Safety in the Swine and Safety in the Swine and Poultry HousePoultry House

• Respirators give real protection– wear tight-fitting NIOSH approved respirators as necessary

• Guards on fans and motors prevent accidents– keep fingers, hands away from moving parts

• Winches can be risky - be careful– gears, cable, spinning handles can cause injury

• Be cautious during electrical work and storm– eliminate electrical hazards and minimize exposure to shock

• Supervise children in poultry houses– poultry houses are not playgrounds

Hazards in Animal HousingHazards in Animal Housing• Air Pollutants in Animal Housing

– Dust and Other Aerosols

– Ammonia

– Hydrogen Sulfide

– Other Gases

• Odors– Air Quality Control and Management

• Mechanical Hazards

• Electrical Hazards

• Noise

• Fire

• Children in Buildings

• Safety Signs

Air Pollutants in Animal HousingAir Pollutants in Animal Housing

• Dust and Other AerosolsDust and Other Aerosols

– Dust found in animal housing is primarily composed of:

• Feed components

• Dry fecal material

• Dander (hair and skin cells)

• Molds

• Pollen

• Grains

• Insect parts

• Mineral ash– some components may cause allergic responses

– an important air quality problem in poultry and livestock housing

Dust ControlDust Control

• Proper waste management and ventilation

– Minimize poor indoor quality - animals and workers• workers are required to wear appropriate personal protective

equipment when entering these facilities– particularly mask or respirators

• Several methods of reducing dust are under evaluation

– Wet , electrostatic, cyclonic and dry dust filters

– Oil sprays• spraying vegetable oil

– bind up the dust particles and keep them out of suspension

Ammonia ( NHAmmonia ( NH33 ) )

• Ammonia is produced by bacterial action on urine and feces during decomposition– Comes off of the floors and from the manure pits

– Levels in animal buildings can be sufficiently high to affect human health

• Ammonia control– Frequent removal of waste

– Management of indoor moisture

– Adequate ventilation• ventilation dilutes ammonia concentration and tends to dry

floors and litter– reduces the rate of ammonia release

Hydrogen Sulfide ( HS )Hydrogen Sulfide ( HS )

• Is an acutely toxic gas produced by the decomposition of animal manure– Often released into the air when liquid manure is agitated

– Its odor is not an indication of its concentration

– Above 6 ppm the odor increases as concentration also increases

• The OSHA limits exposure to 10 ppm for an 8 hour, 5 day exposure– At levels above 50 ppm human evacuation is recommended

– Levels above 500 ppm cause unconsciousness and death

– Levels increase to 1500 ppm when swine pit manure is agitated

Hydrogen Sulfide ( HS )Hydrogen Sulfide ( HS )(continued)

• Workers should wear a self contained respirator if exposure to HS is expected

• Hazards created during manure agitation can be controlled by: – Providing ventilation during manure pumping

– Removing the manure• Preferable when

– people and animals are absent from the building

Other GasesOther Gases

Methane ( CHMethane ( CH44 ) )

– A natural product of manure decomposition• nontoxic

– High concentrations produces• dizziness and even asphyxiation

– Flammability of methane: Main Safety Concern• CH4 can be explosive at concentrations over 50,000 ppm

• valuable as an energy source

– NIOSH (National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health) recommended Daily exposure

• 1,000 ppm per 8 hour work period

– Control:• proper ventilation generally dissipates methane from animal housings

Carbon Dioxide ( COCarbon Dioxide ( CO22 ) )

– Produced by manure decomposition and animal respiration• nontoxic gas

– High concentrations can cause• asphyxiation by reducing available oxygen

– Concentrations in well ventilated buildings can range• 1,000 ppm during summer

• 10,000 ppm during winter

– OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) permissible exposure level for CO2

• 10,000 and 30,000 ppm respectively per 8 hour and 15 minutes work period

– Control• proper ventilation

• CO2 control is important in cold climates

Carbon Monoxide ( CO )Carbon Monoxide ( CO )

– Product of the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons• its colorless, odorless, and has nearly the same density as air

– CO hazards in animal production operations caused by• combustion heaters malfunction

• operational heaters or internal combustion engines– without venting the combustion products outdoors

– Winter: Most dangerous period• buildings are usually closed and ventilation rates are at its lowest

