University of Idaho Extension
Safety Notes
A SAFETY NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED FOR FARMS , RANCHES AND HOMES IN IDAHO & BEYOND
Spring 2002
Meth Threat in Rural Areas
Inside this issue:
Pesticide Security 2
Keep Older
Farmers Safe
3
Managing Dairy
Health Risks
4
New Wind Chill
Chart
5
Home Heating
Safety
6
Tips for Spring–
time Gardening
7
A newsletter published
quarterly for the farms,
ranches and homes of Idaho
and the surrounding area by:
Besides the threat of
terrorists stealing
pesticides, another
threat is the theft of
anhydrous ammonia
for the manufacture
of Methamphetamine
in rural areas. Meth
labs are easy to set
up almost anywhere and a manufacturer
can “cook” a batch in three to four hours.
Most ingredients are obtained from
pharmacies, farm supply stores, hardware
stores, or farm equipment dealers. The
most popular ingredients are anhydrous
ammonia, ether or starting fluid and
lithium batteries. Most oft en anhydrous
ammonia thieves will fill a propane
cylinder or simply open the valve and wait
for the gas to turn to liquid and pu t one or
two gallons in a Styrofoam jug or cooler.
A common clue that an anhydrous tank has
been tampered with is a hose that is
unhooked and laying on the ground. If you
run across this situation, be careful when
approaching the tank, as the valve may
still be open.
One of the effects of Meth use on a person
is that of extreme paranoia, which makes
addicts think that everyone is out to get
them. As a result, many are armed making
confronting a thief extremely hazardous.
Tom Karsky
Extension Safety Specialist
with the Department of
Biological & Agricultural
Engineering
University of Idaho
To enrich education throughout
diversity the University of
Idaho is an equal opportunity/
affirmative action employer
and educational institution.
Bar b Smith
Technical Editor
The following are ways to protect yourself
from the Meth threat:
??????If you own rental property, check out
potential renters, ask for references.
??????Bring tanks containing anhydrous
ammonia to farmyards or in another
non -remote area when not in use.
Install a locking device that fully
encloses the valve.
??????Should you see a suspicious vehicle,
obtain a vehicle description and
license number and report it to
authorities immediately.
?????Debris and by-products from Meth
labs are caustic, volatile and
explosive. Sludge from Meth labs is
usually dumped in ditches or next to
old buildings. Do not try to clean up
the area yourself. Be careful when
picking up any gas cans or containers,
especially if a hose is duct taped to
the spout.
?????If you see a suspicious area where you
suspect a lab may be present do not
approach the area. Instead, contact
the authorities.
Potential signs that a Meth lab is in the
area:
?????Unusual, strong odors (like cat urine,
ether, acetone, ammonia)
?????A large amount of traffic at the
location.
?????Excessive trash, including antifreeze
containers, drain cleaner cans, lantern
fuel cans, red, chemically stained
coffee filters, duct tape and lithiu m
battery packages.
?????The use of fans and air conditioners
even in cold weather due to the need
for ventilation.
?????Discarded cans, bottles, beakers, or old
glass coffee pots filled with sludge or
chemical mixtures.
?????The presence of, or large purchases of
the following: alcohol, ether, benzene,
toluene/paint thinner, freon, acetone,
chloroform, camp stove fuel, starting
fluid, “Heet”, phenylacetone,
phenylpropenolamine, iodine crystals,
red phosphorus, black iodine, lye,
Drano, muriatic/hydrochloric acid,
battery acid/sulfuric acid, Epsom salts,
lithium batteries, matches, propane
cylinders, hot plates, ephedrine, cold
tablets, bro nchodialators, energy
boosters, rock salt and diet aids.
(Adapted from Landhandler Fall/winter 1999)
used as weapons such as misting or fogging equipment that is
commonly used for mosquito abatement or other pest control
applications.
