NOTE 

The Worker Protection Standard (WPS) Inspection and Enforcement 

Accomplishment Report is prepared annually by EPA based on data 

submitted by states and tribes or the regional program staff in instances 

where EPA manages the WPS program. 

This data represents only those inspections reported to EPA and may 

not include all inspections or enforcement actions taken by a state or 

tribe. This is an overview of WPS violations during WPS inspections.

States and tribes voluntarily reported on the ten specific WPS violation 

categories that each enforcement action covered. 

EPA provides guidelines on reporting WPS compliance monitoring and 

enforcement activities conducted under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and 

Rodenticide Act State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG) Cooperative Agreement 

program.
 

 

 

WPS Violation Categories 

The agriculture employer, including owners and managers of agricultural establishments, 

employers of agricultural workers and handlers, commercial applicator employer and 

farm labor contractors, are responsible for complying with all WPS provisions. The ten 

specific WPS violation categories are: 

1. Pesticide Safety Training—Failure of agricultural employer to ensure that each 

worker or handler is trained according to the provisions of WPS. 

2. Central Posting—Failure of agricultural employer to display required information at a 

central location on the agricultural site where it is readily accessible to workers and 

handlers. 

3. Notice of Application—Failure of agricultural employer to ensure that notification 

and posting requirements for pesticide applications comply with the WPS label. 

4. Entry Restrictions—Failure of agricultural employer to ensure that no one enters or 

remains in the treated area during a pesticide application other than an appropriately 

trained and equipped handler, until the time specified by label and regulations has 

elapsed. 

5. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)—Failure of agricultural employer to assure 

that handler uses the clothing and PPE specified on the label for use of the product. 

6. Mix or Loading, Application Equipment—Failure of agriculture employer to assure 

that handler performing mixing or handling activities received instructions in the safe 

operation of such equipment. 

7. Decontamination—Failure of agricultural employer to provide decontamination 

supplies for washing off pesticides for workers and handlers in accordance with the WPS. 

8. Emergency Assistance—Failure of agricultural employer to provide emergency 

medical assistance and prompt transportation to an appropriate emergency medical 

facility to a worker or handler. 

9. Information exchange—Failure of agricultural employer to provide specific 

information to commercial handler employer about all areas on the establishment that 

the handler may be in and that may be treated with a pesticide or that may be under a 

restricted-entry interval. Or, the failure of handler-employer to provide specific 

information to agricultural employer about the application of any pesticides on or in an 

agricultural establishment before any application 

10. Retaliation—Action taken to punish or discourage a worker or a handler from 

complying or attempting to comply with any requirement of WPS by the agricultural 

employer. 
Overview of WPS Violations During 2008 Inspections 

Regions States 

Pesticide 

Safety 

Traning 

Central 

Posting 

Notice of 

Application 

Entry 

Restrictions 

Personal 

Protective 

Equipment 

Mix/Loading 

Application 

Equip & 

Application 

Decon 

Supplies 

Emergency 

Assistance 

Informa

Excaha

Region 1 8 14 1 1 2 0 2 0 0 

Region 2 68 81 23 1 13 5 42 5 22 

Region 3 9 11 4 0 1 0 8 0 1 

Region 4 248 279 42 17 58 15 51 0 5 

Region 5 40 61 21 0 18 1 28 3 8 

Region 6 21 16 7 9 8 1 1 8 3 

Region 7 21 23 15 4 11 3 8 2 7 

Region 8 11 15 1 3 3 5 5 2 14 

Region 8 Tribes 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 

Region 9 80 160 80 14 35 14 47 7 66 

R9 Tribes 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Region 10 47 97 12 7 67 9 55 6 5 

Total 555 757 207 56 216 53 247 33 132 

3/11/09 
Overview of WPS Violations During 2008 Inspections 

Regions States 

Pesticide 

Safety 

Traning 

Central 

Posting 

Notice of 

Application 

Entry 

Restrictions 

Personal 

Protective 

Equipment 

Mix/Loading 

Application 

Equip & 

Application 

Decon 

Supplies 

Emergency 

Assistance 

Informa

Excaha

Region 1 

Connecticut 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Maine 5 2 1 0 1 0 2 0 0 

Massachusetts 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

New Hampshire 1 9 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 

Rhode Island 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Vermont 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Total 8 14 1 1 2 0 2 0 0 

Region 2 

New Jersey 28 4 2 0 0 0 2 0 16 

New York 8 24 5 1 2 0 8 0 1 

Puerto Rico 32 52 16 0 11 5 31 5 5 

Virgin Islands 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 

Total 68 81 23 1 13 5 42 5 22 

Region 3 

Delaware 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Maryland 1 3 1 0 0 0 2 0 1 

