Study Finds Potential School Health Risks from Pesticide Exposure
Data from a new national analysis indicate that exposures to pesticides can pose a risk for employees and students in schools, according to a study by scientists from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and 13 other federal and state agencies reported on July 27 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Data from a new national analysis indicate that exposures to pesticides can pose a risk for employees and students in schools, according to a study by scientists from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and 13 other federal and state agencies reported on July 27 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
During the period 1998-2002, illness surveillance data identified 2,593 cases of acute illnesses associated with pesticide exposures at schools.
Measures for preventing such illnesses should include implementation of integrated pest-management programs in schools, practices to reduce pesticide drift from neighboring farm fields, and adaptation of pesticide spray buffer zones around schools, recommends the report.
An abstract of the article "Acute Illnesses Associated With Pesticide Exposure at Schools" is available from JAMA.
Additional information on pesticide illness and injury prevention is available on IFMA's NIOSH's Safety and Health Topic page on Pesticide Illness & Injury Surveillance.
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