Recent safety incidents at US cannabis cultivation facilities have caused concern at the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) autumn meeting. ‘I have a level of professional and personal concern about this new-born industry – while marijuana has been around a long time, at the industrial production level it is an infant,’ stated Neal Langerman, a safety consultant and founder of Advanced Chemical Safety in California, during a session of the 256th American Chemical Society meeting in Boston, US on 20 August.
In July, there were reports that 16 employees at a large cannabis cultivation facility, Copperstate Farms, in Arizona sought emergency medical attention following a spill of the commercial greenhouse cleaner Strip-It. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has now inspected the facility and sanctions could follow.
Earlier this month, there was also an explosion at the Arizona Development Services cannabis facility that was caused by ‘improperly stored hazardous materials’, according to the Casa Grande Dispatch.
‘These were not home-grown idiots,’ remarked Langerman, a corporate liaison to the ACS’s committee on chemical safety. ‘These were industry sites.’ He also referred to an assessment by Colorado researchers that found that there was ‘an imminent need to establish formal health and safety training to implement best practices’ across the cannabis industry.
Andrew Pham, the new chairman of the ACS’s cannabis chemistry subdivision, also expressed concern that the safety aspects of the rapidly expanding legal cannabis are being ‘pushed aside’. ‘What are the real repercussions, and are there any real dangers to public safety that we have to consider with cannabis being legalized?’ asked Pham, who is scientific director at BelCosta Labs, a cannabis testing lab in California.
Since recreational marijuana was legalized in California in November 2016, there has been a ‘huge increase’ in the number of arrests for driving under the influence (DUI) of that drug, according to Pham. ‘This is near and dear to my heart,’ he said, having testified as an expert witness in more than 20 such DUI cases in San Diego County, mostly for the public defender’s office.
In the US, there is a legal limit for blood alcohol when driving a car but there isn’t an equivalent for cannabis. ‘There is no breathalyser for THC [the psychoactive compound in cannabis],’ Pham said. The closest thing is a blood test, which is typically administered about two hours after a suspect is arrested. This is problematic because these tests are for THC and its metabolites, but a person’s THC blood level generally peaks quickly after consumption and then drops rapidly within 20 minutes.
Since THC is lipophilic, it is distributed into fatty tissues rather than staying in the bloodstream. Therefore, if two people take an identical amount of cannabis the person with a higher BMI will have less THC in their bloodstream than someone with a lower BMI. This makes it particularly challenging to develop a sensible law to prevent people from driving after taking cannabis. ‘I like to science my way out of most problems, but this is one that is really difficult to do,’ Pham said.
Pham suggested that possible solutions to achieve a limit for cannabis intoxication that’s comparable to alcohol include establishing clear legal THC limits, field-testing a device to measure levels of the drug, as well as validating a sobriety test for THC intoxication.
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Growing Worker Safety Concerns in the Medical Marijuana Industry
Print ST. PAUL, Minn. – To date, 30 states and the District of Columbia now allow marijuana use for medical and/or recreational use. Additionally, 16 more states have also legalized the inclusion of cannabidiols (CBDs) to be used in various forms. However, each state handles the relevant cannabis industry production safety and health issues for workers in this emerging agricultural and retail industry differently*.Moreover, as more marijuana grow operations open, there are a growing number of workers who are being employed in cannabis production. Have you assessed the hazards as well as health and safety risks that your workers might be exposed to and what personal protective equipment (PPE) may be able to keep them safe? Let’s explore this issue.
Historical Overview
Historically, the illicit nature of marijuana often led people to try to grow it in rooms with poor ventilation and no windows to prevent detection. These practices created dangerous safety conditions with potentially hazardous health effects on growers and cultivators. Yet, these concerns can still exist today for legal indoor marijuana producers who are not aware of the proper health and safety precautions they should be taking to protect their workers.
Guidelines about how to deal with and handle marijuana were traditionally drafted to help protect law enforcement who came across marijuana during drug raids. These policies typically do not address how to protect against cannabis production safety hazards that come from prolonged exposure and continuous handling, such as those that workers in grow farms, retail clinics and storefronts might be expected to face.
Cannabis Industry Production Safety – The Hazards
Local and state government entities, as well as grow operation owners, are recognizing a need across many states to have better health and safety protocols and programs to protect workers in the marijuana industry. For instance, issuing guidelines about care, handling and protection might address any of several hazards workers may encounter, such as:- Respiratory, eye and dermal exposures to 8-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) while handling plant buds
- Exposures to different pesticides and fertilizers used for certain strains of the plants
- Excessive ultraviolet (UV) exposure from grow lamps used in indoor facilities for the vegetative states and flowering cycles
- Disproportionate carbon dioxide (CO2) exposure in greenhouses calibrated to optimize growing environments
- Accidental carbon monoxide (CO) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) exposure from CO2 producing devices used to help promote plant growth
- Burn and shock risks resulting from the improper wiring of grow lamps and other equipment, including butane extraction
- Cuts, nicks, scrapes that may occur while harvesting the buds, flowers and other elements of the plant
- Pinches, carpal tunnel and repetitive stress injuries of shears and gardening equipment during harvesting
- Mold exposure related to indoor growing operations caused by improper ventilation
- Heat-stress from working in outdoor facilities, especially greenhouses
Resources for OHS Actions of Cannabis Production
Many of the same principles associated with the agricultural production apply to the cannabis industry production safety. That said, several sources have created information customized to cannabis.For example, Colorado currently has the most licensed dispensaries and grow operations in the US with more than 1,000 legally registered entities. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment published a comprehensive guide for developing a worker health and safety program.
In addition, Washington State also has many resources that can help producer/growers as well as processors and retailers with establishing cannabis industry production safety protocols. As its website points out, “Preventive efforts make good business sense when you begin to consider the possible costs associated with a tragic accident.”
Overall, a lack of information about what equipment is needed, how to protect your workers and how to put these programs in place has been a chief complaint from stakeholders in this emerging industry. As noted earlier, Washington and Colorado are leading the OHS charge on the government side so far. In addition, the Technical Service team at 3M is another resource that can help evaluate EHS issues in your operation and provide suggestions to help you run a safe operation.
Personal Protective Equipment Considerations for Cannabis Employees
There are several types of PPE and programs that can be put in place to help protect the health and safety of marijuana growing, production and retail workers. Check out our infographic that outlines legal cannabis growing operation hazards and health risks as well as PPE that may be able to help protect workers.For instance, different types of respirators may be needed to help protect against the short and long-term exposure to the plants, mold or pesticides. 3M has a Center for Respiratory Protection that offers a free online guide, education, information and step-by-step tools to help companies assess their respiratory protection needs and establish a respiratory protection program. (Check out our blog discussing tips on how to implement and successfully document a respiratory program generally.) Again, the state of Washington does provide guidance about respiratory air quality and odor controls that growers should take into account. You should check with your jurisdiction’s clean air regulations and agencies that issue rules to make sure you are in compliance and protecting your workers.
Additionally, safety eyewear and safety sun wear can help protect from sun, UV grow lamps, pesticides, other chemicals, and debris while cultivating, harvesting and processing. Gloves, protective clothing, and eye protection can help prevent injury while cultivating, as well as the harm that can result from contact with the plants and pesticides. Installing monitors for detection of dangerous levels of carbon dioxide and monoxide should also be a priority for indoor and hydroponic operations.
We encourage you to download our Tech Service Bulletin 249: Legal Cannabis Growing Operations, which discusses what types of PPE can be used to help protect from some of the most common the hazards.
Being proactive can help build a culture of safety and help workers be more productive and prevent injury. Contact us today to learn how we can help you protect your workers.