Mac Legault and Paul Ayers
Colorado State University Cooperative Extension
- Air-borne
hazards can come from many areas of a farm or ranch
including manure pits, animal confinement and crop
storage.
- Agricultural
air-borne hazards consist of hazardous gases, dust,
disinfectants, pesticides and welding fumes.
- Read
the label or Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS);
it lists the proper personal protective equipment
(PPE) required for that specific chemical.
- For
more information on respirators and pesticide protective
equipment, refer to Service in Action 5.020, Agricultural
respiratory protective equipment, and 5.021, Agricultural
pesticide protective equipment.
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Many
air-borne hazards occur on farms and ranches. Without knowledge
of the hazards present, people are in jeopardy of injury or
death.
To reduce
the dangers of air-borne hazards, learn the hazard characteristics,
symptoms of exposure, conditions that cause dangerous concentrations
of hazardous chemicals, and what to do to prevent poisoning.
Air-borne hazards can be absorbed into the body by ingestion,
inhalation, and absorption. All of the pathways are preventable
with the proper use of PPE.
For
each specific hazard there may be more than one causative
agent of the hazard (i.e., animal waste handling facilities
can have ammonia and methane). Hazards are distributed into
hazardous gases, dusts and molds, disinfectants, pesticides
and welding fumes. The following information is given below
for each causative agent:
- characteristics
of the agent,
- how
it is absorbed into the body,
- threshold
limit value (TLV)(1) given parts per
million (ppm),
- symptoms
of exposure, and
- precautionary
measures that can be taken to pre-vent exposure to causative
agents of the hazard.
Ammonia
(NH3). Occurs in high concentrations in animal
confinement buildings, due to improper ventilation; sharp, pungent
odor; absorbs through inhalation; TLV is 25 (ppm); causes eye
and respiratory tract irritation, and suffocation in high concentrations;
provide adequate ventilation (open doors and windows), turn
fans on(2) 10 to 15 minutes before entering
pit and wear self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)(3)
where high concentrations exist.
Carbon
Dioxide (CO2)--can occur at dangerous concentrations
in animal confinement buildings and grain bins; odorless;
absorbs through inhalation; TLV is 5000 (ppm); causes facial
flushing, drowsiness and unconsciousness; provide adequate
ventilation (open doors and windows), turn fan on 10 to 15
minutes before entering pit or silo and wear SCBA.
Hydrogen
Sulphide (H2S)--can occur in animal confinement
buildings; rotten egg smell (after initial breaths, paralyzes
olfactory nerves so odor cannot be detected); absorbs through
inhalation; TLV is 10 (ppm); causes eye and nose irritation,
headache, dizziness, nausea, unconsciousness and death; provide
adequate ventilation (open doors and windows), turn fans on
10 to 15 minutes before entering pit and wear SCBA.
Methane
(CH4)--can occur in manure pits; odorless and
flammable; absorbs through inhalation; TLV (ppm) is related
to oxygen displacement where oxygen becomes less than 19.5
percent by volume; causes an asphyxiation and explosion hazard;
provide adequate ventilation, ban smoking and other ignition
sources, if oxygen becomes less than 19.5 percent by volume
then use SCBA.
Combustion
engine in enclosed spaces
Carbon
Monoxide (CO)--can occur from combustion engine exhaust
in closed spaces; odorless; absorbs through inhalation; TLV
is 25 (ppm); causes headache, facial flushing, unconsciousness
and death; provide adequate ventilation.
Moldy
hay or bedding and spoiled silage or grain
Fungi--mold
spores in grains and silage and attached to dust; tiny spores;
absorbs through inhalation; no TLV; organic dust toxic syndrome
(ODTS)(4), Farmer's lung disease, causes
troubled breathing and coughing; wear dust/mist respirator
when handling moldy hay, grain and silage.
Confinement
buildings and fields/grinding and conveying feed and silage
Grain,
feed, animal hair, skin and wastes; small dust particles
and mites; absorbs through inhalation; many and varied TLV;
has no direct symptoms or effects but may aggravate existing
lung conditions and cause lung problems after long exposure;
provide adequate ventilation and use approved dust/mist respirator.
Power
washing animal confinement buildings for extended periods
Chlorine
(Cl2), acid gases; droplets and mists; absorbs
through inhalation, skin and swallowing; .5 (Cl2)
TLV (ppm); causes irritation of eyes, nose, mouth, headache,
dizziness, nausea, coughing and wheezing; use respirator with
appropriate chemical cartridge and filter, goggles, gloves,
protective suit and rubber boots.
Organic
vapors; vapors and mists; absorbs through inhalation,
skin and swallowing; many and varied, read the label for TLV
(ppm); causes irritation of eyes, nose, mouth, headache, dizziness,
nausea, coughing and wheezing, and can effect liver, kidney
and central nervous system; wear appropriate protective clothing,
gloves, eye wear and use respirator with organic vapor cartridge
and pre-filter, goggles, gloves, protective suit and rubber
boots.
Greatest
danger: diluting or mixing pesticide concentrates. (A potential
danger associated with application of product by spraying,
rubbing or other contact.)
Herbicides,
insecticides, fungicides and rodenticides; various particulates,
salves and dips, dusts and sprays droplets used on plants and
livestock; absorbs through inhalation, skin and swallowing;
many and varied TLV (ppm); symptoms vary with specific agent
but may cause lung damage and systemic poisoning; use respirator
with appropriate pesticide cartridge (organic vapor cartridge
and pre-filter), chemical goggles and protective clothing; read
label for other personal protective requirements.
Fumigation of seeds/grains
Fumigants;
liquid mist or gas/vapor; absorbs through inhalation, and
some skin absorption; TLV (ppm) varies; symptoms vary with
specific fumigant; adhere to re-entry times after fumigant
release; these are printed on the label; provide adequate
mechanical or natural ventilation, wear protective clothing,
gloves, eye protection and respirator as specified on the
label, use air-supplied respirator if fumigant does not have
adequate warning properties (i.e., odor).
Welding
certain aluminum, galvanized or stainless steel; soldering
and metal pouring
Metal
fumes; particulates of small diameter penetrates to deep
part of the lung; absorbs through inhalation; TLV is measured
in (mg/m3)(5) and varies with
metal type used.; causes eye irritation, dizziness, nausea,
"metal fume fever"; provide adequate ventilation, wear approved
respirator and monitor exposure to determine hazard.
For
additional information, contact your Colorado State University
Cooperative Extension county agent or Cooperative Extension
safety specialist, (303) 491-6172.
Disclaimer
and Reproduction Information: Information in NASD does not represent
NIOSH policy. Information included in NASD appears by permission
of the author and/or copyright holder. More
NASD Review: 04/2002
Service
in Action
5.019
,
Cooperative Extension, Colorado State University. Published
August, 1993. Copyright 1993. For more information, contact
your county Cooperative Extension office.
Mac
Legault, Colorado State University agricultural safety coordinator
and research associate; Paul Ayers, Cooperative Extension
engineer and associate professor; agricultural and chemical
engineering.
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