Westport company, Portwest, has launched a new pesticide handling kit for farmers, which it says is the first of its kind on the market.
According to the workwear and leisurewear company, a recent study in the US of some 19,000 farmers has revealed that those who work with pesticides are at a greater risk of developing neurological problems and other side effects.
The study, by Freya Kamel of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, examined the long term effects of pesticides and found that farmers with a higher lifetime exposure to them had more neurological and health problems.
Other short terms problems encountered included accidental inhalation of pesticides and skin and eye irritation.
Portwest has now developed a special pesticide handling kit which it says guarantees the safety of farmers when handling poisonous substances.
The specialist pesticide handling kits are available from all main agri-stores across Mayo.
Run by the Hughes family from Westport, Portwest produces work-wear, personal protective equipment, safety footwear, and leisurewear.
The company now employs more than 2,000 staff worldwide and has offices in Ireland, the UK, Poland, Germany, Dubai, China, Bangladesh, and the USA.
