The Growing Threat of the Agriculture Workplace

Pacific Avian Influenza Training Workshop Carter Davis Pacific EMPRINTS Program

Threats & Problems

• Farm Chemicals • Industrial Chemicals • Biological • Terrorism • Storage • Transportation • Proper Use

Chemicals

Hazard Class 1: Explosives

• Background color: – Orange • Symbol: – Exploding ball

Hazard Class 2: Gases

• Background color: – Varies • Symbol: – Varies • Non-flammable gases, flammable gases, poisonous gases

INHALATION HAZARD

Hazard Class 3: Flammable Liquids • Background color: – Red • Symbol: – Flame • Flammable & combustible liquids

Hazard Class 4: Flammable Solids • Background color: – Red & white candy striped – Blue if reacts with water • Flammable solids, spontaneously combustibles, dangerous when wet

Hazard Class 5: Oxidizers & Organic Peroxides • Background color: – Yellow • Symbol: – Flaming ball

Hazard Class 6: Poisons & Etiologic Materials

INHALATION HAZARD

• Background color: – White, with black lettering for poisons

Hazard Class 7: Radioactive Materials • Background color: – White on the bottom, yellow on the top • Symbol: – Trefoil

Hazard Class 8: Corrosives

• Background color: – Black on the bottom, white on the top • Symbol: – Piece of metal and a hand damaged by liquid • Acids and bases

Hazard Class 9: Miscellaneous

• Hazardous materials not specified in other classes

Facility Markings

• NFPA 704 Marking System

• Hazardous Materials Identification System (HMIS) • Generally used on smaller transfer containers

Farm Chemicals

• Pesticides – Insecticides – Rodenticides – Fungicides – Herbicides • Fertilizers • Animal Medications • Cleaning Agents and Solvents

Pesticide Safety

• Reduce risk to exposure and injury – Follow labels and MSDS – Wear appropriate PPE – Use the least hazardous chemicals at the recommended rate and concentration – Prepare only enough for immediate use – Verify application equipment is working properly and does not leak – Don’t eat, drink or smoke while pouring, mixing or applying – Work in pairs – Clean all equipment thoroughly and without contaminating the environment – Wash work clothes separately – Wash hands thoroughly after handling

Pesticide Safety

• Take Additional Precautions – Have a first aid kit nearby and include resuscitation mask, eye wash solution, soap – Have fresh water available – Have all workers take first aid training – Check labels and MSDS for proper handling, application, – Check with nearby health care facilities for proper stock of antidotes and emergency supplies – Stop work and seek medical attention if there is any sign of muscular spasms, blurred vision, excessive saliva, or difficulty breathing

Pesticide Storage

• Store chemicals in a well-ventilated area • Store in shed with good lighting and has impervious floor and shelving • Use secondary containment • Store chemicals in original containers • Place an external sign indicating chemical storage • Keep incompatible materials separate • Keep a spill kit nearby • Keep away from food, animal feed, fertilizers and seeds • Have access to an emergency shower nearby

Pesticide Transport

• Avoid transporting with food, water, animal feed, fertilizers, seeds and reactive substances • Secure in or on vehicle to prevent movement and change in orientation.

• Keep shipping documents or records of the items you are carrying • Carry a spill kit and appropriate personal protective equipment with the vehicle

Pesticide Disposal

• Take notice of warnings on the labels regarding toxicity to non-target areas • Check label/MSDS for advice on disposal • Triple rinse empty containers • Uncap, puncture and crush all rinsed containers • When possible return containers to supplier or manufacture • Check with local government authority for information on safe disposal

FIFRA Label Requirements

• Front Panel – Restricted Use Pesticide Statement (if applicable) – Product Name, Brand, Trademark – Ingredient Statement – Keep out of Reach of Children (KOOROC Statement) – Signal Word (Caution, Warning, Danger) – First Aid (Statement of Practical Treatment) – Skull & Crossbones “POISON” for high toxicity – Net Contents/Net Weight

FIFRA Label Requirements

• Front or Back Panel – EPA Registration Number & Establishment Number – Company Name and Address • Back Panel – Precautionary Statements (Hazards to Humans and Animals, Environmental Hazards, Physical and Chemical Hazards) – Directions for Use – Storage and Disposal – Warranty Statement – Worker Protection Labeling

C.B.R.N.E Terrorism

C hemical B iological R adiological N uclear E xplosive

Toxicology

• What's Toxic? How is it determined?

