Over the coming weeks the focus will start turning to slurry spreading. Weather conditions and land trafficability at the moment are ideal and the hope is this trend will continue into the open period. Preparation for slurry spreading can be a dangerous task and farmers need to be fully alert to the dangers.
In the Machinery section, slurry safety is covered in detail. One of the highest risk periods when working with slurry is agitating. There are a number of toxic gases that can be released during the agitation process such as hydrogen sulphide, ammonia, methane and carbon dioxide. We all need to be aware of the dangers and take precautions to avoid encounters with these poisonous gases. Slurry contractors also need to be made aware of the dangers. The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has outlined a number of steps that should be taken every time you agitate. The top 10 are:
Evacuate and ventilate before you agitate.Never agitate slurry in still air conditions.Move all animals out of the shed before starting.At least two people should be present at all times.Keep children and elderly persons away from the area when agitating.Open all doors and outlets to provide a draught.Never stand over slats or near tank access points when agitation is in progress.Avoid vigorous agitation in confined spaces.Do not allow slurry to rise within 300mm of the slats or tank covers.Keep all people away from the agitation point for 30 minutes after starting agitation.Drowning is another slurry danger. According to the HSA it is the most common cause of death involving slurry. We all need to make sure manholes are covered securely and children are kept away when working with slurry. Scrape holes on outdoor lagoons should be adequately protected. Open slurry tanks should be protected by an unclimbable fence or wall at least 1.8 metres high, with locked gates. Covered or slatted tanks require access manholes that children cannot open easily. Fit a safety grid below the manhole to give secondary protection.
Over the coming weeks the focus will start turning to slurry spreading. Weather conditions and land trafficability at the moment are ideal and the hope is this trend will continue into the open period. Preparation for slurry spreading can be a dangerous task and farmers need to be fully alert to the dangers.
In the Machinery section, slurry safety is covered in detail. One of the highest risk periods when working with slurry is agitating. There are a number of toxic gases that can be released during the agitation process such as hydrogen sulphide, ammonia, methane and carbon dioxide. We all need to be aware of the dangers and take precautions to avoid encounters with these poisonous gases. Slurry contractors also need to be made aware of the dangers. The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has outlined a number of steps that should be taken every time you agitate. The top 10 are:
Evacuate and ventilate before you agitate.Never agitate slurry in still air conditions.Move all animals out of the shed before starting.At least two people should be present at all times.Keep children and elderly persons away from the area when agitating.Open all doors and outlets to provide a draught.Never stand over slats or near tank access points when agitation is in progress.Avoid vigorous agitation in confined spaces.Do not allow slurry to rise within 300mm of the slats or tank covers.Keep all people away from the agitation point for 30 minutes after starting agitation.Drowning is another slurry danger. According to the HSA it is the most common cause of death involving slurry. We all need to make sure manholes are covered securely and children are kept away when working with slurry. Scrape holes on outdoor lagoons should be adequately protected. Open slurry tanks should be protected by an unclimbable fence or wall at least 1.8 metres high, with locked gates. Covered or slatted tanks require access manholes that children cannot open easily. Fit a safety grid below the manhole to give secondary protection.
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: