Respiratory Health

People in the agriculture industry are exposed to a variety of materials that are potentially harmful to the respiratory system. Farmers often are exposed to low concentrations of these substances when performing daily chores, with periodic exposure to high concentrations of certain harmful dusts or gases typical of many agricultural activities.

Personal Protective Equipment

It's essential to protect your lungs from airborne particles, contaminants and other harmful substances that you might breathe in. Determining the right respirator to protect your respiratory system can be complicated. The following resources are designed to assist with selecting the right respirator for the job. 

• Farming and Respiratory Health Brochure (AgriSafe)
• Respirator Selection Guide (Poster) (AgriSafe)
• Respirator Selection Guide (8.5x11 pdf) (AgriSafe)
• Which respirator should I use? (AgriSafe respiratory algorithm)

Air Quality Monitoring

Concentrations of harmful gases in the air can change quickly. You need to pay attention to levels of several harmful gases, particularly when agitating manure pits or other manure storage areas.

• Manure Storage Pit Dangers - Identifying Hazardous Gases (GPCAH)
• Manure Gases (GPCAH)
• More information on air quality sampling