Pesticide Security for
Applicators and Dealers
The events of September 11, 2001 will forever change the way
we look at our world. As pesticide applicators, dealers and
distributors, we need to pay particular attention to our activities
concerning pesticide security. Pesticide products could be used
intentionally to harm our citizens and therefore, we all need to
remain vigilant and follow a few important precautions to
safeguard and secure all pesticide products.
Private Applicators
Any person other than the applicator or
grower should always keep pesticide
products in a secured storage area that is
not accessible. This is not only good
practice for safety reasons, but locked
storage will keep unauthorized persons
from altering a pesticide or stealing the
products.
This is particularly important for those pesticides that are highly
toxic or corrosive such as aluminum or magnesium phosphide
and other fumigants.
The best option is to purchase only the pesticides you will need
for a season. However, even with the best planning, you may
have unused or leftover pesticides. If you do have unusable
pesticides, either dispose of them properly or call ISDA for
assistance/ guidance. Do not sell or give pesticides to someone
that you do not know. Remember that pesticide products could
be used in any number of ways to cause harm to our citizens.
Poisoning water supplies or food commodities are a few
examples.
Make sure that all of your application equipment (including tanks,
pumps and sprayers) are securely locked or stored in areas that
make theft difficult.
Professional Applicators
Follow all mandated storage requirements for pesticide storage
listed in the Idaho Pesticide and Chemigation Law and Rule.
Ensure that you limit the access to your pesticide storage areas to
only authorized persons/ employees. Make sure that all pesticide
products are properly inventoried on a regular basis. Pay
particular attention to highly toxic or corrosive pesticides such as
aluminum or magnesium phosphide and other fumigants. These
precautions will do much to deter the theft or alteration of your
pesticides.
Equipment security is essential. It was determined that terrorists
have studied using aerial application equipment as weapons
against our citizens. Other application equipment may also be
-2 -
Security is essential, not only from an economic standpoint but
also for public safety.
Pesticide Dealers
Pesticide dealers or distributors need to follow all requirements
for pesticide storage listed in the Idaho Pesticide and
Chemigation Law and Rule. Ensure that you limit the access to
your pesticide storage areas to authorized persons/employees
Make sure that all pesticide products are properly inventoried on
a regular basis.
The most important security practice for pesticide dealers is to
check the pesticide license information of the buyer. Remember
that pesticide dealers may not sell any restricted-use pesticide to
persons that do not have a valid Idaho private or professional
applicator license. Additionally, professional applicators need to
be properly licensed in a category the pesticide may be used. Be
suspicious of anyone purchasing a large amount of highly toxic
pesticides with cash. If you have any questions concerning the
validity of a pesticide license, please contact the ISDA Pesticide
Licensing and Training Section at (208) 332-8600.
Summary
Pesticide applicators and dealers must act on their responsibility
for securing our pesticides and application equipment. As society must work to prevent atrocities to our citizens, we must be
vigilant to prevent our products and equipment from becoming
weapons against our citizens. For more information, contact
ISDA at (208) 332-8600/8609.
Pesticide Security is Everyone’s Responsibility
??????Make sure all pes ticide storage areas are locked
??????Be aware of who has keys and access to storage
areas
??????Post all storage areas
??????Regularly inspect storage areas
??????Keep inventory records readily available
??????Sell pesticides only to authorized persons or
applicators
??????Secure all pesticide application equipment
??????Make sure that you have the appropriate PPE for
all persons/employees
??????Report any susp icious activity
??????Report any theft of pesticides or equipment
immediately
Keep Active, Older Farmers Safe
Agricultural injury data over
the last several decades have
consistently shown a high
proportion of cases involving
older farmers. Farmers 65 or
older can safely continue to be
important and productive
members of agricultural
operations if age-related risk
factors are recognized and
taken into account.
