The importance of personal protective equipment in pesticide applications in agriculture

Pesticides are applied for protecting the quantity and quality of agricultural crops. Yet, these chemicals may have side effects on human health and the environment. To minimize pesticide effects on human health, farmers have to use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) in all stages of pesticide handling. However, empirical and research data support that farmers do not use PPE before, during, and after pesticide application. Thus, farmers can often suffer from acute and chronic poisoning by pesticides. Farmers have to be educated about the importance of PPE in pesticide use. The national authorities should provide up-to-date, accurate, and easy to understand information in the training of farmers in the use of PPE. This paper highlights the importance of PPE in pesticide applications in agriculture.