Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health最新文献

Extended exposure of swine barn workers to noise and airborne contaminants has been reported to be associated with various health problems. In this study, the actual exposure of workers to respirable dust, gases (ammonia and hydrogen sulfide), and noise in swine production operations was monitored in order to determine the contribution of specific activities in the barn to potential adverse health impacts to swine workers. Selected workers in a swine barn facility were outfitted with a personal monitoring system that included a respirable dust sampler, ammonia (NH3) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas monitors, and a noise dosimeter as they performed their regular duties during their workday. From a total of 50 monitoring days spanning winter and summer months, results showed that the occupational exposure of swine workers to respirable dust, NH3, H2S, and noise while performing their daily assigned tasks was generally below the respective time-weighted average exposure limits for each hazard. However, a number of tasks showed high likelihood for elevated occupational exposure risk. Respirable dust concentrations exceeded the time-weighted average limit of 3 mg m-3 while feeding and weighing pigs. These activities also exceeded the short-term exposure limit (35 ppm) for NH3. Dangerous levels of H2S were generated when draining manure from manure collection pits in the production rooms. Noise levels exceeded the recommended 15 min exposure limit (100 dBA) when weighing and loading pigs for market. The occupational exposure risks for workers to barn contaminants can be reduced through measures that control the generation of contaminants at their source, by removing generated contaminants from the work environment, as well as by outfitting the workers with protective devices that prevent personal exposure to contaminants.

The purpose of this study was to assess an agricultural tractor and machinery safety curriculum for teacher training that focused on hands-on integration activities to assist with training youth in machinery safety skills. Teachers attended a single ten-hour summer training seminar hosted in Montana, South Dakota, or Utah during 2017. Teachers completed the National Tractor and Machinery Safe Operation (NSTMOP) exam to measure their existing knowledge prior to beginning the training. Upon seminar completion, teachers took an NSTMOP post-test to measure their knowledge gain of agricultural safety practices and hazard recognition associated with machinery and tractors. A total of 116 teachers completed the training. Fifty-three participants (45.7%) identified as female, and 63 (54.3%) identified as male. The average participant was 35 years old (SD = 11.3) and had 9.5 years of teaching experience (SD = 9.2). The average NSTMOP pre-test score was 35.2 out of 48 (SD = 3.3), and the average NSTMOP post-test score was 40.3 out of 48 (SD = 4.1). Participants' scores increased by ten percentage points. A paired-samples t-test was used to determine statistical significance. The difference between pre-test and post-test was significant (t(109) = 11.9, p < 0.001). Open responses indicated continuation of hands-on activities that focused on "how to teach" skills training that is relevant to the students. Teachers suggested developing new activities each year with a rotation of topics for upcoming seminars. Research is needed to determine the training's influence on the behaviors of young workers in agriculture.

The number of outbreaks of Salmonella infections linked to live poultry contact increased from 1990 to 2016. In 2016, the number of human illnesses linked to live poultry was the highest reported, with more than 900 cases, including 209 hospitalizations and three deaths. Live poultry harboring Salmonella typically appear healthy but can intermittently shed bacteria in their droppings, contaminating their feathers, beaks, and the areas where they live and roam. Thus, both direct contact with poultry and indirect contact with anything in areas where animals live and roam can result in human Salmonella infection. To prevent Salmonella infections linked to live poultry, a One Health approach for control and prevention is required. This approach unifies animal and human health needs and takes into account the environments at the hatcheries where poultry are produced, the agricultural retail stores where poultry are sold, and the customers who own and raise poultry. Agricultural retail stores are the main point of sale for backyard poultry in the U.S. Therefore, stores can play a vital role in preventing infections by sourcing poultry from hatcheries that take steps to reduce Salmonella in the environment, by displaying poultry in areas that can be easily cleaned, and by using barriers that allow customers to view, but not touch, poultry from a distance. Retail store employees also have a role in preventing illnesses and contamination after the sale by educating customers about appropriate housing for live poultry in outdoor coops, barns, or other designated areas.

Vehicle rollovers cause many agricultural work-related fatalities each year. Tractors, off-road utility vehicles (ORUVs), zero turn radius (ZTR) mowers, and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) can all become involved in fatal rollovers. The rollover tendency of these vehicles was evaluated using static lateral and longitudinal stability angles. Center of gravity locations were measured with the lift axle method, and lateral and longitudinal stability angles were calculated for four ATVs, five ORUVs, four ZTR mowers, and four lawn tractors. Stability angles were calculated for loaded and unloaded vehicle conditions. Loading vehicles with ballast and operators can substantially decrease lateral and longitudinal stability angles. Stability angles for these vehicles and for five full-size agricultural tractors were compared. All loaded and unloaded, lateral and longitudinal stability angles determined met the appropriate ANSI requirements.