– OSHA and NIOSH recommended threshold limit values• 40mg/m3 or 35 ppm for an 8 hour work period

– Control• combustion heaters and engines should always be vented to the

outside

OdorsOdorsAir Quality Control and ManagementAir Quality Control and Management

– Unpleasant odors have long been associated with domestic animal production

• Installation and operation of a well-designed ventilation system is the producer’s best assurance of adequate indoor quality

– provides thorough air mixing

– eliminates dead spaces having stagnant air

– moves fresh air through the housing facility

– Ventilation vents should open enough to provide high velocity jets to ensure thorough air mixing

• Summer months– evaporative cooling is needed using misting systems to reduce the indoor

air temperature

• Winter months– supplemental mixing fans are needed because ventilation rates are reduced

to a minimum

Air Quality Control and ManagementAir Quality Control and Management(continued)

– Prevention and early detection of toxic gas levels reduces health risks

• installs CO detectors near combustion heaters

• the heater should be vented to the outside

• clean the heater thoroughly at the beginning of each heating season

• while in use, monitor the heaters daily to ensure that they burn efficiently and produce minimal levels of CO

– Use extreme caution during manure removal• manure slurries will release hydrogen sulfide: “rotten eggs”

• cause for concern– HS can quickly inure the sense of smell as concentrations increase and

become deadly

– Control dusts• during cold weather, use feed additives (oil, fat, and lecithin) to help

reduce dust emission from feed meals.

Mechanical HazardsMechanical Hazards

– Fans• unguarded fans are dangerous, must have guards or screens so people

cannot touch any moving parts

– Winches• workers operating winches must be careful to avoid releasing the

winch before the object is fully raised or lowered

• accidentally striking a winch under tension can cause it to release

– Augers• must be properly guarded

• before any maintenance the equipment must be unplugged, or switched off at the control and breaker box

– Steel Cables• worn or frayed could produce gashes and puncture wounds on hands

– wear a sturdy pair of work gloves to prevent these wounds

– Housing Floors• can be slippery and obstructed by equipment and railings

– use a good pair of work boots to prevent falls and foot injuries

Electrical HazardsElectrical Hazards

– Due to faulty electrical wiring• Risk of shock

• Potential for fire

• Destruction of good equipment– motors and pumps

– Use wiring practices that protects electrical cable and system components

• from abuse by livestock and rodents

• avoid exposure to tractors and feeding equipment

– Appropriate design and reliable installation of electrical systems are crucial to

• use electricity efficiently

• provide a safe environment for workers and animals

• minimize the potential for fire loss

NoiseNoise• Sound levels are measured in decibels (dB)

– Soft whisper is about 30 dB while a 120 dB will cause pain

– OSHA limits noise exposure to ~ 90 dB over an 8 hour shift

– Tractors and other farm machinery cause the most noise • in livestock housing - animals and machinery produce significant

noise– swine buildings - at feeding time 115 dB can be reached

FireFire

• Factors that facilitate fire in livestock buildings• Poor management and maintenance, improper storage of combustibles,

unsafe electrical wiring and lightning

• Reduce fire incidents• Construct building with fire retardant materials

• Combustibles - discard from building those not frequently used– store frequently used in a fire retardant compartment

• Use wiring material and equipment meeting the requirements of the National Electric Code

• Electrical equipment should be installed according to manufacturer’s specifications

• All electrical equipment (fuses, junctions, and outlet boxes) should be kept free of grease and dust

• Place 10 lb ABC type fire extinguishers in all major buildings near exits

Children in BuildingsChildren in Buildings

Animal production facilities are attractive playgrounds to children

– Because of their complexity and potential for danger

• no one should treat animal production facilities as play areas

• lack of experience– makes children vulnerable to injuries in agricultural environments

• young children visiting these facilities – should be supervised by trained production personnel

• older children should be allowed to work in these environments– providing adequate training and with parental supervision

Safety SignsSafety SignsClassified according to the use hazards and risk involvedClassified according to the use hazards and risk involved

The categories of hazard are: Toxicity / Poison Explosive Potential Flammability Corrosive

The categories of risks are:

Danger Warning Caution

Personal Protective EquipmentPersonal Protective Equipment

• Head Protection

• Eye Safety

• Respiratory Protection

• Hearing Protection

• Hand Protection

• Body Coverings

• Foot Protection

• First Aid

• Head Protection: Hard hats– from impacts or flying or falling objects

• machinery maintenance

• construction (electrical work, demolition)

