References
For further information about the safe use of
grain fumigants and the laws that regulate use of
them, see:
"Pesticide Fact Sheet: Aluminum and
Magnesium Phosphide". Environmental
Protection Agency, Fact Sheet Number 118.
February 20, 1987.
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodantlcldo
Act, as amended (7 U.S.C. 136)
"Health Hazard Evaluation Report: Federal
Grain Inspection Service - USD A, Portland
Oregon. National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health, NETA 83-375-1521. October
1984.
40 C.F.R, Part 152, Subpart 1. Classification of
Pesticides
For More Information:
Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Sixth Avenue, AT-083
Seattle, Washington 98101
Federal Grain Inspection Service
U.S. Department of Agriculture
P.O. Box 96454
Washington, D.C. 20090-6454
Occupational Safety & Health
Administration
U.S. Department of Labor
200 Constitution Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20210
U.S. Department of Transportation
400 7th Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20590
&EFA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Region to
1200 Sixth Avenue
Seattle Washington 98101
In the Patific Northwest, ^placarded
transports carrying gram treated with
phosphine famigants are posing a health
and safety risk to grain handlers
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Failing to Test Commodity Temperature and Placard Fumigated Grain Transports is Jeopardizing Our Safety
Use of Phosphine Fumigants
The only way to effectively and safely
use phosphine fumigants is to use them as
the product label directs, i It is important to
remember that these substances are toxic
and potentially harmful-fo people. Using
approved application methods and placarding
all grain transports carrying fumigated grain
are our best means of ensuring the safety of
all grain handlers.
The Problems
Missing Placards
Failure to placard fumigated grain
transports presents a great danger. Some
applicators are not placarding grain carriers
with signs to warn inspectors, samplers, and
other grain handlers that grain contained in
the carrier has been fumigated. As a result,
inspectors, samplers, and grain handlers
working in and around unplacarded transports
are being exposed to dangerous levels of
fumigants.
A study conducted by the National Institute
for Occupational Safety and Health concludes
that "...since fumigated and non-fumigated
railcarshipments are identical in appearance
except tor placarding, workers opening
unplacarded, fumigated grain shipments will
probably not realize the grain has been treated
until after exposure has occurred."
Testing Commodity Temperature
Aluminum phosphide labels require that
the internal commodity temperature be tested
before the fumigant is applied. In cold weather
months, the internal commodity temperature
may be below 40 degrees F - too tow for the
phosphide tablets to react. If applied improperly
to a cold grain shipment, unspent tablets will
not begin to react until arrival in warm weather
areas such as ports in Oregon and Washington.
The phosphine gas that then is produced in a
sealed transport during shipment can cause
severe poisoning upon opening, especially if
placards are not attached to warn grain
handlers of the danger.
The Health Hazards
Working in or around an unplacarded
transport containing unsafe levels of phosphine
without allowing it to aerate may result in
direct inhalation of toxic fumes. Such exposure
may cause weakness, tremors, vomiting,
coughing, difficult or labored respiration, and
possibly pulmonary edema. For a grain
handler walking atop a railcar or trailer, these
symptoms could result in a long, dangerous
fall.
The Solutions
Testing and Placarding
All individuals in the grain handling and
transport system must ensure each other's
safety. Grain transports must be placarded
with warnings that the contents of the carrier,
whether a barge, railcar or truck, are fumigated.
Placards on grain transports alert official
grain inspection personnel and grain handlers
that the grain contained in the transport has
been fumigated and must be aerated before
it can be safely handled, inspected, or sampled.
Before applying aluminum phosphide
fumigants, applicators should also test
commodttytemperature and only apply when
the temperature is 40 degrees F or above.
This practice is particularly important when
using fumigants in cold weather months since
cold commodity temperatures will slow down
or stop the production of phosphine gas.
Normal aeration or detection procedures may
fail in this situation. Testing for the presence
of phosphine gas will give you a false "safe"
reading because the phosphide tablets will
have failed to react. The only reliable course
of action is to withhold application until the
internal commodity temperature has risen to
40 degrees F.
What You Can Do To Help
Proper placarding will ensure that grain
handlers throughout the system have the
opportunity to take necessary safety
precautions before working with fumigated
grain.
For the safety of other grain handlers,
remember to test commodity temperature
before applying aluminum phosphide
fumigants. Placard fumigated transports and
date the placards as to when fumigation
began. If you have reason to believe that a
fumigated transport may not be completely
aerated, be sure that placards remain attached
to the transport during shipment.
Safety is the Law
The Environmental Protection Agency
regulates the use of fumigants through
instructions on the product label. Remember
that failure to follow these instructions violates
state and federal laws. The labels on aluminum
phosphide fumigants state:
"Do not fumigate if commodity
temperature is below 40 degrees F."
"All entrances to a fumigated site must
be placarded. (Railroad hopper cars must be
placarded on both sides near the ladders and
on the top hatch where fumigant was applied).
A placard may only be removed after the
commodity is completely aerated. To
determine whether aeration is complete, each
fumigated site or vehicle must be monitored
and shown to contain 0.3 parts per million
(ppm) or less phosphine gas in the air and
space around and, when feasible, in the
mass of the commodity. If more than 0.3 ppm
is detected, the placard must be transferred
with the treated commodity. Persons
transferring or handling incompletely aerated
commodities must be informed of the presence
of phosphine and adequate measures must
be taken to prevent exposure to more than
0.3 ppm."
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