Hazards associated with grain storage facilities are a contributing factor to agricultural injuries and are a perpetual problem for Ohio farmers, especially as on-farm grain storage facilities continue to grow in popularity with producers. To establish effective injury prevention programs, safety professionals must first understand how the industry operates, the culture of the workers, and the current practices used to avoid injuries. This research project was designed to bridge the gap between what is currently known about the hazards that exist on Ohio's farms, specifically how safety and health information is incorporated at the grain handling and storage facilities. Using a four-part survey, 182 cash grain operators, comprising a convenience sample of farmers attending educational events, were surveyed to determine the type of grain storage and handling facilities used on their farms, the occurrence of out-of-condition grain, and the health and safety factors practiced at these facilities, including their knowledge about potential hazards. Results indicated that the farmers preferred to get safety knowledge from a course or seminar (53.6%) or by reading a magazine or periodical (38.8%). The surveyed farmers indicated that they had higher knowledge of the safety risks of out-of-condition grain than of the health effects from exposure to out-of-condition grain (p < 0.01). They identified personal protective equipment (PPE) as their primary measure to prevent injuries, with the top PPE items being respirators, safety glasses, hearing protection, and gloves. Farmers who encountered out-of-condition grain reported more employees on their farms compared to the other farmers in the sample and reported higher use of PPE. While these results cannot be generalized to Ohio's entire population of cash grain farmers, they provide a good understanding of the on-farm grain storage and management practices, which will allow a more targeted intervention plan, both in better engineering controls and in future outreach programs.

The use of mobile elevated work platforms (MEWPs) versus ladders was studied to evaluate the physical activity (PA) of workers and their performance during olive tree pruning. Accelerometers worn by the workers were used to measure triaxial accelerations, which were converted into PA using Freedson's equation. The mean values of acceleration on the three axes for workers on ladders led to statistically higher results than for workers on MEWPs. The energy expenditure (EE) and metabolic equivalent (MET) values were statistically different (about 1.8 times higher) for the ladder work site than for the MEWP work site. The use of an MEWP leads to more time spent on moderate activity (84.30%) than when using a ladder (71.90%) but no time on vigorous activity compared to a ladder (13.88%). The pruning performance was 3.8 for the MEWP and 1.4 for the ladder, while the labor productivity was 11.4 for the MEWP and 4.2 for the ladder. Thus, it is possible to reduce worker employment and costs by about 2.7 times with MEWPs.

Grain entrapments remain a major concern in the grain industry, with 1,100 incidents documented since the 1970s. One particular concern is the ability of a victim to breathe while entrapped in grain. Anecdotal reports suggest that victims struggle to breathe when entrapped in grain to a depth that covers their chests, yet some evidence indicates that victims should be able to breathe normally as long as their airways are not blocked regardless of depth. The hypothesis for this discrepancy is that previously published experiments measured an active stress state in the grain, while a person breathing also experiences a passive stress state during inhalation. The passive stress is significantly larger than the active stress. The objective of this study was to measure the passive stress when pushing against grain, such as during inhalation, and compare it to active stress state measurements. An MTS Criterion testing machine, which is a force deformation testing device, was used to push a block horizontally against a column of grain and record the force and displacement during the movement. The measured passive stress was calculated from the force and displacement values and ranged from 9.4 to 11.0 kPa at a depth of 20 to 30 cm. These values are three to four times larger than previously published measurements of stresses at similar depths. This result indicates that the discrepancy between experimental results and anecdotal reports is most likely due to the type of stress state experienced in grain entrapment. Findings imply that the pressures on the victim's chest during entrapment are sufficient to cause breathing difficulties or crush/positional asphyxiation in some cases. A full-scale study is recommended.

