What should be a priority for ensuring safety during pesticide application?

Prioritizing wind direction and speed during pesticide application is crucial for several reasons. Wind can carry pesticide particles away from the intended target area, leading to potential drift that may harm non-target plants, animals, and humans. Therefore, assessing wind conditions helps ensure that the application is effective and minimizes unintended exposure or environmental impact.

Timing of the application can be important, particularly regarding factors like the growth stage of the plants or the weather conditions, but it does not directly address the risks associated with drift caused by wind. The type of pesticide used is significant as well, given that different chemicals have varying levels of toxicity and persistence; however, without considering the environmental conditions created by wind, the application could still be unsafe. While the number of people present is a factor in safety protocols, it is secondary to controlling environmental conditions that could affect the safety and effectiveness of the pesticide application. Thus, understanding and anticipating wind direction and speed is essential for maintaining safety standards during pesticide application.