If you work with pesticides you might be legally required to create a record of your use and provide it to your Council.
In most cases the supervisor or the individual worker is personally responsible for creating the record of use.
The NSW Environment Protection Authority advises:
If you are working for a public authority as part of a team and applying pesticides by hand or with hand-held equipment (for example, hand-operated backpack or cut-and-paint techniques), the on-site supervisor is responsible for making the record. The on-site supervisor must make a single record for the team that includes the names of all pesticides users.
If you are working as part of a team but are using non-hand-held equipment (for example, a tractor-mounted boom spray) to apply pesticides, then everyone in the team (not just the supervisor) using this equipment to apply the pesticide must make a record.
The council or public authority must keep a copy of the record for three years. If you are an employee of a council or public authority you must give the record to your employer to keep.
Source: NSW Environment Protection Authority, Pesticides record keeping fact sheet, December 2017
KEEP A RECORD!
The NSW Environment Protection Authority have a template record which you can download here.
Make sure your Council has proper procedures in place when dealing with pesticides and that you know your roles and responsibilities under the relevant Act and Regulations.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact your local workplace delegate or union organiser.