Age-related risk factors
Strength/flexibility
Even with today’s power-equipped tractors and machinery,
adequate muscle strength and mobility are still important in
determining how safely an older farmer can complete
agricultural tasks. Both muscle strength and mobility
decrease with age. However, both are important for
completing a variety of tasks safely — for example:
?
?
?
?
?
?
lifting, carrying and loading objects;
feeding and veterinary care of livestock;
mounting and dismounting tractors and machinery;
and
climbing ladders and stairs.
Reduced strength and flexibility may cause an older
farmer to accommo date a new posture for a task that
increases the likelihood of sprains and strains. Farmers
may also compensate for decreased physical capabilities
by adopting unsafe work practices or taking shortcuts in
established safe procedures.
In addition to affecting how older farmers complete work
tasks, reduced strength and joint flexibility significantly
increase their risk of injury by slowing down reaction time
and decreasing physical response when unexpected work
situations arise.
Vision
To safely interact in a farm environment, one must be able to
distinguish and recognize objects clearly at a variety of
distances and in changing light conditions. As a person ages ,
there is a gradual decline in visual acuity. This means that as
we age, we gradually need to be closer to objects before we
can recognize them, and we also need more light to see
objects clearly. Farmers routinely work in situations without
adequate lighting, such as fieldwork at dusk or at night, or
inside dimly lit barns and sheds. Older farmers, since they
need more light, are more likely to encounter situations with
inadequate lighting.
Hearing
Everyone suffers some hearing loss because of aging. In
addition to this normal hearing loss, farmers (of all ages)
suffer from more noise-induced hearing loss than the general
population. After years of exposure to loud agricultural
noises, such as tractors, farm machinery and confined
livestock, an older farmer may not be able to hear the
warning signs of an approaching hazard.
Illness/disease
Age-related medical conditions also affect how safely an
older farmer completes tasks. Some conditions, such as
arthritis and rheumatism, affect the joints. If the knees or hips
are affected, a farmer will experience reduced mobility,
making it harder to climb on and off machinery safely and to
get out of the way to avoid potential livestock-related
injuries. If the fingers, hands or arms are affected, it may be
more difficult for the farmer to manipulate tractor and
machinery controls.
In addition to structural-related illnesses, older farmers are
also at risk due to other health-related issues like
cardiovascular disease, cancer and excessive weight. Such
problems reduce strength and endurance, putting older
farmers at risk during physically demanding tasks that they
may have completed safely in the past. Prescription
medications often taken for these health issues, along with
pain medications, may further slow an older farmer’s already
decreased reaction time when responding to a hazardous
situation.
Depression
It is estimated that 15 percent of adults over the age of 65
suffer from depression. This may be particularly true for
older farmers. Today’s agricultural economy, the loss of a
spouse, the inability to complete physically demanding farm
tasks as they used to, lack of children interested in
agriculture, declining health—all may lead to feelings of
sadness, grief, or hopelessness. Learn to recognize the
symptoms of depression and seek medical help if any of the
symptoms last longer than two weeks.
Everyone has occasional feelings of sadness, but depression
is not a normal part of aging. Depression is an illness that
responds well to a number of treatments. If untreated,
depression will make other health problems worse and harm
overall quality of life. Depression also increases the risk of
work-related injuries to older farmers by distracting them
from the tasks.
Steven Freeman
National Safety Council Tri-Visions Newsletter
-3 -
Managing Dairy Health Risks
By John H. Kirk, DVM, MPVM
A recent series of seminars
on public health concerns
on dairies included
discussions on infections
with E coli 0157,
Cryptospondium parvum
and Salmonella spp.
Dairymen frequently asked
the following questions in
attendance:
-I grew up on a dairy. Should our dairy-farm family be
drinking raw milk from the bulk tank?
-When they are old enough, our kids usually start helping
with farm chores by feeding and caring for the dairy calves Is
this a good idea?
-We like to educate the public by having school children visit
our dairy. Should we continue to do this?
