User:Clark3ei/Pig farming

Occupational Hazards
Common occupational hazards faced by pig farmers include but are not limited to exposure to toxic gases and particulate matter. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration or OSHA sets health and safety standards for hazardous substances in the workplace called permissible exposure limits or PELs. Specific PELs exist for toxic gases and particulate matter and these standards are legally enforced by OSHA to ensure that the safety and health of workers are protected.

Toxic Gas Exposure Toxic gases including hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, methane and carbon dioxide are produced as a result of the decomposition of pig feces and these gases become highly concentrated in enclosed spaces of pig barns which can be hazardous to health when inhaled. Carbon monoxide is another commonly associated toxic gas that can accumulate in pig barns as a result of the trapping of combustion byproducts such as malfunctioning furnaces or gas heat sources in the absence of adequate ventilation.

Hydrogen sulfide gas has a foul, "rotten eggs" smell at low concentrations but paralyzes the olfactory nerve at higher concentrations so that no smell is sensed. Exposure to high levels, well beyond the OSHA PEL, of hydrogen sulfide can cause fatal respiratory paralysis. The common source of hydrogen sulfide are covered manure pits below the pig barns that act as feces reservoirs. These manure pits require regular emptying and during this process, high levels of hydrogen sulfide is released and seeps into pig barns. Pig barns must be void of any human or animal inhabitants during this emptying process and require a several hour "waiting period" until occupants can safely reenter the barn.

Ammonia gas has a strong odor that can be smelled at low levels, below the OSA PEL, but does not have any negative health effects. At higher levels, ammonia is irritating to the body's mucous membranes such as the eyes, nose, mouth, throat and lungs. Particulate matter in pig barns often absorbs ammonia as it floats through the air. These particles are then inhaled and increase the irritation effect of ammonia.

Methane and carbon dioxide are combustible gases meaning that they can burn, catch fire or explode easily. They are also known as chemical asphyxiants and at high level can cause suffocation by displacing oxygen from the air.

Particulate matter is produced when small fragments of pig hair or skin, dried feces, or feed can detach and become suspended in the air in pig barns. The increased concentration of particulate matter in the air, especially in confined spaces, can lead to respiratory tract irritation and other health effects when inhaled. Bacteria and viruses, such as influenza, can travel through the air on particulate matter and increase the risk of transmission of disease.

OSHA requires that toxic gas and particulate matter be measured at least twice yearly preferably in the autumn months and again in the winter when natural ventilation is the most reduced. Workers are also advised to wear N-95 respirators and eye protection when inside of pig barns to prevent the inhalation of toxic gases and irritation of eyes.