Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: UNAPEQUIP

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to inhalation hazards from overexposures to ammonia: At the establishment - In the following instance, an employee performing the job task listed below was exposed to ammonia in excess of the Threshold Limit Value (TLV) of 25 ppm (parts per million) as an eight hour time weighted average (8 hr. TWA) as established by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH 1983-1984). For any sampling period listed below less than 480 minutes (8 hours), the calculation of the TWA assumes zero exposure for the balance of the time unsampled. Barn #34 (1/14/99) - Bird Crew employee pulling fowl was exposed to elevated levels of ammonia. The employees measured eight hour time weighted average (8 hr. TWA) was equal to 41 ppm for the 355 minute sampling period. The employees exposure was 1.6 times the TLV. Instantaneous colorimetric readings indicated that the ACGIH (1983-1984) Short Term Exposure Limit (STEL) of 35 ppm may be regularly exceeded. Instantaneous readings in excess of the STEL included; DateTimeReadingLocation 1/12/996:50 p.m.35 ppmApproximately 100 ft. down middle aisle from loading door of Barn 34 adjacent to Bird Crew employees 1/12/996:57 a.m.45 ppmEgg conveyor aisleway, Barn 34, adjacent to Bird Crew employees 1/14/997:35 a.m.35 ppmEnd of Barn 34 1/14/999:05 a.m.35 ppmSouth wall, approximately 100 ft. down aisle from egg conveyor, Barn 34, adjacent to Bird Crew employee Abatement Note: 1. The employer shall make every effort to first institute engineering controls to reduce or eliminate employees' exposure. Among other methods, some feasible and acceptable engineering controls to reduce or eliminate employee exposure include, but are not limited to: a)Frequent cleanout of deep pit barns (ex. between each flocks - every approx. 60 weeks) b)Improved ventilation in barns. This may include increasing ventilation rates, moving exhaust fans from cage level to pit level, arrange for more closure of "gaps" below chicken cages and design for make-up air from one side of the pitto push/pull air across the pit and out opposite side, close doors between barns to allow more efficient operation of barn exhaust fans. c)Application treatments to manure in pit that include Peat, vermiculite, or alum. 2. Should engineering controls fail to reduce exposures, the employer, as a second measure, shall institute administrative work practice controls (i.e., employee job rotation) as a means to reduce exposure. 3. Should both measures mentioned above fail to reduce employees exposures, the employer shall supplement provided engineering/administrative controls with personal protective equipment.