The important point of each of these questions has to do with
risk management. We know that almost everything has some
risk involved. When we decide to take vacations traveling on
our highways we know there is some risk of being involved
in an automobile accident. Nevertheless, we go anyway
because we think the risk is very small in relationship to the
joy of the vacation. If the vacation is during the winter
months when the fog can be very thick, we may decide the
risk is too high and postpone the trip until a clearer day. In
both of these situations, we are managing risk.
This same approach to managing risk can be applied to E
coli, Cryptosporidium parvum and Salmonella spp on the
dairy farm While everything is not completely known about
these diseases, we can still attempt to manage the risk of a
family member getting sick from one of these diseases based
on what we know today.
A very important fact is that children, elderly persons and
persons whose immune systems are not functioning properly
are at higher risk than the general population. Since they are
at higher risk, we need to be more concerned about their
exposure.
We also know something about the prevalence of these
potential diseases in livestock on the dairy. Although it does
not cause clinical disease in cattle, E. coli prevalence in terms
of fecal shedding varies with the age of the cattle. On dairies,
-4 -
the highest prevalence of fecal shedding (about 5 percent)
occurs about one month after the calves are weaned from
milk and the group is penned. After this time, the occurrence
of fecal shedding decreases to less than 1 percent of the
animals.
Cryptosporidium parvum does cause diarrhea in young dairy
calves. The time of highest risks of exposure to
Cryptosporidium parvum for humans is when the calves are
between 1 and 3 weeks of age. During this time, a very high
percentage of calves are shedding a tremendous number of
cryptosporidia in their feces. After this time, shedding almost
never occurs
Disease from Salmonella spp. is most common in calves
under 1 month of age. With both Cryptosporidium parvum
and Salmonella spp., calves with diarrhea present a higher
risk than calves that are normal and appear healthy. However,
risk is involved in handling both calves with diarrhea as well
as calves that appear to be normal.
What about the risk of drinking raw milk on the dairy? The
report is that E coli and Salmonella spp. can be present in raw
milk. However, shedding into the milk does not occur very
frequently. It is also known that pasteurization of milk kills
both of thes e organisms and many other potential human
pathogens. Risk management would suggest that drinking
pasteurized milk has zero risk compared to a higher, but
small risk when consuming raw milk. Science would argue
that raw milk should never be consumed.
So how much concern should we have about visitors coming
to our dairies? It depends how close their contact is with the
dairy animals , which dairy animals they contact, what they
consume on the dairy and what precautions are taken to
prevent fecal-oral transmis sion. The risk of any visitor
contracting a disease while on the farm is minimal if he or
she avoids touching animals and avoids animal housing
areas. The risk of contracting disease would be increased if
visitors were permitted to enter the calf-raising areas and
handle the young dairy calves.
The risk of diseases can be reduced if protective clothing is
worn in these areas and if hands are washed before eating the
next meal or snack
And what about the farm families themselves?
Should they behave any differently than the farm visitor?
Health risks for the farm family are similar to those of
visitors with the possible exception that farm family members
may have received multiple, small exposures resulting in
development of some immunity to these organisms. They
may also have developed immunity as the result of
undiagnosed bouts of disease. At this time, the occurrence of
these diseases in farm families is undetermined.
Some recent history may help to provide some perspective.
Samonellosis was diagnosed in cows on a small farm in the
eastern US. Before the episode was over several family
members became sick with salmonellosis and some required
hospitalization. More locally, cases of E coil have been
reported in farm children. At least one child still requires
kidney dialysis. These occurrences should be balanced against
water-borne outbreaks and outbreaks of E coil in childcare
centers and elderly care facilities, as well as person-to-person
transmission within families.