Pennsylvania 6 4 2 0 1 0 2 0 0 

Virginia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

West Virginia 2 3 1 0 0 0 4 0 0 

District of Columbia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Total 9 11 4 0 1 0 8 0 1 

Region 4 

Alabama 21 19 29 0 2 0 5 0 4 

Florida 133 142 4 7 39 14 38 0 0 Georgia 22 55 0 10 2 0 0 0 0 

Kentucky 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Mississippi 14 9 0 0 2 1 3 0 0 

N. Carolina 44 29 0 0 10 0 3 0 1 

S. Carolina 5 15 6 0 2 0 2 0 0 

Tennessee 8 10 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 

Total 248 279 42 17 58 15 51 0 5 

3/11/09 
Overview of WPS Violations During 2008 Inspections 

Regions States 

Pesticide 

Safety 

Traning 

Central 

Posting 

Notice of 

Application 

Entry 

Restrictions 

Personal 

Protective 

Equipment 

Mix/Loading 

Application 

Equip & 

Application 

Decon 

Supplies 

Emergency 

Assistance 

Informa

Excaha

Region 5 

Illinois 2 3 2 0 3 0 2 0 1 

Indiana 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 

Michigan 3 5 3 0 1 0 1 2 0 

Minnesota 9 28 5 0 6 0 15 0 0 

Ohio 11 13 7 0 4 1 6 1 0 

Wisconsin 15 12 4 0 4 0 4 0 5 

Total 40 61 21 0 18 1 28 3 8 

Region 6 

Arkansas 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Louisiana 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 

New Mexico 11 10 7 8 7 1 1 8 3 

Oklahoma 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Texas 9 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 

Total 21 16 7 9 8 1 1 8 3 

Region 7 

Iowa 9 10 7 1 0 0 2 2 5 

Kansas 3 5 4 0 3 1 3 0 1 

Missouri 5 7 3 3 4 1 1 0 0 

Nebraska 4 1 1 0 4 1 2 0 1 

Total 21 23 15 4 11 3 8 2 7 

Region 8 

Colorado 5 8 0 3 0 1 1 1 10 

Montana 2 2 1 0 3 1 2 0 2 

N. Dakota 2 2 0 0 0 2 2 1 2 

S. Dakota 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Utah 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Wyoming, Federal 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 

Total 11 15 1 3 3 5 5 2 14 

3/11/09 
Overview of WPS Violations During 2008 Inspections 

Regions States 

Pesticide 

Safety 

Traning 

Central 

Posting 

Notice of 

Application 

Entry 

Restrictions 

Personal 

Protective 

Equipment 

Mix/Loading 

Application 

Equip & 

Application 

Decon 

Supplies 

Emergency 

Assistance 

Informa

Excaha

R8 Tribe 

Conf. Salish & Kootenai Tribe 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 

Three Affiliated Tr 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Oglala Siox Tribe 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Ft. Peck Assiniboine & Sioux Tribe 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Chayenne River Sio 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Total 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 

Region 9 

Arizona 56 130 60 11 21 10 28 3 62 

California 4 10 0 0 3 1 4 1 0 

Hawaii 13 12 11 0 4 0 8 0 0 

Nevada 4 5 6 0 4 0 4 0 1 

Guam 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 

Saipan, CNMI 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

American Samoa 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Total 80 160 80 14 35 14 47 7 66 

R9 Tribes 

SRPMIC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

CRIT EPO 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Navajo Nation 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Gila River 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Total 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Region 10 

Alaska 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 

Idaho 0 1 2 2 4 1 2 0 3 

Oregon 31 74 4 0 55 2 39 0 1 

Washington 16 22 6 5 8 5 14 6 1 

Total 47 97 12 7 67 9 55 6 5 

3/11/09 
300

250200150100

50

0

Region 1 Region 2 Region 3 Region 4 Region 5 Region 6 Region 7 Region 8 Region 8 Region 9 

Tribes

Pesticide Safety Traning Central Posting Notice of Application Entry ResPersonal Protective Equipment Decon Supplies Information Excahange

WPS Violations During 2008 Inspections
800

757

700600

555

500400300

247

216 207

200

100

56 53

33

0

Pesticide Central Notice of Entry Personal Mix/Loading Decon Emergency In

Safety Posting Application Restrictions Protective Application Supplies Assistance Ex

Traning Equipment Equip &

Application

FY2008 Overview of WPS Violations