The determinants of the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in agriculture: insights from Ecuador

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is important to reduce the adverse effects of pesticides on human health. Nevertheless, there are several factors why farmers decide not to use PPE. With official data from the Continuous Area and Agricultural Production Survey (ESPAC) 2022, this paper analyzes the determinants of the use of PPE in Ecuadorian agriculture. This large data set (n = 10,039) with national representation provides a complete picture of the country’s diverse ethnicities, geographies, and crops. The results reveal that a majority of operators in the sample (96.53%) used at least one PPE item while handling pesticides, with long sleeve shirts and rubber boots the most frequently used PPE items. The results of a Poisson regression model show that the use of PPE is strongly influenced by ethnicity, with indigenous, afro-Ecuadorian, and montubio operators wearing fewer PPE items than their mestizo peers. Overall, wealthier and more educated operators who have received training on the use of pesticides are more willing to wear PPE. Similarly, those who use less toxic (Class II and Class III) pesticides wear more PPE items. Operators engaged in the production of rice, plantains, and potatoes are less willing to wear PPE items, while those growing bananas, oil palm, and broccoli tend to use more PPE items. Developing ethnic-specific training programs that observe indigenous knowledge, cultural beliefs, and practices and increasing the availability of low-cost PPE are explored as alternatives to promote the use of PPE in Ecuadorian agriculture.