Dairy farming requires close contact between people and animals, with transmissions that can be a source of zoonotic disease. The development of evidence-based best practices for managing transmission of microorganisms in the farm environment could help dairy production minimize risks to workers, livestock, and the general public.
This project responds to specified PPE needs for the tree fruit and related industries in Washington State that can reduce pesticide handler exposure and potential pesticide-related illness. Three safety concerns of WA airblast pesticide applicators were addressed: 1) data-driven respirator cartridge change-out schedule, 2) field efficacy of gloves used by pesticide handlers, 3) the effectiveness of a PPE hat that could be used with PPE suits and jackets.
This project collaborated with Hmong refugee farmers in Washington State to identify and address farm hazards using novel community-based participatory approaches along with conventional industrial hygiene methods, and a systematic assessment of the working conditions and practices of Hmong refugee farmers.
Latino immigrant workers are increasingly finding employment as laborers in Pacific Northwest forests. This project provided a baseline understanding of the hazards faced by salvage cedar block cutters and the barriers they may face in addressing these occupational health and safety hazards. Employing community based participatory research methods, 13 key informant interviews were conducted with forest and community workers. The findings of this project, in brief, include:
This stakeholder driven project aimed to reduce un-permitted harvesting of special forest products (SFPs) in the Forks, Washington area and increase the overall health of the environment and the workers. In a one-year effort, the Sustainable Harvest project brought together harvesters, public and private landowners, and local city and tribal government representatives.
Climate change will have serious and long-term consequences for public health. The greatest impacts will be in cities with milder summers, less air conditioning and higher population density, which are characteristic of the Pacific Northwest. A multi-disciplinary team of UW scientists will evaluate the impact of climate change on human health in the Pacific Northwest, work with local communities to study health risks that will likely occur in the next 35 years and uncover how communities might mitigate those risks.
In the US, logging is among the top three most dangerous jobs, and when all factors are considered, logging is likely the most dangerous job and the most exertive work. Data in OR, WA, and ID show that 50% of loggers are at least 45 years old - and that percentage is growing. This pilot project assessed the ergonomic and economic benefits of using synthetic rope to replace wire rope in standardized logging tasks for older workers (>age 40) compared to current practices and younger workers.
