Shop Safety Mini Series Produced by the Southwest Center for Agricultural Health, Injury Prevention and Education October 2019

					Torch Safety Perhaps some of the most versatile and useful tools in a shop environment are torches. They can be used for brazing, soldering, cutting, bending, and other tasks.   Types of Torches Oxyacetylene torches use a combination of highly flammable acetylene gas and oxygen to make a flame burning 6,330 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the only torch able to cut steel. Oxyacetylene torches are widely used for underwater welding and cutting activities, heat treating stone, and fire polishing glass, in addition to more everyday shop tasks. Acetylene tanks and hoses are red, and oxygen tanks and hoses are green or black. Plumber’s torches can be found in many shops as well, since they are more compact. Most of these are propane fueled, burning at about 3,500 degrees Fahrenheit. They are mainly used for soldering copper pipes or loosening stuck fasteners and are not powerful enough to cut, braze, or melt most metal. They can also be found fueled by butane, propylene, or a blend of gases. Safety The cylinders or “bottles” used to hold fuel for oxyacetylene are under immense pressure. Acetylene is kept at about 3000 psi. Combine this with acetylene’s explosive abilities, and the tanks become a hazard. When transporting the cylinders, always remove the regulator and install the valve cap. Chain cylinders to prevent their falling over. An oxygen cylinder with over 2,000 psi in it becomes a lethal projectile if it falls over and its cylinder valve is damaged. Always keep them vertical. Also, keep hoses and tanks away from flame. When using the torch, use the correct tip size and pressure. This can cause the flame to 'flashback' and travel into the hose and potentially into the tank. This is usually accompanied by a loud popping or hissing sound. Flashback arrestors should also be employed to prevent this. Although torches are not as dangerous as welding, they still produce eye damaging light. Eyewear with a shade of 2-5 should be worn. Also, many metals, alloys, and anti-rust coatings give off harmful fumes when heated. Galvanized metal is notorious for this. Always make sure to be in a well ventilated area when using a torch. Never oil regulators, valves, or torches, as oil is flammable. Always bleed off the hoses when finished with the torch, and always light fuel first, then introducing oxygen. Finally, do not use oxygen as a substitute for compressed air, to blow off clothes or surfaces. The oxygen is absorbed by clothing and makes them extra flammable in the event of ignition. Stay tuned next month for the last article in the Shop Safety Mini Series.  Make sure to take the quiz below to see if you know how to be safe around torches. References and Photo Sources: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/376050637611386192/ https://www.harrisproductsgroup.com/en/Expert-Advice/tech-tips/oxy-fuel-equipment-safety-guidelines.aspx https://www.finehomebuilding.com/2004/05/01/soldering-copper-pipe-2

USDA Abruptly Halts Animal ID Plan Greg Henderson October 28, 2019 10:06 AM

APHIS says the need for ADT still exists. ( FJ )

USDA’s Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced Friday (Oct. 25) it has suspended its plan to phase-in the use of electronic ID (RFID) tags for cattle and bison.
APHIS said in a statement the policy shift was in response to executive orders from President Trump that have highlighted the need for transparency and communication of issues “before placing any new requirements on American farmers and ranchers.”
In April APHIS announced its plan for Animal Disease Traceability with a factsheet posted to its web site. The factsheet detailed USDA’s plan to transition to radio frequency identification (RFID) tags from metal ear tags for cattle and bison. At the time, USDA said it would stop providing free metal tags, though approved vendors would still be permitted to produce official metal tags for one year. On Jan. 1, 2021, USDA would end approval of vendor production of metal ear tags with the USDA shield.
The animal disease traceability (ADT) plan set January 1, 2023, as the date all animals that move interstate and fall into specific categories would need official, individual RFID tags. The plan specifically omitted feeder cattle.
In its statement withdrawing those regulations, APHIS said it has “listened to the industry’s feedback.”
One of the loudest voices against RFID was heard earlier this month when R-CALF USA filed a lawsuit in federal district court in Casper, WY, seeking to halt the plan. Joining the suit were the New Civil Liberties Alliance and rancher plaintiffs Kenny and Roxie Fox of Belvidere, SD, and Tracy and Donna Hunt of Newcastle, WY. The suit alleged the proposed requirements were in opposition to USDA’s own policy that had previously allowed the use of a number of different kinds of identification including metal tags.
In its statement Friday, APHIS said the factsheet was removed because it “is no longer representative of current agency policy.”
Despite the executive orders whitdrawing the ADT plan, APHIS acknowledged the continuing need for a national animal ID plan.
“While the need to advance a robust joint Federal-State-Industry Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) capability remains an important USDA-APHIS objective, we will take the time to reconsider the path forward and then make a new proposal, with ample opportunity for all stakeholders to comment,” the APHIS statement said. “We continue to believe that RFID devices will provide the cattle industry with the best protection against the rapid spread of animal diseases, as well as meet the growing expectations of
APHIS said USDA’s goals to enhance ADT have not changed, and the agency aid to:

• Encourage the use of electronic identification for animals that move interstate under the current ADT regulation;
• Enhance electronic sharing of basic animal disease traceability data;
• Enhance the ability to track animals from birth to slaughter; and
• Increase the use of electronic health certificates

American Beef Is A Climate Change Solution, Rancher Says Drovers News Source October 18, 2019 11:33 AM

 

South Dakota cattle producer Todd Wilkinson told a U.S. Senate subcommittee that contrary to the claims of some environmental and anti-animal-agriculture activists, "American beef production and consumption is a climate change solution."

"Climate policies that unfairly target cattle producers fail to recognize the positive role of cattle and beef in a healthy, sustainable food system," Wilkinson told members of the U.S. Senate's Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety. "Rather than adopting misguided policies that threaten the viability of farmers and ranchers, we want to shift the conversation."

The subcommittee held the hearing on the issue of "Reducing Emissions While Driving Economic Growth: Industry-Led Initiatives." In his testimony, Wilkinson discussed the environmental benefits of grazing, and busted myths about the effect of methane on global climate.

"(Grazing) naturally sequesters carbon, a benefit compounded by ruminant grazing," Wilkinson explained. "Grazing builds deep root systems in prairie grasses, which improve soil health. Healthy soils retain more water, sequester more carbon, and increase the resiliency of our ranches."

"Methane emissions from cattle are part of the natural methane cycle," Wilkinson continued. "Within 10 years, more than 90 percent of that methane combines with oxygen in the atmosphere and converts to CO2. Methane has no long-term impact on climate when emissions and oxidation are in balance. And this balance has been maintained for centuries."

Wilkinson, who is co-owner and operator of a commercial cow-calf operation and feeding business in De Smet, S.D., also serves as NCBA's 2019 Policy Division Vice Chairman and as Vice President of the South Dakota Cattlemen's Foundation. He closed his testimony by reminding Senators of producers' long commitment to environmental stewardship.

"The U.S. cattle industry is proud of its history as stewards of our nation's natural resources," he said. "Cattle producers are America's original conservationists, and we work hard every day to ensure that we can pass our operations on to the next generation. My family, and the entire American cattle producing community, is committed to remaining environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable for generations to come."

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