Pesticide incidents reported to the Health and Safety Executive 1989/90- 1991/92.

1. Data concerning pesticide incidents investigated by the Field Operations Division (FOD) of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in Great Britain have been collated for the three year period April 1989 to March 1992. Over this period the HSE investigated 613 incidents concerning pesticides: 338 related to general or environmental complaints not involving human poisoning and 275 were suspected poisoning incidents. 2. The two hundred and seventy-five suspected poisoning incidents were assessed by the Pesticide Incidents Appraisal Panel (PIAP) as 'confirmed', 'likely', 'unlikely', 'not confirmed', or that there were 'insufficient data' to make an assessment. Assessed data are unavailable for eight incidents reported in 1989. 3. Four hundred and eighteen members of the public were involved in 202 assessed incidents and 79 workers were exposed in 65 assessed incidents. Overall, 129 (48%) incidents were assessed as 'confirmed' or 'likely', 121 (45%) as 'unlikely' or 'not confirmed' and in 17 (6%) there were 'insufficient data' to form a judgement. Incidents occurring in an occupational setting were assessed as 'confirmed' or 'likely' more frequently (62%) than those involving members of the public (44%). 5. Thirty-six per cent of those involved in a 'confirmed' poisoning incident were working with a pesticide or were in close proximity to the operator; 41% were on private property adjacent to a field being sprayed and a further 23% involved those walking, cycling or jogging past a sprayed field.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)