Chemical Spraying While Golfers on the Course

[RontheRef]

I hate to burst the bubble of golf superintendents and assistants, but spraying some chemicals while players are on the course can be hazardous to your health.  For the past week the maintenance crew where I play has been spraying on the hole we were playing and always next to or around us.  I decided to check the chemicals that were beinng sprayed because my eyes and throat have been affected adversely.  Specifically, Harrell's ProtectMax, DithaneArmor Tech CLT720XL and Excalibur Ifiltration Hydrator all can cause eye, throat and skin irritation which may or may not require medical attention.  Additionally, one product called Dispatch Sprayable is a known carcinogenic.  These chemicals can affect you by drift such as on a breezy or windy day.  Additionally, some of these require the area to be restricted for use for 12 hours.  They can swear up and down that they are in constant contact and aren't affected, but over time they WILL be affected.  I welcome any comments to the contrary, but maintenance, though impotant for course management, should not be sprayed while golfers are on the course.

[phillyk]

I’m not sure what the laws/rules say, but I would assume they could lose their spray license for creating hazardous conditions for people. We try to have a 30min gap from when the green is sprayed and when the first group plays on it. You certainly can’t spray when it’s windy or too wet. 

[saevel25]

There are a lot of regulations when it comes to introducing particles to the air. Either just dust or chemical. I would assume that they violate some sort of regulation. 

Let's say there is a land developer, and it is dry out and their equipment would kick up dust and dirt. There are regulations in place they need to water the dirt to not have that drift in the air.