As modern dairy operations around the world expand, farmers have become increasingly dependent on immigrant workers to milk cows, feed cows and treat cows. Hispanic laborers from Mexico, Central and South America are increasingly being utilized on larger U.S. dairies.

Heat stress in dairy cows has long been recognized as having significant negative impacts on dairy production parameters, including milk yield and reproduction, and therefore is a substantial financial burden to dairy producers. It’s estimated that problems related to heat stress on the farm can cost in excess of $900 a year in the U.S. alone.

Lung diseases have been recognized among dairy workers for decades. While changes on modern dairies have reduced the risk of lung disease, dairy workers continue to experience an excess of chronic bronchitis and occupational asthma with measurable decreases in their pulmonary function and increased syptoms including wheezing, cough and phelgm production.

Chemicals are used in many dairy farm operations, and many of these chemicals pose a wide range of health and physical hazards. Chemical exposure may cause or contribute to many serious health effects such as heart ailments, central nervous or reproductive systems, kidney and lung damage, sterility, cancer, burns and rashes. Some chemicals may also pose physical hazards and have the potential to cause fires and explosions and other serious accidents.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires all dairy employers to provide a safe and healthful workplace free of recognized hazards and follow all applicable standards. Click here to view one of these standards, OSHA Recordkeeping regulation (29 CFR 1904). According to the recordkeeping standard, employers are required to prepare and maintain records of occupational injuries and illnesses.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article is the second in a series of online columns from University of Texas, School of Public Health assistant professor David Douphrate and his dairy industry colleagues about ways that dairy managers and owners can comply with health and safety regulations. Click here to read the first article in this series. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act) authorizes the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to inspect job sites. Almost all OSHA inspections are unannounced. A U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA compliance officer may inspect the farm at any reasonable hour as a result of an employee complaint or a reportable accident.

Agricultural production is among the most dangerous occupations and accounts for a large percentage of worker fatalities and injuries. Researchers have identified dairy farming as having the second-highest risk for injuries among all U.S. agricultural sectors. Over the past three decades, the dairy industry has changed to more efficiently produce dairy products to meet higher demands. Herd sizes continue to increase, forcing farms to employ more workers.