Information for Employers and Trainers
In California, the Food and Agricultural Code and the California Code of Regulations have specific requirements for training fieldworkers and pesticide handlers.
Pesticide Safety Information Series
Our Pesticide Safety Information Series (PSIS) is a legally required training aid for employees. PSIS are available in English, Spanish, Hmong, and Punjabi.
There are two leaflet series: The “A” series covers agricultural settings and the “N” series covers non-agriculture settings.
Employers are required to do the following:
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Post DPR’s Pesticide Safety Information Series A-8 (PSIS A-8) for handlers and PSIS A-9 for fieldworkers or N8 for handlers in non-agricultural settings at the worksite or central location, such as a location where people gather before traveling to the worksite.
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Post PSIS A-8 and A-9 at any permanent decontamination facility and decontamination facilities servicing 11 or more workers.
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Display the grower’s application-specific information and the completed PSIS A-8 and A-9 at the worksite in agricultural settings. Display the completed PSIS N-8 in non-agricultural settings.
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Inform employees that they and their representatives have a right to access this information and are protected against discharge or discrimination for exercising those rights.
PSIS for Agricultural Settings (“A” Series)
Agriculture includes fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, animal feed, forage crops, rangeland and pasture, seed crops, fiber crops such as cotton, oil crops such as safflower, trees grown for lumber and wood products, commercially-grown nursery stock, Christmas trees, ornamentals and cut flowers, and turf grown commercially for sod (excluding livestock, poultry and fish).
PSIS for Non-Agricultural Settings (“N” Series)
Non-agriculture settings include industrial sites such as factories, processing plants, packinghouses, and post-harvest commodity fumigations; institutional sites used such as restaurants, hotels, schools, hospitals, office buildings, and libraries; landscaping; structural pest control; and veterinary prescriptions. Non-agriculture settings also include vector control (Food and Ag. Code section 11408(e)).
Printer ready resources for the PSIS N (non-agricultural) and PSIS (agricultural) posters included below.
Pesticide Safety Training
Employers must provide pesticide safety training before handlers work with pesticides and before fieldworkers enter treated fields, and then on an annual basis after that.
If you provide this training, you must meet minimum qualifications to train fieldworkers or employees who will be handling pesticides for the commercial or research production of an agricultural plant commodity or a California restricted material.
To be a qualified trainer, you must meet one of the criteria listed in 3 CCR section 6724(f)(5) for pesticide handlers and in 3 CCR section 6764(f)(3) for fieldworkers. Attending and completing a DPR-approved Train-the-Trainer (T2) Program is one way to qualify to train pesticide handlers and fieldworkers.
If you are training fieldworkers and pesticide handlers, your training materials do not need to be approved by DPR but must be based on information from approved materials. Please see the Pesticide Safety Training section below for approved materials and training resources.
Pesticide Handler Training
As of January 1, 2024, California regulations were updated with new pesticide handler safety requirements for employers and employees in order to be consistent with recent changes to U.S. EPA’s certification and training regulations.
Employers may use the Handler and Fieldworker Pesticide Safety Training Templates and training record forms to train employees to handle pesticides or to work in pesticide-treated fields.
Compliance Assistance Booklets for Employers
Below are resources to support compliance with pesticide safety training.
Train-the-Trainer (T2) Programs
To become a T2 instructor and provide T2 training to those who train pesticide handlers and fieldworkers, you must submit your qualifications and your T2 Program to DPR for us to review and approve. Your T2 Program must meet the minimum criteria, which are available below. Our Train-the-Trainer Manual may be used as part of a submitted T2 program.
Approved T2 Programs
Below are approved T2 Programs and details so you can find the right training program for your needs. All Train-the-Trainer programs are provided in English and Spanish. Programs are open to the general public and are focused on training for both fieldworks and handlers unless otherwise noted.
