Risk factors for occupational injuries among full-time farmers in Finland.

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the frequency of and farm management-related risk factors for occupational injuries among full-time farmers. A computer-assisted telephone interview was conducted among randomly selected self-employed full-time farmers (n = 1182; 911 male and 271 female), The response rate was 86%. Two-thirds of the respondents raised dairy or beef cattle. Nearly 16% of the farmers had experienced one or more occupational injuries requiring medical consultation during the past 12 months; the total number of such injuries was 222. Injuries were more common among male (17 injuries/100 person-years) than female farmers (13 injuries/ 100 person-years). The injuries occurred most frequently in animal husbandry work (n = 97). Falling or slipping was the most common mechanism of injury. Poisson regression with a stepwise (forward) model selection procedure identified the following risk factors for occupational injuries: male gender, younger age, cooperation with other farmers, perceived high accident risk, and stress symptoms. The adjusted rate ratios for these risk factors ranged from 1.40 to 1.96. This study indicates that interventions are needed, particularly among male farmers in their early years of full-time farm operation. At this stage of life, heavy financial burden and stress while establishing and expanding production may contribute to injuries. To reduce stress and related injuries, we recommend guidance for farmers regarding the organization and management of farm work.

Effect of in situ composting on reducing offensive odors and volatile organic compounds in swineries.

Seven swine farms were studied to find out how the in situ composting system, compared to the slatted floor pit system, influences the concentration and occurrence of malodorous compounds. Ammonia concentrations were measured with diffusion tubes. Small molecular sulfur compounds were analyzed using laminated bags and a gas chromatograph with a FP-detector. All other volatile organic compounds were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry with simultaneous sniffing of the eluted compounds. About 400 organic compounds were identified from the air samples, and 94 suspect odorous compounds are listed in the present article. The most intense and unpleasant odors were caused by p-cresol, carboxylic acids (C2-C7), and some ketones such as 3-hydroxy-2-butanone, 2,3-butanedione, and 2-butanone. Terpenes (alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, 3-carene, and limonene), which originate from sawdust, caused the main peaks in the chromatograms of compost swineries. In swine confinement buildings where the composting system was functioning properly, the concentration of sulfur compounds, and especially of carboxylic acids, ketones, and p-cresol, fell effectively. The use of sawdust as composting material caused elevated concentrations of terpenes in the ambient air. There was clearly less airborne ammonia and hydrogen sulfide in the well-functioning compost swineries than in the poorly functioning ones. Elevated hydrogen sulfide levels were measured during turning work, however. In one composting swinery, the hydrogen sulfide level was as high as 15 mg/m3 during turning work. All the other concentrations of odorous compounds did not exceed occupational exposure limit values, but several compounds exceeded the respective threshold odor concentrations.

Bronchopulmonary pathology in workers exposed to organic fodder dust.

The purpose of this study was to investigate work-related respiratory symptoms, the prevalence of chronic lung diseases and ODTS, and to study the lung function and bronchial hyperresponsiveness in the workers of Ukrainian fodder production facilities. 240 workers of two Ukrainian fodder production plants have been examined. Dust concentrations in the air of working zone were different, reaching 48.2 mg/m(3) in the first plant and 16.8 mg/m(3) in the second. Endotoxin levels were 240.0 ng/m(3) and 1.8 ng/m(3) respectively. The length of service at the first plant exceeded 2 times that at the second. In the actual research the investigation of respiratory symptoms, lung function and bronchial reactivity was carried out. A comparison between animal feed workers and internal controls revealed work-related symptoms. The predominant symptomatic and lung function effects indicate a clinical picture related to chronic bronchitis. The prevalence of chronic bronchitis was 26.4 +/- 4.0% at the first plant and 8.8 +/- 4.8% at the second one (p < 0.01). The prevalence of respiratory troubles was related to dust exposure more strongly that to smoking. 39.7 +/- 4.4% of exposed workers at the first plant and 14.7 +/- 6.0% at the second one revealed organic dust toxic syndrome (ODTS). In 47.9 +/- 7.2% of workers with ODTS, this syndrome was associated with chronic bronchitis. Examination of lung function revealed obstructive changes which were more expressed in exposed workers of the first plant. Lung function clearly decreased with increasing duration of employment. Obstruction of small bronchi and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (registered in 74.7% of workers) were the early signs of respiratory troubles in exposed workers.

