PI-16/CG031: 2025–2026 Florida Citrus Production Guide: Interpreting PPE Statements on Pesticide Labels

This document helps you understand the revised PPE statements now part of labels on pesticide products used on farms, forests, nurseries, and greenhouses.

Background

Many Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) statements on pesticide labels have been changed as a result of the Worker Protection Standard for Agricultural Pesticides (WPS). These revised statements are more precise on the type of PPE that must be worn by pesticide handlers (mixers, loaders, and applicators). The terminology used to describe the required PPE is now more consistent from label to label. The tables accompanying this document list Label Statements used to describe the PPE required for use by mixers, loaders, and applicators.

The column headed Acceptable PPE describes the options the pesticide handler has when the label statement lists a specific item of PPE. The tables are grouped by subject as follows:

Table 1—Body Protection

Table 2—Hand Protection

Table 3—Eye Protection

Table 4—Foot Protection

Table 5—Respiratory Protection

Table 6—Head Protection

Table 1.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) statements (body protection).

Label Statement	Acceptable PPE
Long-sleeved shirt and long pants	Long-sleeved shirt and long pants, or
	Woven or nonwoven coverall, or
	Plastic- or other barrier-coated coverall, or
	Rubber or plastic suit
Coverall worn over short-sleeved shirt and short pants	Coverall worn over short-sleeved shirt and short pants, or
	Coverall worn over long-sleeved shirt and long pants, or
	Coverall worn over another coverall, or
	Plastic- or other barrier-coated coverall, or
	Rubber or plastic suit
Coverall worn over long-sleeved shirt and long pants	Coverall worn over long-sleeved shirt and long pants, or
	Coverall worn over another coverall, or
	Plastic- or other barrier-coated coverall, or
	Rubber or plastic suit
Chemical-resistant apron worn over coverall or over long-sleeved shirt and long pants	Chemical-resistant apron worn over coverall or long-sleeved shirt and long pants, or barrier-coated coverall, or suit
	Plastic or other barrier-coated coverall, or
	Rubber or plastic suit
Chemical-resistant protective suit	Plastic- or other barrier-coated coverall, or
Chemical-resistant protective suit	Rubber or plastic suit
Waterproof suit or liquid-proof suit	Plastic- or other barrier-coated coverall, or
Waterproof suit or liquid-proof suit	Rubber or plastic suit

Table 2.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) statements (hand protection).

Label Statement	Acceptable PPE
Waterproof gloves	Any rubber or plastic gloves sturdy enough to remain intact throughout the task being performed
Chemical-resistant gloves	Barrier-laminate gloves, or
Chemical-resistant gloves	Other gloves that glove selection charts or guidance documents indicate are chemical-resistant to the pesticide for the period of time required to perform the task
Chemical-resistant gloves such as butyl or nitrile	Butyl gloves, or
	Nitrile gloves, or
	Other gloves that glove selection, charts, or guidance documents indicate are chemical-resistant to the pesticide for the period of time required to perform the task

Table 3.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) statements (eye protection).

Label Statement	Acceptable PPE
Protective eyewear	Shielded safety glasses, or
	Face shield, or
	Goggles, or
	Full-face respirator
Goggles	Goggles, or
Goggles	Full-face respirator

Table 4.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) statements (foot protection).

Label Statement	Acceptable PPE
Shoes	Leather, canvas, or fabric shoes, or
	Chemical-resistant shoes, or
	Chemical-resistant boots, or
	Chemical-resistant shoe coverings (booties)
Chemical-resistant boots	Chemical-resistant boots

Table 5.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) statements (respiratory protection).

Label Statement	Acceptable PPE
Cartridge respirator	Respirator with organic vapor-removing cartridge and pesticide prefilter, or
	Respirator with canister approved for pesticides, or
	Air-supplying respirator
Air-supplying respirator or self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)	Air-supplying respirator, or
	Self-contained breathing apparatus
Dust/mist filtering respirator	Dust/mist filtering respirator, or
	Respirator with dust/mist filtering cartridge, or
	Respirator with organic vapor-removing cartridge and pesticide prefilter, or
	Air-supplying respirator
Canister respirator (gas mask)	Respirator with canister approved for pesticides, or
Canister respirator (gas mask)	Air-supplying respirator

Table 6.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) statements (head protection).

Label Statement	Acceptable PPE
Chemical-resistant hood or wide-brimmed hat	Rubber or plastic-coated safari-style hat, or
	Rubber or plastic-coated firefighter-style hat or
	Plastic- or other barrier-coated hood, or
	Rubber or plastic hood, or
	Full hood or helmet that is part of some respirators