Looking for Farmers to Participate in Grain Dust Study

Ohio farmers are being asked to participate in a study about their dust exposure while working of their on farm grain bins. The project is funded by the Bureau of Workers Compensation (BWC) to learn the real exposures farmers experience at when they unload and clean their bins. The aim of this research will help identify safety and health practices used on Ohio farms to help solve (or at least reduce) their exposures to hazards.
 
The mini study requires participating farmers to wear an air sampling pump while unloading grain and cleaning out their grain bins. The sample will be taken for the time period they are working, and scheduled by the farm operation. There should be limited disruption to the overall production schedule of the farm, or interruption from the farmers’ daily work. No personal identifying information that could be traced back to the producer will be collected.  Dust samples are needed for corn, soybeans, and wheat. All Ohio farmers who own, manage, or use on-farm grain bin structures are eligible to have samples taken at their location. Results will be shared back to the farm operator so they know how their samples compare to other samples taken in the state. 

Farm workers interested in participating, before their bins are emptied of their current commodity please contact Dee Jepsen, 614-292-6008 or Jepsen.4@osu.edu