Indiana’s recommendations would have made difference for students at one Indianapolis public school — had the school followed them. Fortunately, no one was seriously hurt when the school wasn’t..

While the Indiana State Chemist is still investigating the incident, based on newspaper reports and an update at the Indiana Pesticide Review Board, the following appears to have happened.

On March 7, a maintenance worker at a high school in Indiana accidentally switched the herbicide he intended to use with the organophosphate insecticide, Dursban, in order to kill the Spring weeds. Then the worker proceeded to spray it on the grass while school was in session — right outside the open cafeteria windows. The school was evacuated when the pesticide was sucked into the ventilation system. Five adults and one student were hospitalized, but they were not seriously hurt. It is unlikely that the worker had received specific training to use the pesticides.

The training requirements could have prevented the problem. Training would have helped the worker better understand the implications of switching the insecticide for the herbicide and how to properly apply the mixture.

The prohibition on using pesticides during schools hours would definitely have prevented it. Spraying pesticides during school hours, two hours before, and one hour after is prohibited under the recommendations.

But what if it was only herbicides? The open question is how often students have been exposed to the herbicide from the ventilation system in the past. People may have only noticed since Dursban has a strong sulfur smell. Herbicides may also pose risks — even if they don’t smell. Under the recommendations, parents, faculty and staff requesting the notice would have been notified two days before the use of the pesticides.

Perhaps, the process of providing advance notice to parents would have helped the school and the worker take the responsibility to use pesticides more seriously. In any case, concerned parents should know when their students may be exposed to pesticides —even the ones that don’t smell!