• Physical Hazards - Mechanical – Fire, Heat, Explosions, Falling Objects • Health Hazards - Biological – Bodily Contact – Immediate and/or Delayed Reactions

Dose

• Concentration – percent, – PPMs, PPBs, Mg/Kg

Concentration

• 1,000,000 ppm = % – 100% • 100,000 ppm = % – 10% • 10,000 ppm = % – 1% • 1,000 ppm = 0.1% • 100 ppm = 0.01% • 10 ppm = 0.001% • 1 ppm = 0.0001% • 1 ppb = 0.0000001% • 1 ppt= 0.0000000001%

Concentration Which one is more toxic?

Product A Product B Toxic effect when exposed to 9,000 ppm Toxic effect when exposed to 90 ppm

Industrial Toxic Thresholds

• By Inhalation – TLV/TWA - Threshold Limit Value-Time Weighted, day to day exposure without adverse health effects (ACGIH) – STEL - Short Term Exposure Limit - may exceed TLV/TWA for up to 15 minutes but not to occur more than 4 times per day – TLV-C - should never exceed (ACGIH) – REL- Recommended Exposure Limit (NIOSH)

Industrial Toxic Thresholds (continue)

• By Inhalation – PEL - Permissible Exposure Limit (OSHA) – IDLH - Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health (NIOSH) – LC50 - Lethal Concentration by inhalation (animal) anything less than 200 mg/kg is considered a poison

Industrial Toxic Thresholds (continue)

• By Ingestion – LD50 - Lethal Dose by ingestion or skin absorption (animal) less than 200 mg/kg is considered a poison.

– Carcinogens - cancer causing (N/A or no exposure)

Industrial Substances

PEL TWA (8 hrs & STEL) • Acetone – 750 ppm, 1,000 ppm • Unleaded Gasoline – 300 ppm, 500 ppm • Carbon Monoxide – 35 ppm, 400 ppm • Ammonia – 25 ppm, 35 ppm • Hydrogen Sulfide – 9.9 ppm, 15 ppm • Hydrogen Cyanide – 10 ppm • Chlorine – 1 ppm • Hydrazine – 0.1 ppm

Chemical Substances

PEL TWA (8 hrs & STEL) • Phosgene – 0.099 ppm • 2-chloroethyl sulfide – 0.0005 ppm • Lewisite – 0.0004 ppm • Tabun – 0.000017 ppm • Somin – 0.000004 ppm • VX (O-ethyl S-(2-diisopropylamino)ethyl methylphosphonothiolate – 0.0000009 ppm

Relative Toxicity by Inhalation

• >500 ppm - Toxic • 101-500 ppm - Moderately Toxic • 1-100 ppm - Highly Toxic • <1 ppm - Super Toxic – Based upon the lowest value listed for the substance, usually TLV/TWA, STEL or PEL

Relative Toxicity by Ingestion

• >5 gm/kg - Toxic • .5 gm-5gm/kg - Moderately Toxic • 50 mg-500 mg/kg - Highly Toxic • 1 mg-50mg/kg - Super Toxic – Based upon animal LD50 – gm of product per kg of body weight of target organism

Dose

• Concentration – percent, PPMs, PPBs, Mg/Kg • Duration of Exposure – Acute Vs Chronic, Sensitization • Routes – Inhalation, Ingestion, Absorption, Injection

Dose (continued)

• Susceptible Target Organs – Nervous System, Skeleton & Marrow, Thyroid, Lungs, Heart, Blood, Veins, Liver, Kidneys, Intestines, Skin • Health Variables – body weight, age, physical condition, gender • Dose/Response

Physical Properties

• Vapor Pressure - Rate of Evaporation • Vapor Density - wt of vapor Vs wt of air • Specific Gravity - wt of liquid Vs wt of water • Solubility - mixes with water • Flash Point - min temp to produce enough vapors to cause ignition but not sustain combustion.

Physical Properties

• Fire Point - min temp to produce enough vapors to sustain combustion • Boiling Point - temp at which liquid changes to gas at it’s maximum rate • Flammable Range - the percent of vapor in air that is able to burn • Upper Explosive Limit (UEL) - max percentage of vapor in air that will burn

Physical Properties

• Lower Explosive Limit (LEL) - min percentage of vapor in air that will burn • Expansion Ration - ratio of gas volume compared to liquid volume • pH - scale used to measure how corrosive • Ionizing radiation – alpha, beta, gamma, neutron – time, distance, shielding, quantity

Reference Resources

• Emergency Response Guidebook • NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards • Internet • Farm Safety Handbook by Rick Kubick • MeisterPro Crop Protection Handbook • Jane’s Chem-Bio Handbook • InterNet Search Tools

The Growing Threat of the Agriculture Workplace

Pacific Avian Influenza Training Workshop Carter Davis Pacific EMPRINTS Program [email protected]