California Code of Regulations › Title 3 - Food and Agriculture › Division 6 - Pesticides and Pest Control Operations › Chapter 3 - Pest Control Operations › Subchapter 3 - Pesticide Worker Safety › Article 2 - General Safety Requirements › Section 6746 - Closed Mixing System Requirement

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 28, July 12, 2024
Closed mixing systems are engineering controls used to
						protect workers from dermal hazard when mixing pesticides with high acute
						dermal toxicity. The dermal toxicity of a pesticide is determined by the
						precautionary statements on the label.
(a) When mixing liquid formulations of
					 pesticides for the production of an agricultural commodity, the employer shall
					 assure employees use an appropriate closed mixing system as specified by this
					 section or pesticide product labeling.
(b) Employees who mix liquid pesticide
					 products, including adjuvants, bearing the statement "Fatal if absorbed through
					 skin" or other comparable language shall use a closed mixing system that is
					 capable of enclosing the pesticide while removing the contents from its
					 original container, preventing the pesticide from contacting handlers. Each
					 emptied pesticide container must be rinsed and drained as required by the
					 pesticide product label or section
					 6684, and while still connected to
					 the closed mixing system. A closed mixing system meeting this standard is a
					 "Tier 1" closed mixing system.
(c)
					 Employees who mix liquid pesticide products, excluding adjuvants, bearing the
					 statement "May be fatal if absorbed through skin" or "Corrosive, causes skin
					 damage" or other comparable language shall use a closed mixing system that is
					 capable of enclosing the pesticide while removing the contents from its
					 original container, preventing the pesticide from contacting handlers. A closed
					 mixing system meeting this standard is a "Tier 2" closed mixing
					 system.
(d) The employer shall
					 assure employees operating a closed mixing system are trained in its use
					 pursuant to section
					 6724 and operate the closed mixing
					 system in accordance with its written operating instructions.
(e) All personal protective equipment (PPE)
					 required by the pesticide product label, restricted material permit conditions,
					 or regulation must be at the worksite during operation of the closed mixing
					 system and available in a condition that provides the intended protection.
					 Protective eyewear must be worn while using a closed mixing system. While using
					 a closed mixing system, PPE requirements may be reduced or modified as provided
					 in section 6738.4.
(f) Closed Mixing System Design Criteria -- A
					 closed mixing system must meet the following design criteria.
(1) Any closed mixing system used, as
					 required by this section, must be designed to remove a pesticide from its
					 original container and transfer the pesticide product through connecting hoses,
					 pipes and couplings that are sufficiently tight to prevent exposure of any
					 employee to the pesticide concentrate or, when rinsing is required, the
					 rinsate.
(2) Properly Constructed
(A) All elements of the closed mixing system,
					 such as hoses, connectors, and valves, must be designed and maintained for the
					 pesticides being transferred and the pressures or vacuums being generated
					 during system operation.
(B) Tier 1
					 closed mixing systems must provide for effective rinsing of the original
					 pesticide product from the emptied container as specified by section
					 6684 and transfer the rinsate to
					 the mix or spray tank.
(C) Tier 1
					 closed mixing systems must provide adequate pressure and volume of rinse water
					 to rinse the inner surfaces of the pesticide container and must not rupture the
					 container by over pressurizing.