Regulations became effective January 2004 which require agricultural employers to provide cholinesterase monitoring to workers who handle cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticides.
Cholinesterase is an enzyme produced in the body that helps to regulate the nervous system by removing acetylcholine (a chemical that transmits nerve impulses between nerve cells and to target sites such as muscles, glands, and organs). Overexposure to organophosphates or N-methyl carbamate pesticides may result in physical symptoms that are consistent with over-stimulation of nervous system pathways, including minor flu-like symptoms, blurred vision, increased sweating, nausea, vomiting, muscle twitches, decreased coordination, increased heart rate and blood pressure to, in severe cases, respiratory depression and death.
Basically, employers will be required to train their employees about cholinesterase hazards and monitoring procedures, establish consent for monitoring, and establish exposure monitoring and documentation procedures. Employers will then need to arrange with Yakima Worker Care for a baseline blood-draw for each employee in their program. Additional blood-draw will be required for pesticide handlers who reach 50 or more hours of organophosphate and N-methyl carbamate exposure in a 30-day period.
Yakima Worker Care is ready to assist you in understanding the cholinesterase monitoring regulations and will provide blood-draw and lab report interpretation for your company. On-site or at-clinic baseline and periodic blood-draws are available.
Call John Lamphiear at (509) 575-8724
Check the web at Washington State
Department of Labor and Industries
http://www.lni.wa.gov/