Safety in the Swine and Poultry House

1. Safety in the Swine and Poultry 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

2. Hazards 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

3. Air Pollutants in Animal Housing • Dust 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

4. Dust 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

5. Ammonia ( NH3 ) • 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. Other Gases Methane ( CH4 ) • 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

9. Carbon Dioxide ( CO2 ) • 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

10. 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

11. Odors Air 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

12. Air 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.

13. Mechanical 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

14. Electrical 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

15. Noise • 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

16. Fire • 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

17. Children 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

18. Safety SignsClassified 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

19. Personal Protective Equipment • Head Protection • Eye Safety • Respiratory Protection • Hearing Protection • Hand Protection • Body Coverings • Foot Protection • First Aid

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. Respirators 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

24. 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

25. 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

26. 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

27. 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) 766-4545Toll free 1-800-667-4545 Manitoba Environment: Spills 944-4888

28. CSA approved safety equipment 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