When used properly, pesticides can help your food stay fresh from bugs and increase crop production. Insect infestations can ruin a season’s produce, so it is wise to cover the fruit, vegetables and grains with chemicals that can’t harm humans but can effectively wipe out all bugs. Yet pesticides can hurt humans too if they are used the wrong way. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1.1 billion pounds of pesticide active ingredients are used annually in the United States. Over 20,000 different pesticide products are being marketed in the U.S. at this time.

The Environmental Protection Agency believes that about 10,000-20,000 physician-diagnosed pesticide poisonings occur every single year among agricultural workers in the United States. There are about 2 million agricultural workers in America who are exposed to these hazardous chemicals on a daily basis. The CDC says that not only agricultural workers are at risk to pesticide poisoning. As well, those that work as groundskeepers or landscapers, pet groomers, or fumigators all use pesticides and can be injured by the strong chemicals. Many pesticides include fungicides, herbicides, or insecticides. Others are strong rodenticides or sanitizers.

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has been performing surveillance for occupational pesticide-related illnesses for years in order to protect workers. By constantly researching trends and dangers in pesticides, NIOSH is able to determine the underlying causes for over-exposure in workers. They are also able to regulate the manufacturer testing of pesticides and make sure that all products have been properly approved before they are placed out on the market. IN addition, NIOD and the EPA conduct surveillance so that they can announce any dangers that were not discovered in pre-approval testing.

In addition to pesticide exposure in the workplace, there is also a risk for pesticide exposure in schools. According to NIOSH, pesticides are often sprayed at schools to maintain a sanitary campus. While it is definitely necessary to fumigate for insects that could cause the school to appear unclean, the exposure can have adverse health effects on children. Rat poisons in particular are often strong can affect a child negatively by bringing on respiratory infections and other illnesses. This is why the United States champions the use of integrated pest management or IPM programs in public places. These are alternative pest-control techniques that manage and suppress pests by preventing their access to sustainable necessities like food, access, and water. The government says that IPM programs will be more cost-effective and reduce the expenses of traditional pest control options.

NIOSH is also trying to reduce the amount of pesticides used in agriculture industries in order to reduce the threats and injuries associated with these illnesses. Pesticides not only affect the men and women who are working in the industry but can affect their children as well. In a study done in 2005, three migrant farmworkers in Florida gave birth to infants with birth defects within eight weeks of each other. NIOSH was able to determine that the birth defects may have been the result of inhaling the dangerous pesticides.

Because of this, many state legislatures have created new rules involving extra pesticide inspectors in order to protect and preserve men and women who are constantly around these poisons. If you were injured or contracted an illness as a result of pesticide exposure and can prove that this was the cause medically and scientifically, then you have the right to seek a workers compensation settlement. Contact a personal injury attorney today if you want help compiling information or want to confirm that you have a legitimate case and need representation.