Preventing Illness from Pesticide Drift

Many California workplaces are next to agricultural areas and workers can become ill when pesticides drift after being applied incorrectly.

Workers, employers, health and safety advocates, and researchers can use the following resources to learn about pesticide drift and prevent illness on the job.

Photo: An airblast sprayer applies pesticides to an orchard.
© 2005 The Regents of the University of California. Used by permission.

Fact sheets, booklets, and posters

• Plan Ahead to Prevent Pesticide Drift from Causing Illness (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)​ - fact sheet for workers and employers, 2024
  
• What to Do If Pesticides Drift onto Our Workplace (PDF) | Spanish PDF - poster for workplaces, 2024
  
• Preventing Illness from Pesticide Drift - Occupational Health Watch, 2018

Journal articles

• Acute illnesses associated with agricultural pesticide drift (PDF) – journal article, 2011
• Application of the Industrial Hygiene Hierarchy of Controls to Prioritize and Promote Safer Methods of Pest Control (PDF) – journal article, 2009
• Acute Pesticide Poisoning Among Agricultural Workers in the United States, 1998–2005 – journal article abstract, 2008
• Worker Illness Related to Ground Application of Pesticide – MMWR Report, 2006
• Pesticide drift; farm workers and others poisoned by pesticides (PDF) – Summer 2002, Page 2
• San Luis Obispo farm workers safety training (PDF) – Spring 2003, Page 6

Reports

• Investigation of Pesticide Drift Exposures at a Produce Cooling Facility in California (PDF) – report, 2020
  
• Occupational Illness Due to Pesticide Drift from a Sprinkler Application of Metam-Sodium (PDF, Full report) | Spanish summary report - 2001
• Farm Worker Illness Following Exposure to Pesticide Drift in Kings County, California, 1999 (PDF, Full report) | Spanish summary report - 2001