The air you breathe when working on a farm can contain dusts, gases, fumes or vapours. Agricultural workers can be exposed through:
- dust generated during harvesting or in the stockyard
- transporting grain
- weed/pest control
- machinery maintenance and repair, and
- working in areas that contain mould.
Implementing the right control measures can eliminate or manage your exposure to these hazards and protect your lungs. You also need to protect your workers’ and anyone else on the farm.
Some of the ways you can manage these risks are:
- substituting dusty products for less dusty, granular or liquid formulations
- using machinery or vehicles that have an enclosed cabin, and
- using appropriate personal protective equipment, including respiratory protective equipment.
Our Clean Air. Clear Lungs campaign website has case studies, information sheets and checklists to help PCBUs in the agricultural industry to identify and manage the risks of exposure to dusts, gases, fumes and vapours associated with occupational lung diseases.
Why not check out the animations too?