(1) Certified applicators licensed under the provisions
of this chapter, persons required to be licensed under this
chapter, all persons applying pesticides to more than one acre of
agricultural land in a calendar year, including public entities
engaged in roadside spraying of pesticides, and all other persons
making landscape applications of pesticides to types of property
listed in RCW 17.21.410(1) (b), (c), (d), and (e), shall keep
records for each application which shall include the following
information:
(a) The location of the land where the pesticide was
applied;
(b) The year, month, day and beginning and ending time of
the application of the pesticide each day the pesticide was
applied;
(c) The product name used on the registered label and the
United States environmental protection agency registration
number, if applicable, of the pesticide which was applied;
(d) The crop or site to which the pesticide was applied;
(e) The amount of pesticide applied per acre or other
appropriate measure;
(f) The concentration of pesticide that was applied;
(g) The number of acres, or other appropriate measure, to
which the pesticide was applied;
(h) The licensed applicator's name, address, and telephone
number and the name of the individual or individuals making the
application and their license number, if applicable;
(i) The direction and estimated velocity of the wind during
the time the pesticide was applied. This subsection (i) shall not apply to applications of baits in bait stations and
pesticide applications within structures; and
(j) Any other reasonable information required by the
director in rule.
(2)(a) The required information shall be recorded on the
same day that a pesticide is applied.
(b) A commercial pesticide applicator who applies a
pesticide to an agricultural crop or agricultural lands shall
provide a copy of the records required under subsection (1) of
this section for the application to the owner, or to the lessee
if applied on behalf of the lessee, of the lands to which the
pesticide is applied. Records provided by a commercial pesticide
applicator to the owner or lessee of agricultural lands under
this subsection need not be provided on a form adopted by the
department.
(3) The records required under this section shall be
maintained and preserved by the licensed pesticide applicator or
such other person or entity applying the pesticides for no less
than seven years from the date of the application of the
pesticide to which such records refer. If the pesticide was
applied by a commercial pesticide applicator to the agricultural
crop or agricultural lands of a person who employs one or more
employees, as "employee" is defined in RCW 49.70.020, the records
shall also be kept by the employer for a period of seven years
from the date of the application of the pesticide to which the
records refer.
(4)(a) The pesticide records shall be readily accessible to
the department for inspection. Copies of the records shall be
provided on request to: The department; the department of labor
and industries; treating health care personnel initiating
diagnostic testing or therapy for a patient with a suspected case
of pesticide poisoning; the department of health; and, in the
case of an industrial insurance claim filed under Title 51 RCW
with the department of labor and industries, the employee or the
employee's designated representative. In addition, the director
may require the submission of the records on a routine basis
within thirty days of the application of any restricted use
pesticide in prescribed areas controlling the use of the
restricted use pesticide. When a request for records is made
under this subsection by treating health care personnel and the
record is required for determining treatment, copies of the
record shall be provided immediately. For all other requests,
copies of the record shall be provided within seventy-two hours.
(b) Copies of records provided to a person or entity under
this subsection (4) shall, if so requested, be provided on a form
adopted under subsection (7) of this section. Information for
treating health care personnel shall be made immediately
available by telephone, if requested, with a copy of the records
provided within twenty-four hours.
(5) If a request for a copy of the record is made under this
section from an applicator referred to in subsection (1) of this
section and the applicator refuses to provide a copy, the
requester may notify the department of the request and the
applicator's refusal. Within seven working days, the department
shall request that the applicator provide the department with all
pertinent copies of the records, except that in a medical
emergency the request shall be made within two working days. The
applicator shall provide copies of the records to the department
within twenty-four hours after the department's request.
(6) The department shall include inspection of the records
required under this section as part of any on-site inspection
conducted under this chapter on agricultural lands. The
inspection shall determine whether the records are readily
transferable to a form adopted by the department and are readily
accessible to employees. However, no person subject to a
department inspection may be inspected under this subsection (6)
more than once in any calendar year, unless a previous inspection
has found recordkeeping violations. If recordkeeping violations
are found, the department may conduct reasonable multiple
inspections, pursuant to rules adopted by the department.
Nothing in this subsection (6) limits the department's inspection
of records pertaining to pesticide-related injuries, illnesses,
fatalities, accidents, or complaints.
(7) The department of agriculture and the department of
labor and industries shall jointly adopt, by rule, forms that
satisfy the information requirements of this section.
[2011 c 103 § 37; 1994 c 283 § 9; 1992 c 173 § 1; 1989 c 380 § 39; 1987 c 45 § 28; 1971 ex.s. c 191 § 3; 1961 c 249 § 10.]
NOTES:
Purpose -- 2011 c 103: See note following RCW 15.26.120.
Effective dates -- 1992 c 173: "(1) Sections 1 through 3 of
this act are necessary for the immediate preservation of the
public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state
government and its existing public institutions, and shall take
effect immediately [April 1, 1992].
(2) Section 4 of this act shall take effect January 1,
1993." [1992 c 173 § 5.]
Construction -- Severability -- 1987 c 45: See notes following RCW 15.54.270.