Agricultural Hazards
Marissa Morton
SAAIP Top Jobs Intern
Mechanical Hazards
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Pinch Point—Hazard that is formed when two
machine parts move together and at least one of
the parts moves in a circle
Wrap Point—Any type of rotating machine
component
Shear Point—when the edges of two machine
parts move across or close enough to each other
to cut a relatively soft material
Mechanical Hazards
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Crush Points—formed when two objects are
moving toward each other, or when one object
is moving toward a stationary object, and the
gap between the two is decreasing
Pull-In Points—parts that come close with each
other, such as feed rolls, often form pull-in
points.
Burn Points—Hot mufflers, engine blocks,
pipes, and fluids (fuel, oils, chemicals)
Mechanical Hazards
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Freewheeling Parts—parts of a machine
continue moving after the power to the machine
is turned off.
Stored Energy—energy that is confined is
released unexpectedly.
Thrown Object—occurs as normal machine
operations discharge materials into the
surrounding environment.
Noise Hazards
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Noise is measured in decibels.
Examples:
15 Decibels = A Whisper
 50 Decibels = Gentle Breeze
 60 Decibels = Normal Talk Level
 90 Decibels = Chopping Silage
 100 Decibels = Tractor at work
 140 Decibels = Shotgun Blast or Jet Engine
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http://store.drumbum.com/media/ear-plugs-protection-sign.jpg
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Sound loss starts occurring at about 85 Decibels
Respiratory Hazards
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Dusts—solid particles (0.1-25 microns in size)
created by handling, crushing, grinding, and
moving materials such as rock, metal, wood, and
crops.
Mists—Liquid droplets suspended in the air
represent mists as a respiration hazard (example:
paint sprays and cutting oil).
Fumes—Material that becomes airborne during
welding (metal welding rod and flux) are
examples of fumes.
Gases and Vapors
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Common gases and vapors include those from:
Manure Gases
 Farm Shop Gases
 Silo Gases
 Welding Vapors
 Engine Vapors
 Solvents and Paint Thinners
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Lung Disease and Asthma
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Farmer’s Lung—Allergic reaction caused by
inhaling moldy hay, straw, and grain.
Organic Dust Toxicity Syndrome (ODTS)—
caused by a reaction to inhaling molds from
spoiling grain and forage.
Asthma—Disease of the respiratory system.
The small air tubes in the lungs tend to swell and
air tubes tighten when an asthma attack occurs.
Working With Livestock
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Youth under age 16 are prohibited from
working in a yard, pen, or stall with:
Cows with newborn calves
 Bulls, boars, or stud horses kept for breeding
purposes
 Sows with nursing pigs
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Be aware of “Flight Zones”
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Flight zones are animals personal space. An excited
animal has a larger flight zone.
Working with Livestock
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Precautions to Take:
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Plan an escape route
Wear steel-toed shoes
Avoid animals hind legs
Use squeeze clutches to hold animals
Approach livestock so that animals can see you coming
Move cattle in well lit places
Avoid loud noises and quick movements
Be patient
Keep animal handling facilities clear of sharp objects
Ask for help when moving animals if the animal is excited or
nervous
If the animal is nervous, wait 30 minutes before moving the
animal
Point of Balance
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An animal’s point of balance is the shoulder
If you stand behind the shoulder, the animal will
move forward.
When you stand in front of the shoulder, the
animal will stop moving forward
http://www.grandin.com/gifs/vicky-flyzone2.jpg
Agricultural Pesticides
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There are four ways that chemical exposure can
occur:
Oral (mouth)
 Dermal (skin)
 Inhalation (lungs)
 Ocular (eyes)
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Electrical Hazards
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Two types of hazards:
Electric Shock Hazard
 Heat and Fire Hazard
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Electrical Devices Used
Distribution Panel
 Underwriters Laboratories
 Switches and Receptacles
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Electrical Hazards
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Circuit Breakers and Fuses
Grounding
Lock-Outs
Hostile Farm Conditions
Extension Cords
Underground Utilities
http://www.ndswebservices.com/images/SmallCord.jpg
Key Terms in Fire Safety
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Auto-Ignition
Combustible
Flammable/Nonflammable
Flash Point
Kindling Point/Ignition Point
Spontaneous Combustion
Vapors
Volatility
The Fire Triangle
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There are three things necessary to start a fire:
Fuel
 Heat
 Air
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http://ehs.sc.edu/training/Fire/triangle.gif
Fire Prevention and Control
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Work-Site Analysis
Maintenance and Housekeeping
Fire Prevention and Control Training
Using a Fire Extinguisher
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4 Step process called PASS
Pull the Pin
 Aim at the base of the fire
 Squeeze the trigger
 Sweep from side to side
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http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/productImages/8/1/00000117781-FirstAlertFE3A40FireExtinguisher-large.jpeg
Preventing Hay Fires
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Harvest Practices—mow in early morning
Conditioning Practices—less than 50% humidity
Bailing Practices—18-20% moisture
Storage Practices—store hay under cover
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/ba/Round_hay_bale_at_dawn02.jpg
What is a Confined Space?
