Endotoxin Exposures During Harvesting and Processing Cannabis at an Outdoor Cannabis Farm

Details

• Personal Author:
  Beezhold, Donald H. ; Burton, Nancy C. ; Couch, James R. ; Green, Brett J. ; Lemons, Angela R. ; Nayak, Ajay P. ; Victory, Kerton R.
• Description:
  Legalization of medicinal and recreational cannabis use in numerous states within the USA has resulted in the increased commercial cultivation of cannabis. Outdoor cannabis farming operations present a variety of potential physical, chemical, and biological hazards that currently remain uncharacterized. Worker exposures to endotoxins were evaluated at an outdoor US cannabis farm during harvesting and processing activities. Endotoxin area air sample concentrations ranged from below the limit of detection to 15 endotoxin units per cubic meter (EU/m3). Endotoxin breathing zone measurements (2.8-37EU/m3) were below the Dutch Expert Committee on Occupational Safety occupational exposure limit of 90/m3. During confidential medical interviews, no adverse health effects were reported by workers while harvesting or processing cannabis. Further endotoxin exposure assessments should be performed especially in larger, indoor cannabis operations where a confined environment may result in higher endotoxin exposures than observed in this outdoor environment. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Agriculture Air Pollution Bacteria Cannabis Dust Endotoxins Environmental Exposure Environmental Monitoring Environmental Pollution Farmers Microbiology Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Safety Workplace

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• Keywords:
  Agricultural Products Agricultural Workers Air Quality Measurement Air Sampling Author Keywords: Endotoxin Bacterial Dusts Breathing Zone Drugs Employee Exposure Environmental Hazards Exposure Assessment Exposure Levels Exposure Limits Farm Workers Marijuana Medicinal Chemicals Microorganisms Occupational Exposure Outdoor Workers Psychotropic Drugs Work Environment

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• ISSN:
  0393-5965
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Georgia ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 4 ; OSHA Region 5 ; Pennsylvania ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies ; EPRO - Emergency Preparedness and Response Office ; OD - Office of the Director ; HELD - Health Effects Laboratory Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  367-371
• Volume:
  35
• Issue:
  2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20054397
• Citation:
  Aerobiologia 2019 Jun; 35(2):367-371
• Contact Point Address:
  James R. Couch, Hazard Evaluations and Technical Assistance Branch, Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations and Field Studies, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, USA
• Email:
  JCouch@cdc.gov
• CAS Registry Number:
  Cannabis (CAS RN 8063-14-7)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2019
• NORA Priority Area:
  Services
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Aerobiologia
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:14d38b79e315156b0568e7bac7854bb88e0e076ed5a7e6c2441fc01baef7d84eeb52507ab56767c8e9028f2f1fd2b1151f2a567693ca686661af9862275c7594
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/216973/cdc_216973_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 316.24 KB ]