Prevalence of microfungi in Finnish cow barns and some aspects of the occurrence of Wallemia sebi and Fusaria.

OBJECTIVES: The occurrence of microfungi in the air and in feeding and bedding materials was studied on 32 Finnish dairy farms. METHODS: Air samples for determining viable and total spore concentrations were collected on membrane filters and with a cascade impactor. Genera of mesophilic, xerophilic, and thermophilic fungi were identified in four culture media. Total spore counts were done with the aid of an epifluorescence microscope. To identify fungal flora in agricultural materials, feeding and bedding material samples were also taken from the farms. RESULTS: The airborne spore concentrations varied for viable mesophilic, xerophilic, and thermophilic fungi from 10(1) to 10(7) colony-forming units per cubic meter, and for total spores from 10(5) to 10(7) spores per cubic meter. Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium, Absidia species, Wallemia sebi and yeasts were the predominant fungi in the air, as well as in the material samples. CONCLUSIONS: In general, the airborne spore concentrations were high although the variation in the concentrations of different fungal groups was large between the farms. Along with using new growth media, two fungi whose prevalence was earlier poorly known in Finland were detected. W sebi proved to be the most abundant xerophilic fungi in the air and hay samples, while Fusarium spp were very common in grain and straw but rare in air.

Airborne endotoxin concentrations in different work conditions.

Workers from various occupations have described symptoms of upper respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract as well as eye and skin irritation. Exposure to endotoxins may cause these symptoms. Structural differences of endotoxins from different working environments are present on the sources of Gram-negative bacteria.

Total concentrations of dust in the air during farm work.

Total concentrations of dust in the air of work environments were measured on 20 Finnish farms during 1980-82. On 8 farms the main line of production was dairy farming, on 5 farms it was pig farming, on 4 farms poultry farming and on 3 farms grain production. Dust was measured by the gravimetric method according to the Finnish standard. Results were compared to the threshold limit value (TLV), which for inorganic dust is 10 mg/m3, and for organic dust 5 mg/m3. Mean concentrations of dust in the breathing zone exceeded the TLV for organic dust in all farm buildings, piggeries and poultry yards with coops having the highest mean concentrations, 12.6 mg/m3 and 12.8 mg/m3, respectively. Mean total concentrations of dust during seed dressing, harrowing, rolling and emptying the grain drier were 31.4, 14.0, 18.2 and 20.0 mg/m3, respectively. During sowing and haymaking, the total concentrations of dust were also high occasionally.

Dust exposure in piggeries.

The aim of this study was to measure the total concentrations of dust in piggeries and to analyze the components of the dust. Dust samples were taken from 15 fattening pig and/or sow farms situated in southern Finland. Total concentrations of dust were measured by the gravimetric method; the organic portion of the total dust was determined by ashing, mass distribution determined by Cascade Centripeter sampler, count distribution by optical analyzer, and toxic metals of the total dust by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The mean concentrations of total dust at stationary sampling sites were higher on fattening pig farms (9.4 +/- 1.7 mg/m3) (mean +/- SE) than on sow farms (5.2 +/- 1.2 mg/m3). The concentrations in the breathing zone were 8.6 +/- 2.7 mg/m3 and 7.9 +/- 3.2 mg/m3, respectively. The proportion of organic dust was about 90% in the dust of pig units. The mass median aerodynamic diameter of the dust particles in pig fattening units was 11 micron. Concentrations of toxic metals (nickel, cobalt, copper, zinc, chromium, cadmium) were very low.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) inhibition method to estimate the level of airborne bovine epidermal antigen in cowsheds.

A method based on inhibition of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was developed for measuring airborne bovine epidermal antigen (BEA) in cowsheds. BEA extract served as the solid-phase reactant competing with the sample for binding of a rabbit immune serum. A sample of swine epithelial extract was used to ascertain the specificity of the reaction. Cowshed air samples were collected according to a standardized volumetric filter method. A specific inhibiting activity was detected in all samples tested corresponding to concentrations between 137 ng/m3 and 19.8 micrograms/m3. The interest coefficient of variation of cowshed samples was 9.5%.