Comparison of operator exposure for five different greenhouse spraying applications

The European Crop Protection Association (ECPA) and the Agricultural Research Center (CLO-DVL) joined forces in a project to stimulate the safe use of pesticides in southern European countries. CLO-DVL optimized a method using mineral chelates as tracers on collectors. This quantitative method to evaluate spray deposits was used to compare operator exposure from several greenhouse spraying techniques. Operator exposure measurements were of a comparative nature. Five application methods were investigated: a standard spray gun with an operator walking forwards, a spray lance with an operator walking forwards and backwards, a trolley, and a vehicle, both with vertical spray booms. The exposure was measured with patches at 15 places on operators' coveralls and gloves, using mineral chelates as tracer elements. The difference in exposure of the patches between the different techniques was very high. Walking backwards reduced exposure by a factor of 7. The exposures with the trolley and the vehicle, two innovative spraying techniques, were respectively 25 and 100 times lower compared to exposure with the standard spray gun. Operator exposure while walking forward with the spray lance was about two times higher than with the spray gun. Besides very large differences in exposure among the five techniques, there were also large differences in exposure among various parts of the body. All of this is important in consideration of operator safety and for the parts of the body that need to be protected most.