In summary, drinking raw milk has an associated
unacceptable risk. This risk can be avoided by drinking
pasteurized milk either from commercial sources or from onfarm pasteurization. With the reality of litigation, the risk of
allowing visitors, such as school groups, to come in close
contact with young dairy animals on the farm is probably
prohibitive. The risk can be reduced by an on-farm
educational demonstration of hand washing. Participation of
farm children in daily chores involves some risk that each
dairy family must manage as they see appropriate. Their
choices should be based on the science as we know it today
and not totally on their previous childhood experiences.
In reality, the dairy environment is probably no more risky
than the day care center or community swimming pool, which
are associated with higher risks of contracting disease.
All of these questions are very relevant and important for
today’s farm family. The answers will be different for
different dairy families. All the facts are not currently known
to make clear-cut decisions. However, knowing what
information is available can lead to informed decisions to
minimize the risk of diseases being contracted from animals
on the dairy.
UC Agricultural Health and Safety Center at Davis
John H. Kirk, DVM, MPVM, is an extension veterinarian with
the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, and is located at
the Veterinary Medicine Teaching and Research Center
(VMTRC) in Tulare.
Wind Chill
Temperature Index for
Winter 2001-2002
On November 1, 2001, the
National Weather Service
implemented a new Wind Chill
Temperature (WCT) index for the
2001/2002 winter season,
designed to more accurately
calculate how cold air feels on
human skin . The former index
used by the United States and
Canada was based on 1945
research of Antarctic explores
Siple and Passel. They measured
the cool rate of water in a
container hanging from a tall pole
outside. A container of water
will freeze faster than flesh. As a
result, the previous wind chill
index underestimated the time to
freezing and overestimated the
chilling effect of the wind. The
new index, based on heat loss
from exposed skin, was tested on
human subjects.
-5 -
heater three feet from combustible material such as
draperies or furniture.
Home Heating Safety
-Nationwide, a residential fire occurs every 67
seconds. -There were about 472,000 fires in residential
properties in 1992, resulting in 3,750 fire deaths.
These are good reasons to examine your home heating
system and correct or imp rove any deficiencies that you
may find. Use the following checklist as a guide to
safer heating environment.
FURNACE MAINTENAN C E
? Check the filter once a month, change it at least
twice a year, or sooner if necessary.
? Do not store combustible materia l near the furnace.
? Have the furnace inspected once a year and tested for
leaks. Make sure the furnace is vented to the
outdoors.
? Inspect the chimney for debris that could plug it.
ELECTRIC AND KEROSEN E HEATERS
? Teach children to avoid the heater. The surface of
some heaters can exceed 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
? Do not leave a heater on when no one is at home or
when you are asleep.
? F o r kerosene heaters, only use K1 kerosene. It has
a .04 percent sulphur content by weight. Do not use
any other type of fuel. K2 kerosene is not
recommended because it has higher sulphur content,
and improper use can pose a fire or explosion
hazard. Only fill the heater when it is cool.
? Do not use flammable solvents, aerosol sprays or
lacquers near heaters.
? Do not use the heater in the same room where
flammable liquids are stored or in dusty
environments.
? Do provide adequate ventilation for kerosene heaters.
Follow the manufacturer's directions. If there are
none, open a window 1 square inch for each 1,000
BTUs of the heaters ra ting.
? Regardless of the type of heating system you have,
install and maintain smoke detectors on each level
of the house.
WOOD STOVE MAINTENANCE
? Select a good stove and have it properly installed.
? Locate the stove out of traffic and away from
furniture and draperies.
This heater was placed too close to a bookcase,
preventing a free -flow of air. The homeowner stepped
into the room just in time to prevent major fire damage.
? Do not store combustible materials near the stove.
? Prevent creosote build up.
? Do not use wet or unseasoned wood.
?
?
? Maintain a briskly burning fire.
Before buying a kerosene heater, make sure the
local building and fire codes permit its use in
residential structures.
Also, check your insurance policy to see if such use
will affect the policy.
? Buy an approved heater that has been tested by the
Underwriters Laboratories.
? Read the owners manual before operating the heater.
Maintain the heater according to the manual.
