Objective: To assess associations of protective workplace and home practices with pesticide exposure levels.
Methods: Using data from orchard workers in the Yakima
Valley, Washington, we examined associations of workplace and home
protective practices with (1) urinary metabolite concentrations of
dimethylthiophosphate (DMTP) in adults and children aged 2 to 6 years
and (2) azinphos-methyl levels in house and vehicle dust.
Results: Data were collected from 95 orchard workers
and 94 children. Contrary to expectation, adult farm workers who wore
boots or washed hands using hand sanitizer had higher concentrations of
DMTP than those who did not. Children who attended daycare had higher
DMTP concentrations than children who did not.
Conclusions: Few workplace or home practices were
associated with pesticide exposure levels; workers who used hand
sanitizer had higher concentrations of DMTP, as did children who
attended daycare.