On Field Clothes and their Care Adopted by Pesticide Applicators

A survey was conducted among 105 pesticide applicators from five villages of Parbhani district to elicit information about their clothing attributes and dress pattern, washing practices, washing method, storage place and clothing replacement approach for clothes used by them while spraying pesticide in field with the help of survey schedule and also by conducting field visits. Cent per cent respondents applied pesticides during seed treatment and plant protection while 30 per cent respondents used pesticide/ herbicides during soil preparation also. Cent per cent respondents bought pesticides whenever required and applied them by spraying with the help of high volume power sprayers. Eighty five per cent and 68 per cent pesticide applicators reported to wear Banyan and Pant, respectively while spraying pesticide in field. Head was covered by the shoulder-scarf/ scarf and 60 per cent pesticide applicators used plastic shoes while spraying pesticide in field. Sixty to eighty percent pesticide applicators reported that the housewives washed the on field clothes with soap and water by beating, rinsing and drying on clothes line. Cent per cent pesticide applicators opined that clothes had off odour due to pesticide on clothes. Sixty per cent pesticide applicators stated that they put field clothes on clothes-line after pesticide application while 40 per cent stored them in pesticide storage area.