Iowa Farmer Today
10-21-06
Respiratory protection helps in dusty places
By LaMar Grafft, IFT columnist
I was talking to one of our secretaries recently. Her husband was combining
soybeans and complained about how dusty it is this year.
With little rain and near record-breaking heat, the stalks were dry and exploded
into microscopic dust particles that are readily inhaled.
For most farmers, this clogs the nose and may cause them to cough some during
the night as the cilia — the tiny hairs in the lungs — work to clear the airways of
this passage-clogging debris. For others, it can become a life-threatening
problem as they fight with one of several respiratory ailments peculiar to farmers.
=Organic Dust Toxic Syndrome (ODTS)
Also known as silo-fillers disease, Organic Dust Toxic Syndrome (ODTS), is a
non-allergic, inflammatory reaction of the airways to high levels of organic dust.
Exposures are usually from breathing highly concentrated dust, like that found
when uncapping a tower silo. It also can occur from breathing dust in grain bins,
hay lofts and confinement buildings.
It is a delayed response that can take four to eight hours before causing severe
respiratory distress. Sometime during the night, you become extremely short of
breath, and feel like you are choking or starved for air.
Symptoms typically last two to five days and usually do not cause permanent
lung damage.
Subsequent exposures to dust can cause a more severe response, and it can be
triggered by lower exposure. Similar to asthma, treatment of ODTS addresses
only the symptoms and doesn’t cure the underlying disease, so you’re better off
controlling your exposure.
=Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis (HP)
Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis is also known as farmers’ lung disease. It can occur
from similar exposures as ODTS, and the symptoms for most farmers are quite
similar.
Cough, fever, chills, headache and fatigue, along with respiratory distress, are
common. The big difference is HP can cause chronic respiratory problems, as
well as more severe reaction to subsequent exposures.
While prevalence of the more acute farmers’ lung has been estimated at 5
percent or less of farmers, other respiratory problems have been estimated much
higher.
In a recent study in Iowa, 30 percent of farmers working in swine confinement
complained of some respiratory problems following exposures.
=Best solutions
The best solution to exposures is always to limit the exposure through
engineering controls that reduce the dust. Combines and tractors with cabs and
air filters can reduce exposure in the field.
Be sure to keep the doors and windows closed. Clean the filters daily, replacing
them as needed.
Farmers are good about cleaning the tractor air cleaner because they know if
they don’t, dust will clog the life from the engine. Similarly, not cleaning the cab
air filter can clog the life from you.
Research has shown spraying a fine oil mist in swine confinement buildings
reduces the dust in that environment.
Harvesting at the proper time, using a grain cleaner and keeping the grain in
good condition during storage will reduce exposures during grain hauling.
=Personal protective equipment
Sometimes, however, it is just not possible to reduce the dust exposure in that
manner. That is why, whenever you work in a dusty environment whether it
causes breathing problems or not, it is important to wear a respirator.
A two-strap mask is much more effective than a one-strap at very little difference
in cost. Replace it when it becomes covered with dust, damp or misshapen.
Depending on the nature of the exposure and your physical condition, it may be
necessary to use a half-face mask with replaceable cartridges.
It’s more of an investment, but you also can use this type of respirator, with
different cartridges, for painting or welding.
This type of mask should be fit-tested to make sure it fits your face properly.
LaMar Grafft grew up and farmed in Jones County. He is a safety specialist with
Iowa’s Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (I-CASH).
, a joint venture of the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, Iowa
Department of Public Health, and the Iowa Department of Agriculture.