Transcript 35.069 Swine Production & Management
Swine Production & Management
Working Safely With Hogs
Working Safely With Hogs
Handling Swine
Understand behavioral characteristics of pigs for easy handling • • •
Pigs angle vision is >300 degrees
– able to see behind them without turning their heads
Pigs are sensitive to sharp contrasts in light and dark Pigs will balk or be reluctant to move if
– encounter shades – puddles – bright spots – change in flooring type or texture – metal grates – flapping objects
Moving Hogs
Loading from inside a building
• Line hogs single file or in pairs before going outside • Lights inside a building or truck will attracts them – tendency to move from a darker to a bright area
Pigs stops at solid barriers placed in front of them
• Use a small portable panel to efficiently move and sort them – wood, plastic or light aluminum – block the hog’s view – prevents hogs from going in to the wrong direction • Sorting panels should be the same wide of the alley or shute (minus an inch) and 36-42 inches high
Moving Hogs
•
Alleys should have solid sides and gradual corners
– open sides distract hogs – blind corners confuse them •
Loading shutes are usually wide enough for one hog
– work better if they are wider for two hogs to walk side by side •
Squeeze pen located between the alley and the shute or truck makes loading easier
– should hold 10 to 20 hogs – circular design is preferred
Herdsmanship
–
Know where to tap a hog to direct it’s motion
Moving the hog forward
• tap him with your hand on top of it’s back – just in front of its tail • use a firm tap, but don’t hit the pig - a “love tap” –
To turn the hog direction
• tap should be placed just behind the hog’s ear – to turn left » tap behind the hog’s right ear – to turn right » tap behind the hog’s left ear –
Hollering is very useful
• not screaming, not cursing…hollering – “hey” or “whew” • hogs don’t like it when humans holler
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
Ammonia ( NH
3
)
•
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
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 increase to 1500 ppm when swine pit manure is agitated – Levels above 500 ppm cause unconsciousness and death
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
Other Gases
Methane ( CH 4 )
–
A natural product of manure decomposition
• nontoxic –
High concentrations produces
• dizziness and even asphyxiation –
Flammability of methane: Main Safety Concern
• CH 4 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
Carbon Dioxide ( CO 2 )
–
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 CO 2
• 10,000 and 30,000 ppm respectively per 8 hour and 15 minutes work period –
Control
• proper ventilation • CO 2 control is important in cold climates
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/m 3 or 35 ppm for an 8 hour work period –
Control
• combustion heaters and engines should always be vented to the outside
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 switch 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
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
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
Fire
•
Factors that facilitate fire in livestock buildings
• 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 – stored frequently used in a fire retardant compartment • Use wiring material and equipment meeting the requirements of the National Electric Code • 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
Children in Buildings
Animal production facilities are attractive playground 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
Safety Signs
Classified 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
Personal Protective Equipment
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Head Protection
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Eye Safety
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Respiratory Protection
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Hearing Protection
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Hand Protection
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Body Coverings
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Foot Protection
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First Aid
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Head Protection
: Hard hats •
Eye Safety:
Safety glasses, goggles, face shields
– when handling or applying pesticides •
Hearing Protection:
Earmuffs and Ear plugs – from noise produced from farm machinery and hogs
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 Swine confinement at feeding133 dB 90 dB
–
Wear protective equipment
• disposable foam or reusable rubber earplugs • hearing protector earmuffs
•
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
•
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:
from pesticide dusts and mists excellent protection
•
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