As with anything else, improper use or over concern for a use is problematic. Diatomaceous Earth is used in relatively small amounts mixed with other products. A considerable amount of it would have to become airborne for a problem to exist.
I suspect that unless you create a cloud of it, there is not much to avoid. When my chickens bathe in the dust, they scoop the earth and its constituent parts over themselves. I don't notice fine dust particles themselves when they do this, even when the soil is extremely dry. Nevertheless, the soil can be scooped and tossed into the air, showing dust.
The referred report is for workers in an environment that probably lacks adequate ventilation coupled with large amounts of dust. Therefore, respiratory protection makes sense. The report addresses workers in a period of time over and under five years of daily working hours exposure.
When I turn the pine shavings in my coop, I notice dust from the shavings and whatever else is in there. I don't have to stand in the coop to do this, so the presence of the dust for a short period of time in the coop is not a concern. I am outside reaching in with a fork, the chickens are outside in the run. If I had to work inside the coop, I would ventilate it or wear some sort of respiratory protection.
Decanting crumbles from the feed sack makes dust. Should we discontinue its use, too?
Reading, researching, and understanding are better for us to make good decisions than to simply go off the deep end based upon one BB post.
Chris
