This work was carried out to evaluate the efficiency of the tractor cabin, two nozzle models and two bar positions of a tractor-mounted sprayer in herbicide applications on sugar cane crop as a collective protection measure for tractor driver activity, separately or combined; and to classify the safety of these working conditions according to the 46 recommendations of registered herbicides. The truck driver´ s skin and respiratory organ exposures were quantified in applications with the sprayer equipped with back or central bar, nozzles with air induction, Turbo TeeJet Air Induction® (TTI-11004VP) model and without air induction, Turbo Floodjet® (TF VP3) model, and tractor with and without cabin. The safety margins (SM) for 46 herbicide application recommendations under these work conditions were calculated. Based on the calculated MS values, the work conditions were classified as safe (SM e" 1) or unsafe (SM > 1). The safest work conditions for the tractor driver were when the sprayer was combined with the central bar, tractor cabin and TTI model nozzles. With sprayer with central bar without cabin, of the 46 herbicide recommendations, imazapyr, trifloxysulfuron-sodium, imazapic, glyphosate, amicarbazone, hexazinone, sulfentrazone, clomazone, oxadiazon, isoxaflutole, pendimethalin, flazasulfuron, tebuthiuron, ethoxysulfuron and acetoclor were considered safe for the truck driver. With cabin use, metribuzin and s-metalochlor applications were also considered safe. In the applications with back bar sprayer and without the cabin, of the 46 herbicide recommendations, imazapyr, trifloxysulfuron-sodium, imazapic, glyphosate, amicarbazone, hexazinone, sulfentrazone, clomazone, oxadiazon, isoxaflutole, pendimethalin, flazasulfuron and tebuthiuron were considered safe for the truck driver. When combined with the truck cabin, applications of etosyulfuron with TF nozzles and of metribuzin and s-metalochlor with TTI nozzles were also considered safe for the truck driver.
skin exposure; tractor driver; nozzle; droplet size
