider to provide programs that will effectively promote pesticide safety and healthier farmworkers.