Personal Safety
Following biosecurity best practices not only results in healthy flocks and quality eggs and meat but also ensures the personal safety of the people handling poultry. Penn State Extension offers information on the many aspects of biosecurity such as chicken and eggs handling and ammonia monitoring. Safety tips on how to deal with confined space manure storage are also provided.
Safe Poultry and Egg Handling
Penn State Extension provides articles, videos, and seminars on poultry safety, discussing topics like management of poultry dust, common Avian diseases and pests, and biosecurity tips for growers. Special attention is paid to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), which is deadly for chickens and can be transmitted to humans, sometimes with very serious health consequences. Protocols for handling infected birds and the correct use of HPAI respiratory protection are also available.
Adhering to the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system also helps reduce health risks for poultry handlers. Find additional information on common chicken diseases in the Poultry Care and Diseases section of the website.
Information is provided on the risks of disease-causing bacteria when storing, preparing, and cooking raw poultry. The safe handling of eggs is also discussed in this category of the website.
Poultry Biosecurity
Manure management is a key aspect of biosecurity in poultry. Growers can find information about the different gases released by manure and the potential associated hazards. Information on manure storage and manure gas management is available here.
Hydrogen sulfide is one particular gas that needs to be monitored very closely. It is toxic for humans even at low concentrations, which means people may be exposed unwittingly. Manure handlers may want to consider using personal gas monitors as a safety measure. Additional information on gas detection equipment to ensure safe manure storage in confined spaces is available here.
Growers can also view a video on all the key steps to biosecurity in poultry.
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VideosWhat Should I Do if Health Issues Arise?
Length 4:06Where to get help if you are concerned you may have Avian Influenza. -
ArticlesUse Personal Gas Monitors to Avoid Exposure to Toxic Hydrogen Sulfide
Gas monitoring is always recommended when working around toxic gases such as hydrogen sulfide. Fortunately, affordable portable personal gas monitors are available for on-farm use. -
ArticlesAmmonia Monitoring in Barns Using Simple Instruments
This article describes simple relatively-inexpensive instruments for detecting ammonia gas concentration in animal housing to assure proper air quality. -
VideosMake Biosecurity Your Routine
Length 5:02Biosecurity needs to be part of any poultry farm management plan. -
ArticlesConfined Space Manure Storage Hazards
Automated manure and waste water handling is most often accomplished by collecting and storing manure and waste in storages located directly beneath the animals or in a nearby containment structure. -
ArticlesReoccurring Themes of Manure Gas Deaths
Manure gas deaths keep occurring around the world. What can we do to make manure handling safer? -
ArticlesHPAI Respiratory Protection
N95 is the minimum level respiratory protection approved by CDC/NIOSH for use for by individuals working with HPAI-infected birds. -
ArticlesConfined Space Manure Storage Emergencies
Learn about when a person is discovered unresponsive in a manure storage pit and the best management practices farmers can take to avoid an emergency on their farm. -
ConferencesPennsylvania Poultry Sales and Service Conference and Northeast Conference on Avian Diseases
Length 1.5 days - 13 hours totalDynamic two-day conference covering vital poultry industry insights, with sessions on poultry health, HPAI trends, and specialized breakout discussions. Includes excellent networking opportunities.