Contact us directly for more information
University of California Integrated Pest Management (UC IPM)
- Instructor(s): Jasmin Ramirez Bonilla, Maria Alfaro
- Contact: Maria Alfaro, psep@ucanr.edu, (530) 298-7408
- Location: Statewide
AgSafe
- Instructor(s): Angelina Ceja, Ruby Espino, Anna Genasci, Juan Muniz, Cosme Sanchez, Joel Trumbo, Rigoberto Ceja Sr., Jesus Velazquez
- Contact: Theresa Kiehn, Theresa@agsafe.org, (209) 526-4400
- Additional Details: Training for the agricultural industry
- Location: Statewide
Breckpoint, Inc.
- Instructor(s): Beatriz Nava, Debbie P. Alberto, Efrain Rivera, John Veldhuis
- Contact: Pamela White, pam.white@breckpoint.com, (951) 229-4862
- Location: Determined by instructor
Cal Ag Safety
- Instructor(s): Nicholas Cisneros, Ann Curtoni-Lial, Oscar Fierros, Raul Murguia
- Contact: Ann Curtoni-Lial, acurtoni@calagsafety.com, (209) 351-0321
- Location: Determined by instructor
California Strawberry Commission
- Instructor(s): Saul Valdez
- Contact: Saul Valdez, svaldez@calstrawberry.org, (831) 724-1301
- Additional Details: Training available to: California Strawberry Growers, Processors and Shippers
- Location: Santa Cruz County, Monterey County, San Luis Obispo County, Santa Barbara County, Ventura County
Farm Employers Labor Services (FELS)
- Instructor(s): Rigo De La Cerda, Santos Martinez, Roy Mosqueda, Gabriel Riojas
- Contact: Bryan Little, blittle@CFBF.com, (800) 753-9073
- Location: Determined by instructor
James G. Parker Insurance Associates
- Instructor(s): Alejandro Palacios, Nanci Hernandez-Brandt, Ernest Soto-Cruz
- Contact: Nanci Hernandez-Brandt, nancib@jgparker.com, (559) 301-9273
- Location: Determined by instructor
MVP Safety Professionals, LLC
- Instructor(s): Imelda Muzio
- Contact: Imelda Muzio, imuzio@mvpsafety.org, (530) 848-0998
- Location: Determined by instructor
Relation Insurance Services, Inc.
- Instructor(s): Daniel Carbajal, Alfredo Jauregui, Angel Mendez, Elissa Sanchez, Jesus Mendoza, Richard Hernandez, Erika Velazquez, Adolfo Rivera, Jonathan Barron, Jorge Berber, Michael Espinosa
- Contact: Jesus Mendoza, Jesus.Mendoza@relationinsurance.com, (760) 601-5254
- Location: Determined by instructor
State Compensation Insurance Fund (SCIF)
- Instructor(s): Annette Cazares, Andrew Venegas, Irene Mendez, Lizeth Mercado, Lucio Robles, Lorenzo Zwaal, Monika Maier, Mayra Ocampo, Patrick Taylor, Alcadio Mirelez, Jr., Melissa Camacho
- Contact: Annette Cazares, accazares@scif.com, (661) 496-8281
- Location: Determined by instructor
Sunview Vineyards of California, Inc.
- Instructor(s): Jesus Velazquez, Rocio Richer
- Contact: Jesus Velazquez, jvelazquez@sunviewvineyards.com, (661) 792-3151 Ext. 1122
- Location: Determined by instructor
Training Program and Training Record Resources
Included below are forms to use for developing training programs and tracking training records.
Pest Management Information for Trainers
The following links provide UC IPM training and safety resources, including safety education modules, IPM workshops, online pesticide training for urban use and general pesticide information.
Information for Farm Labor Contractors
A Farm Labor Contractor (FLC) must work in close communication with the grower to protect and adequately train fieldworker employees to prevent potential pesticide hazards. Resources under “Compliance Assistance Booklets for Employers” are also a great resource for FLCs.
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Email: WHS@cdpr.ca.gov