Occupational illnesses are inadequately reported for agriculture, an industry dominated by a vulnerable Hispanic population and high fatal and nonfatal injury rates. Work-related illnesses can contribute to missed work, caused by a combination of personal and work factors, with costs to the individual, employer, and society. To better understand agricultural occupational illnesses, 225 Hispanic horse workers were interviewed via community-based convenience sampling. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses, and log binomial regression modeling were used to: (1) describe the prevalence of missed work due to work-related illnesses among Hispanic horse workers, (2) examine work-related and personal factors associated with missed work, and (3) identify health symptoms and work-related characteristics potentially associated with missed work. Key findings reveal that having at least one child (PR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.03, 2.84), having poor self-reported general health (PR = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.48, 1.08), experiencing stress during a typical workday (PR = 2.58, 95% CI = 1.25, 5.32), or spending less time with horses (PR = 1.87, 95% CI = 1.15, 3.05) are significant predictors of missing work. Interventions can be designed to identify workers most susceptible to missing work and provide resources to reduce absenteeism. Future research should examine work-related illness in agricultural horse production, including personal and work-related factors, in order to diminish occupational health disparities among these workers, who are more likely to be employed in hazardous agricultural work.

No previous studies have been found that document the level of use or validate the effectiveness of safety harnesses and lifelines in the prevention of or extrication from grain entrapments or engulfments. This article addresses that void via analysis of the data contained in the Purdue Agricultural Confined Space Incident Database. A total of 1,147 cases involving entrapments or engulfments in grain masses were mined for terms that might indicate the use of a safety harness, lifeline, fall restraint system, rope, or outside observer. Case information ranged from brief news accounts to comprehensive investigation results. The review turned up 38 incidents (< 5%) in which these safety devices were identified as having been used by either workers or rescuers during access to a storage structure. In 26 of the 38 cases (68%) where safety devices were identified, the entrapment or engulfment resulted in a fatality. The two most common reasons cited for failure of these devices were (1) that the lifeline or rope was too long (17 incidents) and (2) that the worker had removed the harness with the attached lifeline while in the structure (6 incidents). It was also determined that these devices, if used improperly, can lead to secondary injuries of the victim. The preliminary evidence suggests that use of these devices alone does not ensure the user's safety and may even provide a false sense of security if used without proper training. It was further found that an approved body harness and safety line provided little or no protection from either entrapment or falls if used in the presence of vertically crusted grain surfaces, without proper anchors, or not in conjunction with outside observers. The presented results are important for safety professionals to consider as they endeavor to reduce the risk of grain entrapment and engulfment incidents through training, education, selection of personal protective equipment, etc., and should contribute to the development of new structural standards for grain bins. It is the intent of this article to elucidate the importance of training and proper use of these safety devices.

Since 1978, the Purdue University Agricultural Safety and Health Program has managed a surveillance effort and database to collect information on documented injuries and fatalities in all forms of U.S. agricultural confined spaces. The database currently contains 1,968 cases documented in the U.S. between 1964 and 2016. Of these cases, 174 (8.8%) involved entrapment or suffocation in grain transport vehicles (GTVs), including gravity-flow wagons, semi-truck trailers, and other agricultural transport vehicles that have limited access and are not considered normal work spaces or are classified as confined spaces. These GTV cases represent the overwhelming majority of documented cases involving all forms of agricultural transport vehicles, including forage and manure transport vehicles. Of the incidents documented, 64.3% resulted in fatalities and 71.8% involved children and youth age 20 years and under, when the age was determined. For the GTV cases, the typical victim was male (88.5%), and the average age of the victim was 19.9 (median 12), with over 63.5% of the cases involving children under the age of 15. In numerous incidents, more than one victim became entrapped, including one incident involving five victims. The number of documented cases decreased sharply from a peak of approximately 7 cases per year in the early 1990s to an average of 3.1 cases per year over the past two decades, with no cases documented in 1998 and 2013. However, there is a linear increase in the frequency of incidents since the first case was documented in 1964. This trend is partially due to peaks in 2011 and 2014, when 10 and 9 cases, respectively, were documented, along with more vigilant surveillance methods due to online search capabilities. The general decline, more recently, in the annual number of cases is attributed to increased awareness of the hazards to youth during transport in GTVs, increased use of warnings on GTVs, and the increased size of GTVs, which makes human access more difficult and less practical. Efforts over the past decade to bring attention to the risk of entrapment in GTVs should be recognized as a success of the educational and technological strategies initiated due to earlier high-profile incidents. However, with 6, 10, 9, and 4 cases documented in 2010, 2011, 2014, and 2016, respectively, continued efforts to address the problem are justified. Recommendations for future actions include development of a safety standard for GTVs that includes placement of safety messages on all new GTVs, use of windows above outlets, retrofitting older GTVs with appropriate warnings, and continuing to address the hazard with safety resources targeting all workers exposed to grain handling and transport.