§ Mr. McCartneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if the Health and Safety Executive will recommend appropriate personal protective equipment for sheep farmers to give full protection against organophosphate chemicals. [26490]
§ Mr. OppenheimThe Government's guidance in its free "Sheep Dipping" leaflet recommends both what personal protective equipment is appropriate for farmers when dipping sheep with organophosphate products and the steps for its proper use.
Wearing personal protective equipment is, of course, only one of the measures to protect farmers and others against exposure to hazardous substances. Those include only dipping when necessary; and, where dips have to be used, planning carefully the design and siting of the facilities, using appropriate engineering controls; and, where protective clothing becomes heavily contaminated, washing and putting on clean clothes.