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OSHA defines confined spaces as:
Space large enough and so configured that a person
can enter and perform assigned work.
 Space limited in openings for entry and exit
purposes
 Space lacking natural ventilation
 Space that could contain or produce dangerous
contaminants
 Space not intended for continuous human
occupancy
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Silo Safety Guidelines
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Stay out of newly filled silos for at least 2
weeks—use breathing apparatus if you must
enter
Close feed room door to barn
If silo must be entered
Run Ventilation fan
 Get help from an adult
 Wear dust mask
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Plugged Equipment—Safety Tips
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Disengage power to the machine
Turn off tractor engine
Wait for free-wheeling blower fan blades to
come to a complete stop
DO NOT use your hands and feet to unplug a
machine!
Grain Bin Safety
http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/ageng/safety/ae1102-4.gif
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/figures/00001027.gif
http://www.cdc.gov/nasd/docs/d001601-d001700/d001611/1611fig01.jpg
Manure Storage
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Hazardous Manure Gases:
Hydrogen Sulfide
 Ammonia
 Carbon Dioxide
 Methane
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Manure Storage Precautions
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Keep people and animals out of confinement buildings
during manure storage agitation and pumping
Ventilate the area for several hours
Allow one to two feet of air space above manure
surface for gases
Prohibit smoking and other ignition sources
Keep manure agitators below liquid manure’s surface
Remove temporary access ladders
Lock access to permanent ladders
Do not drive on crusted manure surfaces
Warn visitors and guests of hazards
Post signs at manure storage areas
Anhydrous Ammonia
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System Components Include:
Nurse/Delivery Tank
 Control Valves (for withdrawal, fill, pressure relief,
and return lines)
 Pressure Gauges
 Transfer Hoses
 Applicator Tank (for field application)
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Chemical Safety Points
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Read product labels to understand the safety
requirements of the product
Do not mix chemical solutions without adult
supervision
Use proper personal protective equipment to
protect eyes, skin, and lungs.
Animal Hazards
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Zoonoses—term that denotes diseases that can
be transmitted between vertebrate animals and
humans. There are several ways in which it can
be transmitted:
Direct Animal Contact: animal manure, urine,
bedding, and products such as raw meat,
unprocessed milk, hides, hair, etc.
 Indirect Animal Contact: soil, plants, and water
(surface and well water) may be contaminated by
animal waste
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Stinging/Biting Insects
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Wasps, hornets, bees, spiders, tarantulas, and
other stinging and biting insects are found
throughout America
Two types of insect bite reactions:
Allergic Reaction
 Anaphylactic Shock (caused by insect venom and is a
serious medical emergency)
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Poisonous Snakes
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Poisonous snakes typically have angular heads and a pit
in front of the eyes.
Take the following precautions if such a snake is
encountered:
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Slowly back away
Make no sudden moves
Report incident to those that may need to work in the same
area
If a bite occurs, use the following guidelines:
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Allow bite to bleed freely for 15-30 seconds
Clean and disinfect the area
Stay Calm
Get assistance to travel to emergency medical care
Rabies and Lyme Disease
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Rabies is a viral disease of mammals, typically
transmitted through the bite of an infected
animal.
Avoid animals that show strange behavior.
Lyme disease affects people who have been
bitten by a deer tick, but failed to notice that the
insect attached itself to them.
If you think you are affected by Lyme disease,
contact a doctor right away.