Document text
1 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Jackson County elected officials to get pay raises ... Making ancient stories new again ... Former firefighter accused of theft from District 3 faces charges in Virginia ... Jackson County elected officials to get pay raises ... Making ancient stories new again ... Former firefighter accused of theft from District 3 faces charges in Virginia ... Pesticide poisoning in question By KELLY STEWART MailTribune.com By KELLY STEWART Posted Aug. 21, 1999 at 2:00 AM Updated Feb 16, 2011 at 8:03 AM By KELLY STEWART Posted Aug. 21, 1999 at 2:00 AM Updated Feb 16, 2011 at 8:03 AM » Social News Some farmworkers claim illness from exposure What if pears caused people to break out in boils and skin rashes, or feeljabs of intense pain in their limbs? They do, according to some farmworkers in Oregon. Farmworkers who pick Southern Oregon's cash crop can suffer from symptoms asserious as cancer and birth defects if they are overexposed to pesticides usedin the fields. But local growers say the fault lies only with workers who improperly handlepesticides. Few farmworkers report pesticide overexposure. From Jan. 1, 1996, to Dec. 31,1998, the Oregon Health Division received 341 complaints of pesticide-relatedincidents. The Health Division investigated 198 of these complaints; about 25percent were related to agriculturaloperations, including farm work. About 665 workers are poisoned each year in California's orchards and fields,according to a study released in June by environmental and labor advocates. The study analyzed 3,991 cases of occupational poisonings by agriculturalpesticides between 1991 and 1996. Penalties for poisonings were rare, andfarmworkers received little or no treatment for overexposure. More than 600,000 farmworkers are employed in California. The study was sponsored by the United Farm Workers, Pesticide Action Network,Californians for Pesticide Reform and the California Rural AssistanceFoundation. But the situation is not as dire as the study's sponsors would like to paintit, California growers said. The Pesticide Analytical and Response Center reports pesticide investigationseach year. In 1996, PARC investigated 67 exposure incidents affecting 116people. Six people were exposed by agricultural pesticide use. Nearly 50 percent of those reporting exposure did not seek medical treatment;others were seen in a provider's office or in emergency rooms, according to thePARC study. About 4,000 farmworkers live in Jackson County and work in some of thecounty's 157 orchards, estimated Dagoberto Morales, president of the farmworkeradvocacy organization Unete. Most farmworkers are Hispanic men 25 to 35 yearsold. Some local farmworkers say overexposure to pesticides is part of the job. Searing muscle pain and sinus infections are common for J, alocal farmworker who declined to reveal his name for fear of losing his job. J has worked in orchards for nearly 30 years, sprayingpesticides. He started to feel pain under his left ear -- the location of one ofthe body's lymph nodes -- in 1988. The pain has since crept down his arms and legs. I had to leave the orchard because of the pain, he said.Little by little, my body is absorbing this thing. J also suffers from frequent headaches and has a hard time movinghis left arm. Skin peels off his hands and feet. He feels no pain from Novemberthrough January, when spraying ceases. J, who is bilingual, sought medical help at a local clinic. Hehad a sinus operation in January, but his left sinus clogged up again. Hisdoctor gives him penicillin to control infections, but they don't disappear forlong. The doctor told J that the type of pain he experiences is typicalof pesticide poisoning, but he was not diagnosed with poisoning. Alan Campbell, a physician who has worked at La Clinica del Valle for fiveyears, said he doesn't see many ailments that can be directly attributed topesticides. It's very hard to prove that there's anything caused by exposure over along period of time, he said. Farmworkers exposed to pesticides areusually taken to hospitals. Only half of local farmworkers affected by pesticides seek medical treatment,estimates Federico Valadez, who trains farmworkers on pesticide dangers forAmericorps. A lot of them don't go in because they don't speak the language,Valadez said. It's 50/50, like a flip of a coin. Dan Hull, a spokesman for the Jackson County Fruit Growers League, said localgrowers do everything possible to protect farmworkers, including taking them tohospitals if they grow ill. Workers are provided with proper equipment and instructional classes, andthey are supervised by certified personnel. We don't want anything to happen to them, Hull said. If pesticide overexposures occur, you can always trace them back to amistake on the part of the employee, Hull said. Locally, Americorps offers free pesticide training to farmworkers and theirfamilies. Valadez trains the workers in Spanish and English. We are here to provide safety measures, Valadez said. Workerslearn how to protect themselves from pesticide exposure, recognize the symptomsof poisoning, and seek medical help. Valadez likened the danger of working in the fields to the risks constructionworkers and miners face on the job, but he said education can lessen the risk ofinjury. Farmworkers are often diagnosed with the flu, not with pesticide poisoning,Morales said. No doctors specialize in pesticides, he said. When workers are treated for their symptoms, they may be told to rest for ashort time and then go back to work, Morales said. The problem is they never told the worker they have to rest, take ashower, and change clothes, Morales said. Valadez hopes that training will help workers understand pesticide risks andprevent poisonings. They work on hot days, and they like to wear shorts and sandals,Valadez said. They don't realize there's (pesticide) residue on theleaves. We recommend long-sleeved shirts, pants and enclosed shoes. Farmworkers should also visit a decontamination site during breaks and afterwork to wash their hands of pesticides, Valadez said. Orchards must follow strict laws for pesticide use and labeling, said MarkWilk, director of Oregon Legal Aid Services for farmworkers in Woodburn. Members of legal aid travel to farmworker camp sites to advise workers oftheir rights. The group is planning a Medford trip Aug. 30-31. Places and timeshave not been determined. Workers have the right to know what pesticides are being used and workersmust not re-enter orchards within a set time after spraying, Wilk said. If orchards violate Oregon pesticide regulations, OSHA has the right toassess fines, Wilk said. Workers who are injured on the job have the right toworkers compensation. But many choose not to report poisonings because they are afraid they willface retaliation from employers, Wilk said. They probably do want to report it, but they're afraid to, Wilksaid. That's unlawful, but as we know, people act unlawfully all thetime. Naumes Inc. did not return phone calls about this article before deadline,and Bear Creek Corp. chose not to comment. By KELLY STEWART MailTribune.com By KELLY STEWART Posted Aug. 21, 1999 at 2:00 AM Updated Feb 16, 2011 at 8:03 AM » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501