Few can deny the usefulness of pesticides in 21 ^st  Century agriculture. Without them, no-till and lo-till methods, which leave crop residue on the soil surface protecting it from erosion, would be impossible. Yield penalties from insects and diseases would also increase dramatically. That said, pesticides can be a hidden farm safety problem if they are not stored properly.

First, inventory must be considered. If the supply of materials is considerable, a separate building may be needed for storage purposes. Regardless of inventory size, all pesticides need to be stored separately from any other agricultural materials in an enclosed area securely locked to prevent accidental exposure. Neglecting to do this means loved ones could accidentally be exposed to the concentrated materials contained within. That storage area should be one that remains dry, cool, and shaded.

Second, farm safety with pesticide storage or pesticides alone can start at the time of purchase. If a container or bag has any imperfections, such as rips or cracks, the bag should not be purchased, and only the minimal amount of pesticide needed for any particular job should be purchased at one time. This will help to minimize the possibility of a compromised container, as well as the amount of potentially hazardous material within an area during a single period of time. Needless to say, this in turn reduces the risk of lethal or health-hazardous exposure to stored pesticides.

Third, all pesticide sacks should be stored on pallets to keep them off the ground where they could become saturated and contaminate the area through leakage.

Fourth, food, feed, and other products that might come into contact with humans should never be located anywhere near the storage site since that might result in contamination of these products and indirect contamination of the farm workers.

Fifth, never store pesticides in any non-pesticide container. Pesticides in milk jugs, pop bottles, or cans can result in accidental exposure that goes unrealized by the person contaminated until the situation becomes critical. Always store pesticides in only their original containers.

Finally, individuals should be verbally told to stay away from the storage areas, and the area should be labeled with a sign that says,  “Danger – Pesticides, Keep Out !”, in bold letters, easily seen and legible to passersby.

The necessity of pesticide use is almost unavoidable on today’s farm, but danger from storage does not have to be. Play it safe, practice farm safety.

This article is brought to you by the University of Illinois, written by Matt Montgomery, Extension Educator.