This program familiarizes trainers with the federal WPS requirements and California training requirements and provides useful information on how to conduct training programs. The WPS workshops, offered in both Northern and Southern California, will be held early November through March 2000. Participants may enroll in either English or Spanish sessions. Each eight-hour WPS workshop teaches pesticide safety and effective teaching techniques. Course instruction covers label comprehension, environmental protection, health issues, laws and regulations, handling procedures and fieldworker safety.
Participants receive hands-on training in equipment and use of protective clothing.
The four-hour WPS fieldworker only workshop trains people in pesticide safety issues and laws and regulations as they relate to training agricultural fieldworkers. Throughout both workshops, participants learn various training methods that will help them become better instructors. Enrollment is limited, so early registration is strongly advised. The UC IPM Pesticide Education Program is one of only a handful of teaching programs approved by DPR to qualify instructors to train pesticide handlers and agricultural fieldworkers under the federal Worker Protection Standard. PEP develops and tests new and innovative materials and training programs to bridge the cultural, language and educational barriers found in California's diverse agricultural workforce.