The Effects of a Sprinkler Cooling System on Dust Concentrations in Broiler Chicken Production

Details

• Personal Author:
  Farnell M ; Nonnenmann MW ; Tabler T ; Williams Ischer S
• Description:
  Objectives: Limited research has been performed evaluating engineering controls to reduce dust concentrations in broiler chicken production. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of a sprinkling system to reduce inhalable dust and ammonia concentrations in a broiler chicken house. The results should provide insight towards future engineering interventions to reduce dust inhalation exposure during work in broiler chicken production. Methods: Inhalable dust and ammonia concentrations were measured daily for the entire production cycle of a flock of broiler chickens (63 days). Inhalable dust was measured using a Button sampler and ammonia was measured using a direct reading instrument. Sampling was performed on a mannequin inside two broiler chicken houses. One house used a sprinkler cooling system to deliver a water mist throughout the house and the second house was an untreated control. The sprinkler system was activated from day 5 through day 63 of the boiler chicken production cycle. The following sprinkler activation program was used each hour from 6am to 10pm: days 5 - 9 five seconds, days 10 - 14 ten seconds, and days 15-63 for fifteen seconds. Results: Dust concentrations in the house treated with the sprinkling system (Geometric Mean =2.1; GSD=8.2) were lower than dust concentrations in the control house (GM=2.1; GSD=8.1). The observed difference approached statistical significance (p = 0.071). Ammonia concentrations were very similar in both houses and the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.223). Conclusions: Inhalable dust concentrations were reduced in the sprinkler house. However, the difference between the two houses was not significantly different and the observed reduction in dust concentration was not sufficient to eliminate the use of respiratory protection. Future research should evaluate the use of a chemical amendment to reduce re-aerosolization of dust, in addition to the use of a sprinkler system. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Agriculture Dust Engineering Livestock Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Agricultural Workers Ammonia Animal Husbandry Workers Dust Control Equipment Dust Suppression Engineering Controls Exposure Assessment Livestock Industry Respirable Dust
• Publisher:
  Iowa's Center for Agricultural Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  Iowa ; Mississippi ; OSHA Region 4 ; OSHA Region 7
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20052828
• Citation:
  Working together for a safer tomorrow: 14th Annual Midwest Rural Agricultural Safety & Health (MRASH) Conference, November 17-18, 2015, Decorah, Iowa. Iowa City, IA: Iowa's Center for Agricultural Safety and Health, 2015 Nov; :1
• CAS Registry Number:
  Ammonia (CAS RN 7664-41-7)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2016
• NORA Priority Area:
  Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
• Performing Organization:
  University of Iowa, Iowa City
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20010930
• Source Full Name:
  Working together for a safer tomorrow: 14th Annual Midwest Rural Agricultural Safety & Health (MRASH) Conference, November 17-18, 2015, Decorah, Iowa
• End Date:
  20270929
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:0933c6b47a4aae21a6c21d37f7b262921802954ba5951558732ea121bfb4c4593623cfc995eccae3e77fe9e91697f28de0f3490a0a472dd876516b264c6efadc
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/212294/cdc_212294_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 66.02 KB ]