Wisconsin law regulates railroad pesticide spraying
Written by jrood
A bill regulating pesticide spraying by railroads has been signed into law by the governor of Wisconsin, local media report. The new law requires railroads operating in Wisconsin to inform railroad employees of their use of pesticides, and prohibits a railroad from requiring an employee to work in an area to which a pesticide has been applied within 24 hours of the application of the pesticide.
Railroads must also furnish
equipment to protect the health of an employee from the adverse effects on
pesticides applied.
Additionally, the
legislation instructs the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture to establish
rules limiting the times and weather conditions in which pesticides may be
applied by railroads.
Rail employees are to be
provided a list of the pesticides that will be used, including ingredient
statements and the known long-term and short-term effects on humans of such
pesticides. To be made public is the name, training and contact information for
each commercial applicator railroads hire to apply pesticides.
