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Dust entry

Dairy-bedding chopper dust

Organic dust released when hay or straw bales are chopped for dairy-cow bedding.

Airborne form

dust

The form describes what is suspended in air at the point of exposure. A material can produce more than one form, such as dust during handling and fume during heating.

Health effects

asthmachronic bronchitishypersensitivity pneumonitisorganic dust toxic syndromesystemic respiratory effects

Evidence

NIOSH states that chopping low-quality hay or straw for dairy bedding releases bacteria and fungi into the air and creates a respiratory exposure hazard. It identifies acute and chronic respiratory and systemic problems including asthma, chronic bronchitis, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and organic dust toxic syndrome; NIOSH reports that adding small quantities of water reduced airborne organic-dust exposure by 80% in the cited control evaluation.

Source: html ↗ · saved source
Hazard · 1
The chopping of bedding material is hazardous because it is usually made of low quality straw or hay that contains high levels of microorganisms such as bacteria or fungi. ... The chopping ... places the farmer at risk for acute and chronic respiratory and systemic health problems such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and organic dust toxic syndrome.

NIOSH reports that worker exposure to airborne organic dusts was reduced 80% by adding small quantities of water to hay and straw bales before chopping.

Source: html ↗ · saved source
Results · 1
During bedding chopping, worker exposure to airborne organic dusts has been reduced 80% by adding small quantities of water to the bales of hay and straw before chopping.

Controls