How Ogunbiyi’s research is advancing grain handling safety and health

Dabira Ogunbiyi, a renowned expert in Agricultural Safety and Health, has made significant contributions to the field through his innovative research and leadership.

His latest study, presented at the prestigious International Society for Agricultural Safety and Health (ISASH) held at Portland Oregon USA informed experts and colleagues on his findings while investigating the relationship between respirator types and their impact on behavioral and physiological responses during simulated grain handling activities.

Grain handling operations pose significant risks to workers, exposing them to hazardous dust and heat stress, which can lead to respiratory illnesses and other health problems.

Ogunbiyi’s research addresses these issues by evaluating the effectiveness of different respirator types in reducing the risks associated with grain handling.

The study involved ten participants who performed various tasks, including sweeping, scooping, and climbing, while wearing different types of respirators, including N95, half-mask, full-face, and powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs).

The research revealed significant differences in heart rate across activities and time periods, but not respirator types, suggesting that the type of respirator worn may not significantly impact physiological responses.

However, the study found that climbing and sweeping tasks resulted in higher heart rates than scooping, indicating that certain activities may be more physically demanding and potentially hazardous.

Additionally, the research showed that heart rates increased in later periods, suggesting potential prolonged exposure effects, and core body temperature differed significantly across periods, with highest temperatures observed later.

Skin temperature changes varied across periods but not respirator types, and a mixed model ANOVA examined temperature and heart rate differences between respirator types.

Correlation analysis related temperature to comfort survey responses, which revealed that participants preferred PAPRs based on comfort, despite no statistically significant impact on physiological responses.

This study provides critical insights into the impact of activities and exposure duration on physiological responses, offering practical recommendations for improving grain worker safety against hazardous dust and heat stress.

Ogunbiyi’s research highlights the importance of prioritizing worker health and safety in grain handling operations and identifies PAPRs as comfortable and effective respirators to achieve this goal.

Through his work, Ogunbiyi continues to advance the field of Agricultural Safety and Health, driving positive change and setting new standards for worker protection and safety in grain handling operations.

Source: Vangaurd