oxford ems agricultural hazard awareness

Emergency Services Division

Paramedic Hazard Awareness to

Agricultural Incidents


Nothing Happens “Until”

Something Happens


Public Services Health & Safety

Association

Provide services

and programs

that promote

wellness and

prevent injuries

and illness in the

workplace

Mission


How to Protect the Worker


Emergency Services ProgramsWeb site: www.pshsa.ca

• Agricultural Machinery Rescue (1993)

• Confined Space Rescue

• Hydrocarbon Suppression

• Carbon Monoxide Awareness

• Silo Firefighting Awareness

• Trench Rescue

• High Angle Rescue

• Fire, EMS & Police Sector Specific (WSIB Part II Cert.)

• EMS Hazard Awareness (2009)

• Emergency Traffic Protection

• Electrical Safety for First Responders

• Clandestine Lab & Grow Op Awareness

• Structural Collapse (2008)


PSHSA


“Philosophy”

HOW – WHY - CONSEQUENSES

=

“LOGIC”

LOGIC provides “UNDERSTANDING”

“NOT JUST ANSWERS”


Pre-Plan

1. As a Paramedic are you prepared for the Agricultural Incident?

2. Are you aware of the Hazards?

3. What type of Injuries will we be faced with?

4. What Resources are required for a successful Agricultural Incident?

“FAIL TO PLAN – PLAN TO FAIL”


Equipment has changed - Have we?


FACTS

50 % of

Deaths on Farms are related to Tractor

Incidents

“ITS TIME WE CHANGE STATISTICS”


ROPS at Work


Over Bridge Incident - ROPS


Small tractor ROPS


No ROPS


Home Owners


Off Road Loss of Control


On Road Incidents


Power Take-off (PTO) Incidents


Bailer Incidents


Harvester Incidents


UNUSUAL SITUATIONS


WHAT IS THE PUPOSE

OF A SILO

???


PROCESSING VESSEL

The ensiling process transforms

the crops by various means into a

high quality feed for livestock

Processed crops become almost

twice as valuable as compared to

dried crops

Processed crops hold the nutrition

value longer


Confined Spaces “KILL”

Basics of Staying

Alive in a Confined

Space

• Recognition

• Assessment

• Control

• Rescue procedures

2 B.C. Paramedics –

Kim Weitzel &

Shawn Currier, Die

in water monitoring

shed at Teck

Cominco’s Sullivan

Mine, May 17, 2006


Definition of a Confined Space(September 2005)

A fully or partially enclosed space

Is not both designed and constructed for

continuous human occupancy, and

In which atmospheric hazards may occur because

of its construction, location or contents or

because or work that is done in it

Gen. Reg. 632/05


HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL

PRODUCER

Carbon Dioxide CO2

Carbon Monoxide CO

Nitrogen Dioxide NO2

Nitric Oxide NO3

Nitrogen Tetroxide N2O4

Ammonia NH2

Methane CH4

Hydrogen Sulfide H2S


CARBON DIOXIDE:

How and WhereProduced by crops in storage

Production is directly in proportion

to moisture content

Molasses tanks contain lethal

quantities. Warm days produce

more than cold days

Asphyxiant - Heavier than air, no

colour, no odour, non-flammable


CARBON MONOXIDE CO:

How and WhereCreated during a fire due to incomplete

combustion of material burning

Will self ignite causing fire or explosion

in a mixture of 12.5 to 74% and

temperature in excess of approximately

1100 Fahrenheit

Asphyxiant - no colour, no odour in its

pure form, flammable, could cause an

explosion in certain conditions, lighter

than air


NITROGEN DIOXIDE (NO2 ):

How and Where

Produced by green crops when

stored as silage - Called SILO GAS

by farmers

Produced for approx. 20 to 30

days after put in silo. Worst

period is first 1 to 5 days


Nitrogen Dioxide:

Properties• Heavier than air• Strong odour,• Reddish-brown,• Asphyxiant and a poison• Respiratory irritant - permanent lung

damage, • Lung damage may appear 1 to 2

weeks later• Nonflammable but will support

combustion.


Nitrogen Dioxide: Lung Damage


NITRIC OXIDE NO3:

How and Where

Produced in ensiled plants that

contain high levels of free nitrate

High production during dry

season, too cold or too hot

depending on crop, improper

fertilizing of field, weeds,

excessive cloudy weather


NITROGEN TETROXIDE (N2O4):

How and Where

Produced during ensilage process and

is similar to but more reactive than

nitrogen dioxide

Heavier than both carbon dioxide and

nitrogen dioxide

Respiratory irritant - permanent lung

damage strong odour, heavier than air,

yellow in colour, nonflammable but will

support combustion


METHANE:

How and WhereIs a by-product of the silage

fermentation process and is also

formed in manure storage areas.

Difficult to detect in both areas

It should be assumed that methane is

present in both areas

Asphyxiant - highly flammable

between 2 and 15 % by volume, lighter

than air, no colour or odour


HYDROGEN SULFIDE (H2S):

How and Where

Not a by-product of the silage process

Produced in manure pits when pits are

agitated or emptied which may be near

silos, barns, or feed lots

Asphyxiant, Pulmonary irritant, Coma,

Convulsions - At concentrates of 1,000

PPM can kill with a single breath, rotten

egg smell, heavier than air, flammable

between 4 and 44% by volume


THREE MAIN TYPES OF SILOS

Manufactures depends on area

Conventional Silo

Oxygen Limiting Silo

Bunker Silo

There are other systems such as

AG-Bags that also use the

fermentation process


CONVENTIONAL SILO


CONVENTIONAL SILO: FILLING


FIRE IN CONVENTIONAL

SILO


OXYGEN LIMITING SILOS


OXYGEN LIMITING TOP SEAL


EXPLOSION


Converted

Oxygen

Limiting

Silo burning


CONFINED SPACE??


NEXT PROBLEM


Cement Oxygen

Limiting Silo


Machinery Related

INJURIES

“CONSEQUENCES”


Mechanism of Injury

Is

Extremely Important


Classification of Burns by Depth

Superficial Partial Thickness Full Thickness


9/9/2014102


IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DETERMINE

THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE

ALL ELECTRICAL BURN PATIENTS

REQUIRE HOSPITAL

ASSESSMENT


Hazard Awareness

• Control Hazards

– Fluids (gas, hydraulic fluid, calcium, battery

acid, oil, coolant, pesticides, herbicides)

– Turn of Engine / PTO (HOW??)

– Lock out Electrical Systems

– Stabilize Vehicles (wheel chocks)

– Be aware of stored energy

– Be prepared for fire

– Control Live Stock


Team Work!

“BE SAFE”


We Need to Prepare for Anything !

THANK YOU for YOUR ATTENTION

oxford ems agricultural hazard awareness

Healthcare

agricultural machinery

ems hazard awareness

confined spaceseptember

livestockprocessed crops

enclosed space

dried cropsprocessed

atmospheric hazards

type of injuries