ABSTRACT
Weed management is one of the most important agronomic operations for agricultural production, and chemical weed control will continue to be an important part of future food production requirements. Herbicides could cause a number of negative health and environmental effects if handled improperly. Inadequate caution and exposure to these products without protection could cause short- and/or long-term poisonings. The toxicity of the many available commercial herbicides varies considerably. Adherence to occupational hygiene practices could contribute significantly to avoidance or reduction of unintended poisoning from herbicides. This chapter thoroughly discusses human exposure routes to herbicides and possible short- or long-term symptoms of intended or unintended use of herbicides, along with proper occupational hygiene practices upon herbicide usage. Herbicides are a global tool for food production in particular and for managing unwanted plant species in agricultural and non-agricultural areas. However, if used without proper caution and without regard to label recommendations, herbicides may become a threat to human and environmental health.
