The following article is from The Press, 13 October 1997, page 6.

WELLINGTON - Farmers have been told to take particular care applying sheep dips containing the chemical diazinon, after three shearers in Australia became ill from direct contact with the chemical.

Craig McKenzie, Robert Johnson, and Allan Tiedemann, all of southern New South Wales, were awarded a total of A$600,000 (NZ$686,000) last week by the Australian Supreme Court.

Justice Michael Grove said the men became ill after their clothes were saturated with a tar containing the chemical as they sheared newly-dipped sheep on properties.

The men suffered headaches, diarrhoea, vomiting, burning and itchy skin rashes, and sores, regurgitated bile, a bitter taste in the mouth, gasping and dry retching.

Federated Farmers president Malcolm Bailey said farmers should follow carefully the instructions on sheep dip labels, and heed the Wool Board's advice to observe a 60-day witholding period between dipping and shearing.  The Agricultural Compounds Unit said the chemical was used in some sheep dips and cat and dog flea collars in New Zealand.

The development manager of the agrichemical company NuFarm, Alan Cliffe, said his company's sheep dips containing diazinon were clearly labelled.

The labels reminded users of the two-month witholding period, and have warnings, precautions and first aid instructions. - NZPA