Pesticides Policy

Effective: September 2000
Reviewed: July 2017
Revised:  July 2017
Signature/Position: Vice-President, Finance, Administration and Risk

Applicable Legislation:

Pest Control Products Act, S.C. 2002, c.28
Pesticides Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.P.11
O.Reg.914/90, General Regulation
Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act and Regulations, R.R.O. 1990, c.D.1

Applicability:

This policy applies to all University of guelph employees (staff, faculty) and students whose work and/or academic activities require them to handle or conduct work associated with pesticides.

Policy Statements

1. All University pesticide applicators who apply pesticides in the environment, for example, but not limited to, field, landscape, and large-scale greenhouse operations, shall be licensed and trained in accordance with prescribed requirements of the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MOECC).
2. All University of Guelph researchers who utilize pesticides in laboratory settings, including small-scale greenhouse applications shall be certified, licensed and/or trained in accordance with prescribed requirements of the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change or University laboratory safety practices as applicable to the work.
3. Pesticide applicators shall procure, store and use only those pesticides from the classes for which they are authorized. Pesticide class descriptions are found at the MOECC website.
4. Supervisors and pesticides applicators shall work to enable to use pesticides with the lowest toxicity, as appropriate to the situation and that the application is at the minimum effective rate.
5. Experimental or unregistered pesticides used in research, which are sourced from third party suppliers, shall not be procured, stored or used unless a Material Safety Data Sheet has been sourced and made available by the researcher.
6. All pesticide containers must be properly stored and labeled and Material Safety Data Sheets must be available.
7. University of Guelph researchers developing pesticides shall communicate anticipated hazards to team members and check that reasonable precautions are taken.
8. No person shall use a pesticide that has been de-listed by the Government of Ontario or the Government of Canada unless in conjunction with an approved research program.
9. Persons performing land exterminations shall give public notice by means of warning placards, as appropriate.
10. Persons responsible for pesticides shall promptly notify Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) of any incident involving fire, accident, theft or unplanned release with potential for human impact or environmental impairment. EHS personnel shall notify the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) as appropriate.
11. Dedicated pesticide storage facilities shall be lockable, cool and dry (to prevent product breakdown or inactivation), ventilated to the outside, and posted with warning signs as prescribed by O. Reg. 63/09 General Regulation.  Spill kits shall be available at all storage facilities.
12. Supervisors shall audit dedicated pesticide storage facilities and submit findings to Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) annually by completing the Pesticide Storage Checklist form.
13. Pesticides shall be stored in their original, labelled containers and stored appropriately (e.g. separated on shelves, using secondary containment, as appropriate). Containers shall be tagged to indicate the name of the owner and the date of acquisition.
14. Pesticides applicators utilizing organophosphate or carbamate pesticides shall inform Occupational Health and Wellness and are required to participate in the occupational health surveillance program.

To access the Pesticide Storage Safety Checklist