Pesticide Application Poisoning Incident among Iranian Rice Growers and Factors Influence It

ABSTRACT: Agriculture ranks among the most dangerous industries. Farmers are at very high risk for incidents. Chemical products were used to alter life cycles of living pest organisms and improper handling of them is dangerous to involved people. However, acute poisoning during spraying operation is an important health problem among farm workers and operators, but there is a substantial lack of data and studies from Iran to investigate unsafe acts and conditions, poisoning prevalence and factors could be effective in fostering pesticide application safety. Data were collected on 110 rice farm households using surveys and field observations in Fars Province of southern Iran. Acute poisoning prevalence and unsafe acts and conditions affecting it were investigated. An unsafe composite score, translating unsafe acts and conditions into score was developed. Chi-square test was performed to assess the association of acute pesticide poisoning with pesticide applicators’ characteristics and their unsafe acts and conditions. This study revealed that 12.7% of pesticide applicators suffered acute pesticide poisoning. The results showed pesticide applicators acute poisoning can be traced to unsafe practices in handling pesticide, personal protective behaviors and equipment malfunction. This study also showed None of applicators had received safety instruction. Safety training on proper pesticide handling could minimize chemicals risk factors. This study revealed how urgently needed such training programs are.