|
Garden Spray Safety
(Written
by Logan Shillinglaw, co-owner of Rosemania.com)
Just
as important as preparing your soil and protecting your plants from disease
and pests is your personal safety. Unfortunately, this is an area many
gardeners ignore. It's just so easy to head out into the garden and start
working, never giving another thought to the harm you could be doing to
yourself. We all use chemicals of one sort or another so it just makes
sense that you should take some very easy steps to protect yourself.
USE COMMON SENSE
Don't
spray when it is windy. Don't spray with children or pets in the area. Use
sprays designed for the problem you are trying to prevent or correct. Use
the least toxic chemical available that will get the job done. There are
three primary methods by which chemicals can enter your body - mouth, skin
(including eyes) and inhalation. You may be mixing your chemicals and a
drop or two gets on your hand. Next thing you know, you have wiped it on
your shirt or pants. Some of that chemical stays and begins to absorb into
the skin. A few minutes later you inadvertently wipe your mouth or eyes.
Oops, now it's found another way to make it into your body. While you are
spraying, a gentle wisp of air blows the spray back towards your face and
without really knowing it, you have taken it into your nose. All of these
ways provide the chemical an easy access into your system.
Is
this little bit of contact going to kill you? Are your going to get
violently ill from a drop of garden chemical hitting your skin? Unless you
have an allergic reaction to the chemical, chances are that a single skin
contact will not make you sick. HOWEVER, you are going to be enjoying your
hobby for many years to come and prolonged exposure to any chemical is not
good.
PROTECT YOUR BODY
Don't
be afraid of spraying; just use common sense! Use gloves when mixing and
spraying chemicals. I recommend Nitril Disposable Gloves. Do
not use leather or cloth because they provide no protection and actually
absorb and hold the chemical against your skin. Nitril provides the best
protection against chemicals - better than vinyl or latex. (We strongly
discourage the use of latex gloves for handling pesticides.) Disposable is
the rule - use them once and throw them away. They are easy and safe.
WEAR A RESPIRATOR AND GOGGLES
Make
sure that the respirator is rated for pesticides. If not, then you are not
getting the type of protection you need. I highly recommend purchasing a
respirator that uses replaceable cartridges. Be sure to replace your
cartridges every year to ensure optimal protection. Remember, if you can
smell the chemical, you are breathing it. Chemical splash goggles protect
your eyes from any splashes during the mixing of the chemical and any spray
that might drift into your face. It is always recommended that you wear
long sleeves and long pants when spraying chemicals. I used to be a
"shorts and T-shirt" kind of guy when I sprayed. It was just
easier. After a few times of getting spray dripped on my arms and mist
drifting toward my face and body, I realized it was time to change. Long
sleeves and long pants were the next step. Talk about hot!! On top of it, I
was supposed to wash these clothes in a separate load after each use - way
too much work. I heard about Tyvek Coveralls so I thought I'd give them a try. I was hooked. They are easy to
slip on, provide a far superior level of protection than my work shirt and
after about 10 uses (about 3-4 months), I just throw them away. They are
also lightweight and cooler to wear than my denims.
WEAR GOOD GLOVES
I am a strong believer in using goatskin gloves.
They are light so I can feel what I am doing but tough. If you are working
in a thorny mess, consider wearing goatskin gauntlet gloves for
hand and forearm protection.
Last point…
KEEP YOUR TETANUS SHOT CURRENT (every ten
years)
All of this may seem like a lot of
trouble, but honestly it is worth it. We love our family, our friends,
and our hobby, so take the few minutes to do it right.
|
