Fumes, Dust and Diseases

Fumes and vapours created during welding and cutting processes can cause lung cancer, asthma, irritation to the throat and larger airways in the lungs, metal fume fever, acute pneumonia, COPD, welder's lung and occupational asthma. 

You must ensure that employees are protected against these harmful and in some cases life changing health conditions.   The law related to controlling the health risks from welding fume applies to everyone who undertakes welding/cutting applies no matter how small or infrequent the exposure is. 

Agriculture dusts are generated during multiple harvesting processes.  Apart from the dusts themselves they can also contain bacteria and spores which when inhaled can trigger an allergic reaction of the respiratory system.  Respiratory disease is prevalent in agriculture and according to the HSE is the most common cause of asthma amongst agricultural workers as a result of exposure to agricultural dusts.   The HSE has produced a number of industry specific guides which contain additional details of how the dusts can harm you and the practical steps you can take to reduce exposure.  The guides can be accessed below. 

Slurry gas is a mixture of gases including methane, carbon dioxide, ammonia and hydrogen sulphide. The gases are produced by bacteria during the decomposition process and some are poisonous as well as flammable. Slurry has been responsible for a number of fatalities and is reported as one of the four main causes of death or serious injury in Northern Ireland.   The risk is not only to the humans it is also a risk for the livestock, especially during mixing. 

There are many ways that you can protect yourself and your livestock from slurry fumes and the HSE NI has an excellent guide which can be accessed below. 

Always stop and think before working with or in the vicinity of slurry and ensure that you know the whereabouts of all farm staff and especially children before slurry mixing operations commence.  

Ensuring that slurry lagoons are secured with adequate fencing and locked gates and providing clear signage is essential. There are specific requirements for securing slurry lagoons and a link to the HSE guidance is also included below.   

 Managing slurry on farms - AIS9 (rev1) (hse.gov.uk) 

Chemicals should always be stored in accordance with their material safety data sheet.  Some people are at more risk than others depending on their age or pre existing medical conditions.   The risk also increases depending on the length of exposure. Children are more sensitive to some pesticides than adults as are those with asthma or other chronic diseases.  It is especially important therefore that access to pesticide stores is limited to only authorised persons.  Stores should be locked when not in use with only authorised persons having access to the key to the store.  Stores must be clearly marked and PPE must be available and worn by those using the chemicals. 

Farmers lung is an allergic disease that is caused by inhaling mold spores in the dust from moldy hay, straw or grain.  The risk of inhaling these spores increases when the materials are being spread or cleared from animal sheds as more dust is created, often in an environment where the dust cannot easily escape.  Unfortunately Farmer's lung cannot be cured and the focus therefore should be on prevention. 

Doors to sheds should be open, persons not involved in the operation should not be working in the sheds, windows and doors on the tractor should be kept closed and the vehicles air conditioning should not be switched on as this will pull the dust into the cab.

Ensure that you are aware of any pre-existing medical conditions and provide health screening where necessary.

Exhaust fumes can cause irritation to the eyes and respiratory tract.  The fumes emitted can contain carbon monoxide, nitrogen, sulphur dioxide and a number of additional chemicals hazardous to health. Repeated and prolonged exposure to fumes can cause immediate short term effects or long term chronic effects such as lung cancer.   Exposure occurs during vehicle use and maintenance and the greatest exposure usually occurs when vehicle are being worked on especially if this is in an enclosed workshop or shed.

These risks increase greatly if working in a pit underneath a vehicle that has been left with the engine running.

Ensure that you have assessed the risks before undertaking any works on vehicles.  Clear control measures will be required to eliminate or reduce the risks from exposure to exhaust fumes.