Agricultural worker safety is not an issue typically addressed in high-rise Seattle. But research by the UW's Pacific Northwest Agriculture Safety and Health Center (PNASH) in this field was recently enhanced with a $6.8 million award from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

PNASH was one of six institutions in the United States selected for the award and will use the money to continue developing plans and programs geared toward increasing agriculture worker safety.

Included among these are programs for Spanish-speaking workers about ergonomic behaviors in repetitive motion, safe operation of tractors and other farm equipment, and a cholinesterase enzyme-monitoring program, one of the center's largest projects.

"The point of the [cholinesterase] program is to prevent poisoning," said Richard Fenske, the Center's director. "It's a preventative monitoring program that is conducted with the state for the betterment of worker health."

According to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I), reduction of cholinesterase levels through prolonged exposure to pesticides can result in tremors, chronic exhaustion, loss of consciousness and even death.

"Agricultural work is dangerous work," Fenske said. "We provide programs and research that educate workers about the health and safety risks commonly associated with the agriculture industry, whether it be in proper use of a ladder or checking levels of enzymes that get worn down in workers after prolonged pesticide exposure."

Cholinesterase enzyme levels function much like a barometer in gauging when a worker has been overexposed to pesticides, Fenske said.

He was quick to point out that many Washington state agriculture industry leaders, including the Washington Growers League, were strongly opposed to the program, citing costs incurred in the monitoring process and a lack of proof linking cholinesterase levels and worker health concerns.

"While I don't want to discredit a lot of farm owners that are quite progressive and open to the program, a lot of the industry leadership is very vocal in their opposition to this program," he said.

Mike Dempler of the Washington Growers League said he is not convinced of the benefits of the program.

"[Cholinesterase monitoring] with regards to current industry standards is a waste of time and money," Dempler said. "I think there is a clear benefit in cholinesterase monitoring, but the required monitoring of workers exposed to pesticides for 30 hours in a 30-day period is an arbitrary, solely political and expensive decision."

Marcy Harrington, the manager of PNASH, said the UW's School of Public Health and Community Medicine is the best-equipped institution in the state to deal with agricultural worker health monitoring and safety.

"We have the experience and specialization that is needed to actually make a difference in the health of a group of people that are underpaid, marginalized and often neglected," she said.

Contributing writer Brian Slodysko: development@thedaily.washington.edu