{"id":4508,"date":"2016-04-04T10:47:33","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:47:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/smallbusiness\/business-laws-and-regulations\/special-protections-for-agricultural-workers.html"},"modified":"2024-06-06T01:57:59","modified_gmt":"2024-06-06T06:57:59","slug":"special-protections-for-agricultural-workers","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/smallbusiness\/business-laws-and-regulations\/special-protections-for-agricultural-workers.html","title":{"rendered":"Workers Protection Standard (WPS): Protections for Farm Workers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Workers Protection Standard (WPS): Protections for Farm Workers<\/h1>\n
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Fruits and vegetables are top items on many weekly shopping lists. We have been told to wash the apples, peaches, and broccoli we buy before we eat them to protect ourselves from mistakenly ingesting pesticides. But what about the people who grow those fruits and vegetables for us, or pick them and ship them to us? How can they be protected from pesticides? <\/p>\n

In recognition of this concern, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a Worker Protection Standard<\/a> (WPS) for the benefit of agricultural workers and other pesticide handlers. If you run an agricultural business or one that uses a significant amount of pesticides, you will need to learn about and comply with WPS regulations.
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Who is covered by the WPS?<\/h2>\n

The WPS covers employees on farms or in forests, nurseries, and greenhouses. The EPA estimates that there are over 3.5 million people in the United States who work with pesticides at over 560,000 workplaces.<\/p>\n

Two different types of employees are covered:<\/p>\n