Safety & Security

SPCC For Farms and Gins
The deadline dates by which owners or operators of regulated facilities must prepare or amend and implement a SPCC Plan have past. Continued Plan evaluation, facility inspection, testing and record keeping requirements, as well as employee training, are important components of implementing and maintaining a SPCC Plan.

Fire and Building Codes and Storage of Baled Cotton
Cotton fibers were considered combustible fibers and listed in a Hazardous Material Classification in the fire and building code standards for the two national fire and building code organizations in the U.S. -- International Code Council and National Fire Protection Association after they were revised in 2000.

NCC Memo/Fact Sheet on FDA’s Food/Feed Bioterrorism Rule
The NCC issued a memo and fact sheet to the ginner and cottonseed sectors regarding FDA’s Food/Feed Bioterrorism Rule.

Hazardous Materials Transport Rules
U.S. Department of Transportation rules require agricultural producers who transport certain hazardous materials to develop and implement a transportation security plan.

Guide to Safe Trucking
The Agricultural and Food Transporters Conference (AFTC) of the American Trucking Associations (ATA) has published a Manager's Guide to Safe Trucking During Agricultural Planting and Harvest Season.

Warehouse Security Plans for CCC Storage Agreement Compliance
The NCC developed this fact sheet for our warehouse members in order to inform them about the steps they need to consider when attempting to comply with Presidential Directives and USDA reporting requirements. This fact sheet is also our effort to identify useful security plan resources.

DHS Chemical Rule May Impact Farms, Gins, Oil Mills
The Department of Homeland Security published the final Appendix A of the Chemical Facilities Anti-Terrorism Standard (CFATS). As this rule may impact individual gin, farm and oil mill facilities that store propane, ammonia and ammonium nitrate, industry members are urged to review and determine if a "Top Screen" needs to be completed.

Biosecurity/Agroterrorism: Voluntary USDA Pre-Harvest Security Guidelines and Checklist for Growers
Farm security presents unique challenges for producers. However, there are some basic measures that can be instituted at the farm level to secure producers' farmsteads. To help the agricultural producer reduce security risks at the farm, USDA has developed some voluntary guidelines and checklist that provides a pre-harvest security resource.

Why Cotton Ginning Is Considered Agriculture
This article, which appeared in the April 16 issue of Cotton Gin & Oil Mill Press magazine, demonstrates that cotton ginning is correctly classified as an agricultural operation instead of general industry to avoid being subjected to inappropriate, burdensome, and costly general industry standards, which could adversely affect both the operation of a gin and cotton quality.

Worker Protection Standard
Training of workers and handlers, the use and maintenance of personal protection equipment and guidance on understanding the regulation itself are covered in this series developed in cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency.

Powered Industrial Trucks
This category of powered machines are commonly referred to as forklifts or lift trucks. In the cotton industry, these machines are often the primary method used to move baled cotton at warehouses and gins. Because of special hazards associated with these trucks, personnel operating or overseeing the operation of these types of machines are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with USDOL OSHA rules and guidelines governing the operation of this category of equipment.