• horse back riding

• enclosed spaces with low ceilings

• chemical splashes

• Eye Safety: Safety glasses, goggles, face shields– when handling or applying pesticides

– when working in dust, chaff or other flying particles

– when working around trees• particularly under low-hanging branches

• Hearing Protection: Earmuffs and Ear plugs– from noise produced from farm machinery and hogs

• tractors, combines, augers, blowers, chainsaws

• hogs screaming at feeding time

• Sound - measured in decibels (dB): 85 dB is the loudest sound workers should be exposed to for 8 hours or more.

– Examples: Normal conversation 60 dB

John Deer Tractor 8560 tractor 76 dB

Massey Ferguson 750 combine 90 dB

Swine confinement at feeding 133 dB

– Reduce indoor noise levels• install low noise fans, rubber fan mounts

• use automated feeding systems

– reduce animal produced noise by feeding all the animals at once

– Wear protective equipment• disposable foam or reusable rubber earplugs

• hearing protector earmuffs

• Respiratory Protection: Masks and Respirators– From dust and chaff

– Toxic gases and chemicals

– Welding fumes and low oxygen atmospheres

– Silos and animal confinements• large livestock waste and manure dust

Effective respiratory hazard control in animal housings– Use NIOSH approved respiratory protection appropriate for the

situation

– Implement a respiratory control program that includes• evaluation of worker’s ability to work with the respirator

• regular training of personnel

• routinely monitoring air quality

• selection of appropriate NIOSH approved respirators

• respirator fit testing

• medical evaluations

• maintenance, cleaning and storage of respirators

Respirators used in animal housing facilitiesRespirators used in animal housing facilities

– Disposable dust / mist masks

– Reusable dust / mist masks

– Chemical cartridge respirators• which can include particulate matter prefilters

– Powered air-purifying respirators• provide eye protection as well

– Self-contain respirators• for dangerous gases - hydrogen sulfide or carbon monoxide

• Hand Protection: Gloves - fabric, leather, rubber, cut resistant

– fabric: protects from minor cuts and scrapes• inexpensive

• could be laundered to extend its life

– leather: best choice for protection, cuts, scrapes, friction• inexpensive, breathable, tough and flexible

• treat with leather care product to extend its life

– rubber: protects from the use of chemicals• choose the appropriate rubber glove for the task

• while still on, wash with warm water and soap, hang to dry

– cut resistant: protects from handling glass and sharp objects

• Body Covering: Aprons (leather and rubber), chemical resistant coveralls and chainsaw safety chaps

– leather aprons: used when welding• protects from burns from splattering molten metals and slag

– rubber aprons: needed when handling liquids or concentrated chemicals

• protects the groin area from chemical splashes– this area absorbs chemical 10x faster than through the forearm

– chemical resistant coveralls: excellent protection from pesticide dusts and mists

– chainsaw safety chaps: minimize the risk of cutting the legs

• when handling square bales– reduce scratches and scrapes on the legs

• Foot Protection: Steel toe safety shoes and boots (rubber or leather) with puncture resistant soles– from sharp objects– dropped heavy objects– heavy livestock stepping on your feet – chemical hazards (steel toe safety rubber boots)

• First Aid (FA) : all vehicles and buildings should have a first aid kit– get appropriate first aid training– in your FA kit include emergency numbers– check FA kit content every three months– label all FA kits– include flares and flash light in your FA kit

• emergency signals -extra help

What to pack in your first aid kit?What to pack in your first aid kit?

For more information visit the NASD (National Ag Safety Database)

(National Ag Safety Database)

http://www.cdc.gov/nasd/menu/topic/firstaid.html

For emergencies call: 911

Poison Control Center: Winnipeg (204) 787-2591

Regina (306) 766-4545

Toll free 1-800-667-4545

Manitoba Environment: Spills 944-4888

CSA approved safety equipment CSA approved safety equipment could be purchase at:could be purchase at:

1. Implement dealerships

2. Farm supply stores

3. Safety supply companies

4. Pharmacies

5. Agriculture chemical dealers

6. Hardware stores

Check the yellow pages under

SAFETY EQUIP & CLOTHING