Pesticides &
Health
Reporting Pesticide-related
Illnesses & Injuries for medical providers
How to Report
Choose one of the following reporting methods:
- Call North Carolina Poison Control (NCPC) at 1-800-222-1222. This reporting method was
created to save time and paperwork for health care providers. You may call here instead of
calling or submitting a report to North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services,
Division of Public Health (DPH). NCPC operates 24/7 and is set up to collect all the
required information. Professionals on staff can also help with pesticide toxicology
information and medical management upon request.
Report to the Division of Public Health, Occupational and
Environmental Epidemiology Branch
(OEEB) directly via phone (919) 707-5900 or through the NEW secure electronic reporting form
- https://survey.dph.ncdhhs.gov/surveys/?s=A4JCN3ECEC
(scan QR code).
When to Report
- Acute pesticide-related illness and injury within 48 hours
- Acute pesticide-related illness and injury resulting in death - immediately
See our memo to providers (short
version) (long version).
What to Report
When reporting to NCPC or DPH, include the following:
- The name, address, telephone number, date of birth, race, ethnicity, gender, and occupation
of the affected person;
- The physical location of the affected person at the time of exposure to the pesticide, if
known (be as specific as possible and include address and telephone number);
- The name of the pesticide product and EPA registration number, if known; and
- The name, address, and telephone number of the physician or medical facility.
Who Should Report
Physicians are required to report pesticide illnesses and injuries. Reports from physician
assistants, nurse practitioners, and other medical providers are encouraged. Reports from
exposed individuals, witnesses and other concerned citizens will also be accepted.
Confidentiality
Patients' names are confidential, protected under state law, and are not released without
consent. Only aggregate, non-identifying information is provided to the public.
Why Report?
Acute Pesticide Poisonings are a legally reportable condition under rule 10A NCAC 41F
.0101 -.0103 (PDF).
Pesticide use is widespread, and potentially hazardous for adults and children when products are
not used as directed. The Pesticide Illness and Injury Surveillance Program monitors
pesticide-related illness and injury, and receiving information from medical providers is an
important first step in the process. Reporting ensures that the magnitude of injuries,
illnesses, and deaths caused by pesticides are accurately captured. This information is then
used to design trainings for specific subpopulations to prevent pesticide-related illnesses and
inform policy changes. Additionally, when the Division of Public Health learns about your
patient, we can offer resources to help prevent further exposure. Your reports also help the
division to initiate investigations to identify factors contributing to hazardous exposures and
to then make recommendations about safe handling practices. Through collaboration, we can help
protect the health of those who live and work in our state.
Recent Case Reports in NC:
- NC Poison Control received a call from the stepmother of a 25-year-old farm helper who had a
brief inhalation exposure to a paraquat-based product while at work. The man reported
experiencing a headache and mild cough. NCPC recommended steam therapy for treatment.
According to the label, respirators should be worn in instances where airborne chemical
levels could exceed exposure limits. However, it was reported that the respirator was either
unworn or ineffective.
- A 50-year-old pesticide handler was mixing pesticides when some of the pesticide splashed
into his eye after he set the bottle down. He immediately washed his eyes out using the
water truck available in the field. The handler called NC Poison Control initially for
advice and went to the emergency room. Symptoms included swollen eyes, discharge, blurred
vision, photophobia, and pain. All required personal protective equipment was used according
to the label, except eye protection. Although he had goggles, he had forgotten to pull them
down over his eyes at the time of the incident.
- A 51-year-old male sprayed his house with a bedbug and flea fogger and failed to ventilate
the area properly during and after application. As a result, he began to experience
persistent coughing, pink tinged sputum, and x-ray results showed signs of interstitial
pulmonary edema, requiring oxygen. Although his early symptoms resolved, the patient
continued to report severe throat pain.
Pesticide Safety Resources:
-
To report a suspected pesticide violation:
Contact the N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, Structural Pest Control and Pesticide Division, 1-919-733-3556 to report a suspected pesticide violation, or to receive pesticide use and compliance advice for complainants who want non-health related guidance.
- National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC), 1-800-858-7378. An EPA-funded resource, NPIC
provides information on pesticide toxicology and product-specific information. Find an MSDS
(material safety data sheet) quickly by calling NPIC. Medical Cases and Topics for Healthcare
Providers
- U.S. EPA pesticide poisoning handbook, Recognition
and Management of Pesticide Poisoning, or call 1-703-305-7666.
- NC Farmworker Health Program – Statewide
Migrant Health Voucher Program that responds to gaps in health care to benefit farmworkers
and their families.
- NC Area Health Education Centers
(AHEC) - Continuing education opportunities for health care providers.
- National Environmental Education Foundation: National
Strategies for Health Care Providers: Pesticides Initiative - Developed to help educate
health care providers on how to recognize, diagnose, and manage pesticide-related health
conditions. Skill-building tools available.
- NC Agromedicine Institute - A University
of North Carolina inter-institutional institute whose partners are East Carolina University,
North Carolina State University, and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State
University. Offers continuing education opportunities for healthcare providers.
- Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics (AOEC): Educational Resources. Click on
"Downloadable PowerPoint;" scroll to "Pesticide Illness" for downloadable presentation with
case studies.
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): "General
Consumer Publications" for safety tips, fact sheets, child safety and more.
- "Worker Protection Pesticide Safety Materials" for worker safety information such
as:
- Steps to Protect Yourself from Pesticides, U.S. EPA (735-F-95-002)
(available in different languages)
- Protect Yourself from Pesticides; Guide for Agricultural Workers,
U.S. EPA (735-B-93-002) (available in English and Spanish)