? Maintain a flue temperature above 250 degrees
Fahrenheit.
? Inspect stovepipes and chimney flues each year before
using the stove. Look for:
-Cracked flue liners.
-Broken or missing bricks.
-Heavy creosote deposits.
-Foreign material and bird nests.
? Do not put heaters where people walk. Keep the
Continued on next page
-6 -
Tips for safe springtime gardening
To keep your thumb green
rather than black and blue,
you must practice yard and
garden expertise. Many
weekend gardeners go to
work on Monday mornings
with bandaged fingers,
painful sunburn and aching
backs. If you are properly
prepared, gardens can
provide wonderful rewards
of green grass, beautiful flowers, fresh vegetables and
invigorating outdoor activity.
? Start right, think small: Do not take on more than you can
handle. Avoid sudden or sustained periods of activity. Too
much work in too little time can bring on sore muscles,
blisters and heat exhaustion.
? Use the proper tools: Keep tools in good condition, clean
and with sharp cutting edges. Use a tool only for its
intended purpose. Do not leave rakes, hoes, spades,
spading forks, pruning clippers, pointed scissors, files and
metal plant stakes lying on the ground when not in use.
Extension cords for electric tools such as trimmers and
edgers should be the outdoor, heavy-duty kind with the
Underwriters Laboratory mark.
? Lift properly. Keep your spine straight and bend your
knees. Get help to move heavy objects.
? Use caution with pesticides: They vary in degree of
toxicity. Because pesticides are designed to kill or control
living organisms, it is difficult to make them harmless to
people. Proper use will prevent any incidents with garden
pesticides.
? Read and follow the label directions carefully. The label
will tell you which kinds of pests are affected and where to
apply the product for best
results. Store containers in a
locked cabinet or garden shed.
Do not use garden products near
people or pets, or on windy
days. Do not eat, drink or smoke
before washing up. Also, follow
label directions when disposing
of unused portions.
combustibles and make sure they cannot be tipped over, only
use heaters that shut off automatically if tipped over. Keep
electrical heating equipment in good working condition. If it
operates by a fan, make sure that the intake air is not
obstructed. Do not use them in bathrooms because of the risk
of contact with water and electrocution. If there are young
children in the house, make sure space heaters and hot water
heaters are inaccessible.
Home Heating Safety —continued
? Thoroughly clean the flue and stovepipe of any soot
or residues.
? Repair any damage before using.
? Frequently check the stovep ipe and chimney for
creosote buildup during the heating season.
Many people use electric
blankets in their homes. They
will work well if they are kept in
good condition. Look for cracks
or breaks in the wiring, plugs
and connectors. Look for
charred spots on both sides.
Many things can cause electric
blankets to overheat. They
include other bedding placed on
top of them, pets sleeping on top
of them, and putting things on top of the blanket when it is in
use. Folding the blankets can also bend the coils and cause
overheating.
? Properly dispose of wood ashes by storing them in a
non -combustible metal container with a tight lid.
Place the closed container on a non-combustible
floor or on the ground, well away from all
combustible materials.
? Warn children not to touch the stove or stand too
close to it.
ELECTRICAL HEATING EQUIPMEN T
Portable electrical heating equipment may be used in the
home as a supplement to the home heating system. Caution
must be taken when using these heating supplements. Keep
them at least three feet away from curtains and other
-7 -
University of Idaho Extension
Biological & Agricultural Engineering
Engineering Physics Building
University of Idaho
PO Box 440904
Moscow, ID 83844 -0904
__________________________________________
O FFICIAL BUSINESS
P ENALTY OF PRIVATE US E, $300
Phone: 208 -885-7627
Fax: 208-885-7908
Email: [email protected]
W E A R E O N THE W E B !
W W W . UIDAHO . E D U / B A E / A G S A F E T Y
Present Standard
U.S. Postage & Fees
Paid
USDA
Permit No G- 268