Author: Aika Choudhry Hussain

Publisher:

Published: 2010

Total Pages: 138

ISBN-13:

Background: Respiratory diseases are more common among agricultural workers compared to workers in other industries. However, little information is available about the respiratory health of workers in the dairy industry. Furthermore, dairy workers may be exposed at a greater magnitude to agents like organic dust, endotoxins and bacteria over a longer period of time compared to workers in other agricultural industries. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess organic dust, endotoxin and bacteria exposure among dairy parlor workers. Furthermore, the effectiveness of increasing the dairy parlor washing frequency was tested to determine any reduction in dairy worker's exposure to dust, endotoxin and bacteria. The results from this study will provide information about the occupational exposure to organic dust, endotoxin, and bacteria among dairy parlor workers while different parlor washing techniques are used. Methods: Personal exposure to inhalable organic dust, endotoxin and bacteria were measured among 12 dairy parlor workers. Personal sampling was performed during the eight-hour work shift of the dairy parlor workers. Exposures to dust, endotoxin and bacteria were evaluated under two conditions. The first condition was following the normal procedure for washing the parlor during the milking process. The second condition was the treatment phase, where the milking parlor was washed eight times during the entire work shift. The washing process was performed using an automated system. Results: After analyzing the results for personal exposure to organic dust and endotoxin, no statistically significant differences were found between washing that occurs at the normal frequency and the treatment condition of washing eight times per shift. Estimates of exposure for respirable dust were 0.37 mg/m3 under normal washing conditions and 0.32 mg/m3 after increasing the frequency of washing. The organic dust concentrations for inhalable dust ranged from 0.54 mg/m3 to 6.93 mg/m3. Exposure estimates of inhalable dust endotoxin ranged from 64 EU/m3 to 1328 EU/m3 under normal washing conditions, i.e. using the automated washing system four times per shift. However, after washing the dairy parlor eight times per shift, the inhalable dust endotoxin levels ranged from 148 EU/m3 to 606 EU/m3. Conclusions: The organic dust levels were low compared to the recommended guidelines. An assessment of inhalation exposure for dairy workers suggests that the dairy parlor had high levels of endotoxin compared to recommended guidelines proposed in previous studies. Increasing frequency of washing the dairy parlor appeared to have no effect on the exposure levels of organic dust, endotoxin and bacteria among the dairy workers.