Article extracted from the paper Demographic, socioeconomic and health profile of tobacco farmers families in a city of southern Brazil. Paper presented at the Post-Graduate Nursing Program of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, in March 2013. How to quote this article:Cargnin MCS; Echer EC; Silva DR. Tobacco farming: use of personal protective equipment and pesticide poisoning. Rev Fund Care Online. 2017 abr/jun; 9(2):466-472. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10. 9789/2175-5361.2017.v9i2.466-472 ABSTRACTObjective: To verify the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and the presence of symptoms of intoxication by pesticides in tobacco farmers. Methods: Cross-sectional study with farmers of the northwest of the state of Rio Grande do Sul in 2012/2013 through a household survey with interview. Results: Participants were 100 male farmers, they were on average 46.9±10.8 years-old; 97 (97.0%) used pesticides; 81 (81.0%) reported using PPE; 20 (20.0%) had symptoms of intoxication. Conclusions: Workers make partial use of PPE, it may favor the emergence of health problems related to pesticides. It is necessary that health workers, along with these workers, to incorporate into practice the comprehensive health assistance encompassing prevention, promotion, assistance and reporting of cases of poisoning. (20,0%) tenían síntomas de intoxicación. Conclusiones: Los trabajadores hacen uso parcial de EPP que puedan favorecer la aparición de problemas de salud relacionados con los plaguicidas. En este sentido, es necesario que los trabajadores de la salud, junto con estos trabajadores incorporan a la práctica la atención de la salud global que incluya la prevención, promoción, asistencia y la notificación de los casos de intoxicación. Descriptors