Occupational safety and health practices among flower greenhouses workers from Alto Tietê region (Brazil) Marcela G. Ribeiro a, ⁎, Camilla G. Colasso b , Paula P. Monteiro b , Walter R. Pedreira Filho a , Maurício Yonamine b a Fundação Jorge Duprat Figueiredo de Segurança e Medicina do Trabalho, Rua Capote Valente, 710, Pinheiros, CEP: 05409-002, São Paulo, SP, Brazil b Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, USP, Av. Professor Lineu Prestes, 580 B13B CEP: 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil abstract article info Article history: Received 16 August 2011 Received in revised form 1 November 2011 Accepted 1 November 2011 Available online 30 November 2011 Keywords: Greenhouses OSH practices Pesticides Occupational exposure In this preliminary study the occupational safety and health practices among flower greenhouses workers were evaluated. The study was carried out in the alto Tietê region, located at the Sao Paulo State, Brazil. In- adequate welfare facilities; poor pesticide storage, use and disposal conditions; use of highly toxic pesticides; lack of adequate data regarding pesticide use; and incorrect use and maintenance of PPE were observed in most of the visited greenhouses. These results suggest that, in greenhouses, workers may be at higher risk of pesticide exposure, due to many factors that can intensify the exposure such as the lack of control on re- entry intervals after pesticide application. Specific regulations are needed to ensure better OSH practices on pesticide use and to improve working conditions in greenhouses, in order to deal with the peculiarities of greenhouse working environment. Some of the special requirements for greenhouses workers' protection are the establishment of ventilation criteria for restricted entry interval; clear reentry restrictions; and EPI for workers other than applicators that need to enter the greenhouse before expiring REI interval. Another important way to improve OSH practices among workers includes the distribution of simple guidelines on the dos and don'ts regarding OSH practices in greenhouses and extensively training interventions to change the perception of hazards and the behavior towards risk. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction The use of pesticides in agriculture is extensive around the world and their irrational use poses a threat to both human and the environ- mental health (Bouvier et al., 2006; Damalas and Eleftherohorinos, 2011). The widespread and uncontrolled use of pesticides can cause acute poisonings, in addition to the development of various diseases from chronic exposure (Bhalli et al., 2009; Chrisman et al., 2009; Kamel and Hoppin, 2004; Mourad, 2005; Patiwael et al., 2010). Each year, there might be as many as 1 million involuntary poi- sonings worldwide and 2 million people hospitalized for voluntary ingestion of pesticides (WHO. Organization WH, 1990). It is also estimated that for every reported case of poisoning, there would be other fifty unreported (Domingues et al., 2004). Brazil is the 3rd largest consumer of pesticides in the world, with over 300 million tons of formulated products in 2001, placing 8th in use per hectare (Fairbanks, 2001). Annually, over 50,00 cases of unintentional poi- soning with agricultural pesticides are reported officially in the country. According to the data published by SINITOX (National System of Toxic-Pharmacological Information), in 2009, 5204 cases of poisoning were recorded in Brazil; 1158 as a result from occupa- tional poisoning by pesticides in agricultural production (SINITOX. Sistema Nacional de Informações Tóxico-Farmacológicas, 2009). Floriculture is an increasingly agricultural activity in countries like Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, México, India, Kenya and Zimbabwe. In the USA, floriculture sales represent a third of the total horticulture activity (Tenenbaum, 2002). The Brazilian market of flowers and ornamental plants has an annual turnover of US$ 1.3 billion, and it is rising 20% per year (Vale, 2009). The strategic research area de- velops and applies innovative technology to enhance the sustainable production of high quality and competitively priced flowers and ornamentals plants for international markets (Arruda et al., 1996). Flower growing is an activity that employs around 200,000 workers in the country, occupies 8000 hectare, and approximately 50% of this area is cultivated in greenhouses (Vale, 2009). São Paulo state is the largest flower producer in Brazil, responsible for 60% of the national production, employing at least 80,000 workers. Protected crops occupy 56% of the cultivated area. In order to attend the increasing demand for large amounts and high quality products, the number of protected crops (greenhouses) has increased 15% per year, from 1996 to 2001 (Folegatti et al., 2001). Science of the Total Environment 416 (2012) 121–126 ⁎ Corresponding author. Tel.: + 55 11 3066 6075; fax: + 55 11 3066 6341. E-mail address: marcela.ribeiro@fundacentro.gov.br (M.G. Ribeiro). 0048-9697/$ – see front matter © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.11.002 Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect Science of the Total Environment journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/scitotenv