SUBCHAPTER 41F – PESTICIDE-RELATED ILLNESS OR INJURY SURVEILLANCE

SECTION .0100 – PHYSICIAN REPORTING OF PESTICIDE-RELATED ILLNESS OR INJURY

10A NCAC 41F .0101       GENERAL: DEFINITIONS

(a)  In order to identify, prevent and control health hazards pursuant to G.S. 130A-5(2), the rules of this Subchapter establish standards for reporting pesticide-related illnesses or injuries that are named in this subchapter and are hereby considered harmful to the public's health.

(b)  The following definitions apply throughout this section:

(1)           "Acute pesticide-related illness or injury" means any confirmed or suspected case of systemic, ophthalmologic or dermatologic illness or injury resulting from inhalation, ingestion, dermal exposure or ocular contact with a pesticide, where symptoms occur within eight hours of exposure.

(2)           "Pesticide" means any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest, and any substance or mixture of substances intended for use as a plant regulator, defoliant, or desiccant. Pesticides include but are not limited to insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, defoliants, desiccants, plant growth regulators, nematicides, and rodenticides.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 130A-5(2);

Eff. April 1, 2006;

Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. January 9, 2018.

10A NCAC 41F .0102       REPORTING OF PESTICIDE-RELATED ILLNESS OR INJURY

Physicians shall report the following named pesticide-related illness or injuries that are considered harmful to the public's health within the time period specified after the illness or injury is diagnosed:

(1)           Acute pesticide-related illness or injury - 48 hours

(2)           Acute pesticide-related illness or injury resulting in death – immediately

History Note:        Authority G.S. 130A-5(2);

Eff. April 1, 2006;

Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. January 9, 2018.

10A NCAC 41F .0103       METHOD OF REPORTING

(a)  A report of a pesticide-related illness or injury shall be submitted to the Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch on a form provided by or approved by the Branch according to these Rules. The form shall include the following information:

(1)           The name, address, telephone number, date of birth, race, ethnicity, gender, and occupation of the affected person;

(2)           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);

(3)           The name of the pesticide, if known; and

(4)           The name, address, and telephone number of the physician or medical facility.

(b)  To minimize cost and to avoid duplicate reporting, the physician is not required to report a case of a pesticide-related illness or injury to the Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch if the physician has already reported that case to the state poison control center. The state poison control center shall report all such cases to the Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch.

(c)  Reporting forms are available at the Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Public Health, 1931 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1931 or at http://www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/oii.html.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 130A-5(2);

Eff. April 1, 2006;

Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. January 9, 2018.