Pesticide application posting and notification
On-site information about pesticide applications will help reduce pesticide exposure for some pesticide applications. Notification of pesticide applications give concerned people the opportunity to take precautions to avoid exposure to potentially toxic chemicals.
Posting and notification laws are legal requirements that pesticide users must notify the public about the applications they make. Notification involves public notice prior to application. Posting involves the placement of signs on treated areas at the time of application and for a specified interval afterwards.
Notification and posting can be aimed at all pesticide applications or can target special concerns. Schools, parks, and hospitals are good examples of sites where notification and posting are high priorities.
California Food and Agriculture code 12978 refers to posting of pesticide warning signs when a pesticide is applied on public property such as school grounds, parks, and other areas where public exposure is foreseeable. This law applies to only to pesticide applications which have a worker re-entry interval of at least 24 hours. For further understanding the requirements for notice of pesticide application in California read California Code of Regulations (Title 3 Food and Agriculture) Division 6 Pesticides and Pest Control Operations; Section 6618 Notice of Applications.
What are the time requirements of posting signs in Santa Clara County?
County of Santa Clara IPM Ordinance Section B28-7 requires posting of warning signs at least three (3) days in advance of all pesticide applications and that they remain posted at least four days after application. An exception to this is that departments shall not be required to post signs in right-of-way locations and other areas that the public does not use for recreational purposes. Do not remove signs until the reentry restriction expires as per the County ordinance or until the label of the pesticide allows you to do so, whichever County ordinance or until the label of the pesticide allows you to do so, whichever is longer.
Where can you get signs for posting?
Pesticide use posting signs have been designed for landscape, rights-of-way as well as structural pesticide application notification. You may order the signs from [email protected]. There is a cost per sign, and these can only be ordered in sets of 100.
What must the notice-of-application sign look like?
Sign for posting on facility entrance doors where pesticide application is planned (inside or outside): The notice of application signs must be 11 inches in height and 8 1/2 inches in width, when posted inside or on the doors leading to a structure (facility) entrance.
Sign for Open areas (grounds) where pesticide application is planned: The notice of application signs must be water resistant (if posted outside on grounds) and measure at least 20 inches in height and 15 inches in width. The sign must contain the following information in Red/Black lettering and symbols on a bright yellow background:
Front
- The word "WARNING", in at least 2 inches size.
- The words "PESTICIDE APPLIED", in at least 2 inches bold type size.
- The symbol of a circle at least 8 inches in diameter with a diagonal slash over an adult, child, and dog.
- The words "DATE OF ANTICPATED PESTICIDE USE", "DATE and TIME SPRAYED", "DATE and TIME OF REENTRY", in size ½ inches bold type size.
Back
- The words NAME OF PESTICIDE, ACTIVE INGREDIENT, CALIFORNIA REGISTRATION NUMBER, "SIGNAL WORD", "TARGET PEST", "NAME OF THE APPLICATOR" or "APPLICATOR COMPANY", "TELEPHONE NUMBER" which made the application, (24 hours accessibility required), in at least ½-inch bold type size.
Who is responsible for posting signs?
When a pesticide application is arranged, the department IPM coordinator and/or facility manager is responsible for posting and removal of signs. They may take assistance as necessary from their own staff or contractor personnel to do so.
Where should signs be posted?
The signs must be posted on a lawn or yard at the property boundary 2-5 feet from the sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk, the sign must be posted 2-5 feet from the road, or if there is no road, 2-5 feet from the property boundary.
When landscaping or other conditions would make a sign inconspicuous or illegible if the sign were posted within the distances specified above, the sign must be posted in a conspicuous area and be easily legible to any adult or child entering or passing the property on foot.
The bottom of each notice-of-application sign must project at least 5 inches above the ground and the top of the sign must be no higher than 25 inches above the ground.
For greenbelts, parks, golf courses, athletic fields, playgrounds, or other similar recreational or common property, the sign must be posted immediately adjacent to areas within the property where pesticides have been applied.
For applications on a golf course, the applicator must post a sign at the clubhouse and at the first tee and the tenth tee notifying the public of the application. (This requirement is only applicable to County owned and managed golf courses.)
For applications on any body of water with any legal public access, signs must be posted notifying the public of the application at each place of legal public access (docks, etc.).