STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES: HANDLING & APPLICATION

When it comes to pesticide applications there are three distinct stages, each with a number of considerations: ■ Pre-application preparation; ■ Application; ■ Post-application restrictions.

PRE-APPLICATIONPREPARATION

1NOTIFICATION OF INTENTION TO SPRAY■ What’s required■ Who should be informed

2CALIBRATION OF EQUIPMENT

■ Refer to calibration standard operating procedure (SOP)

3 MIXING■ Quantities required■ Process■ Spills - Refer to SOP

APPLICATION 4 TECHNIQUES■ Equipment and PPE■ Manual vs mechanical

5 AVOIDANCE OF PESTICIDE DRIFT■ Types of drift■ Contributing factors

POST-APPLICATION RESTRICTIONS

6 RE-ENTRY, HARVESTING AND GRAZING

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PRE-APPLICATIONPREPARATION

NOTIFICATION OF INTENTION TO SPRAY

The following stakeholder groups need to be notified:

■ Relevant government department(s) ■ Workers, including contractors ■ Neighbours

The pest control operator must issue a pre-treatment notice before applying any agricultural remedies, which must contain all of the following information:

■ A description of the area to be treated; ■ Name of the targeted pest;

■ Name of the agricultural remedies to be used, their active ingredient(s) and registration numbers; ■ Proposed date and start time, and proposed duration of the agricultural remedies use; ■ Name and registration number of the pest control operator and his /her contact details at which the pest control operator can be reached for more information about the proposed agricultural remedies use; ■ The hazards associated with agricultural remedies intended to be used;

■ Precautions that should be taken to minimise exposure to agricultural remedies or its residues.

A pre-treatment notice must be given to the occupants adjacent (within 5km radius) to the area to be treated such as schools, other public areas and residential areas. The notice must:

■ Be in type or letters that are clearly legible to a person approaching the treatment area;

■ Contain a cautionary symbol (such as a stop sign or raised hand) that will draw the attention of a person approaching the treatment area; ■ Display, in bold block letters, the words "NOTICE OF AGRICULTURAL REMEDIES USE"; ■ Be visibly posted at normal points of worker entry to the area to be treated.

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CALIBRATION OF EQUIPMENT

All equipment must be correctly calibrated before the operation to ensure that the correct application rates are applied. Refer to calibration SOP

SPRAY MIXING

When mixing, label guidelines should always be consulted and followed. All equipment used needs to be tripled rinsed and all equipment, and stock, needs to be inspected daily for leaks.

Amount needed: Before mixing the application, the exact amount needed for one single appli-cation needs to be carefully calculated, to ensure pesticide wastage is kept to a minimum. This can be determined by knowing the area being sprayed and the application rate as per the label. Mixed chemicals should never be left overnight.

Where to mix: Mixing should only occur in restricted, demarcated areas, and should also be conducted away from water courses. Mixing should be done over drip trays.

Mixing process: Caution should be applied at all times.

Liquids: Fill the applicator 80% full with water before adding the pesticide and topping up.

Wettable powders: Pre-mix powder by apply small volumes of water to make a slurry. Fill the applica-tor halfway, before adding the slurry and topping up.

Mixing pesticides: Do NOT mix concentrates before pouring into the applicator.

Continual mixing: Certain applicators need to be agitated during the mixing and application process

Spills: Refer to spills SOP

Please note: Spillage caught in drip trays must be added back into the mixing solution.

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APPLICATIONS

The rate applied should meet: ■ The registered rate ■ The control objectives ■ Label specifications

TECHNIQUES

Equipment & personal protective equipment (PPE): Equipment must be maintained in good working order; and without leaks or other hazards to the operator. The type of equipment used must be suited to the pesticide to be used and must be able to accurately deliver the prescribed application rate. The appropriate PPE must also be selected and worn. All employees must be properly trained in the use of pesticides and the relevant equipment being used. The correct protective equipment, in good order, shall be provided to employees, as specified on the pesticide label.

Manual vs mechanical: Spray choices must always be in accordance to the label. They should be selected based on best techniques and minimising spray drift.

Manual ground sprays (Refer to knapsack application SOP): This is the most widely used appli-cation system in forestry due to the nature of the terrain and accessibility. Techniques include foliar, basal stem, spot and cut surface treatments and soil drenching for the control of soil born pests.

Equipment used: ■ Knapsack sprayers ■ Rickshaws ■ Wind boxes ■ Brush and wipers ■ Ultra- low volume applicators

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Mechanical Ground Sprays (Refer to mechanical spraying SOP): Terrain permitting this can be used extensively. However, consideration needs to be given to the damage caused by compaction and/or erosion.

Equipment used: ■ Tractor-mounted boom spray ■ Tractor-mounted sledge ■ Tractor-drawn disc

Aerial Sprays (Refer to aerial application SOP): Provides the most extensive reach and is particu-larly useful when large areas need an application administered in a short window of time. Spray drift is a big issue and needs to be carefully managed and minimised. Ensure that the product is registered for aerial application.

AVOIDANCE OF PESTICIDE DRIFT

Pesticide drift needs to be avoided at all costs as it has the potential to cause extensive damage to non-target organisms.

There are two forms of spray drift that normally occur:

■ Vapour Drift: air-borne movement of evaporated pesticides. The inherent properties of a pesticide will determine the risk posed by vapour drift and additives can be used to reduce this;

■ Spray Drift: air-borne movement of the pesticide in its liquid form.

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FACTORS INFLUENCING PESTICIDE DRIFT: Undesirable Droplet Distribution

Usually caused by droplets that are too small. It is crucial to ensure spray applicators are fitted with the correct sized nozzles.

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ClassificationAerosol

Mist

Fine Spray

Medium Spray

Coarse Spray

Droplet diameter (microns)<50

51-100

101-200

201-400

400

FACTORS INFLUENCING PESTICIDE DRIFT: Incorrect Pressure

Spray drift occurs when the pressure setting is too high and thus results in smaller droplet size.

Adverse climatic conditions

Wind, temperature and relative humidity all influence spray (and volatile) drift. The addition of anti-drift agents and ensuring the nozzle size and pressure settings are correct will all reduce the impact of adverse climatic conditions, but ultimately spraying must be suspended if conditions are not acceptable. The pesticide label will contain guidelines regarding the appropriate wind speeds that need to be followed.

POST-APPLICATIONRESTRICTIONS

No re-entry, harvesting or grazing is permitted immediately after a pesticide application, this can only commence once the withholding period specified on the pesticide label has elapsed.

RE-ENTRY, HARVESTING AND GRAZING

Droplet size is classified as follows:

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE: HANDLING & APPLICATION

When it comes to pesticide applications there are three distinct stages, each with a number of considerations: ■ Pre-application preparation; ■ Application; ■ Post-application restrictions.

PRE-APPLICATIONPREPARATION

1

NOTIFICATION OF INTENTION TO SPRAY■ What’s required■ Who should be informed

2CALIBRATION OF EQUIPMENT

■ Refer to standard operating procedure (SOP)

3 MIXING■ Quantities required■ Process■ Spills - Refer to SOP

APPLICATION 4 TECHNIQUES■ Equipment and PPE■ Manual vs mechanical

5 AVOIDANCE OF PESTICIDE DRIFT■ Types of drift■ Contributing factors

POST-APPLICATION RESTRICTIONS

6 RE-ENTRY, HARVESTING AND GRAZING

www.tipwg.co.za