Slurry season has started in many part of the country this week, so it is important to take a second and think about the dangers connected with handling slurry and to put a plan in place with safety in mind for this work.

Teagasc has advised on the following risks and tips when working with slurry on your farm this season.

Air circulation

Many may not think about the importance of having good air movement when dealing with slurry - it helps to keep fresh air in and around the shed, which helps dissipate the poisonous gas.

A wind speed of at least Beaufort Scale 2, where you can feel the wind on exposed skin and hear leaves rustling, and has a speed of 7km/h or higher is required.

Slurry agitation on a calm day has high risk. Agitation in an area where air movement is restricted is also high risk.

Indoor agitation

Indoor agitation is very dangerous and carries a high risk. Teagasc advises considering methods that avoid the need to use indoor agitation points.

Consider the following:

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) TAMS 3 60% grant aid to extend tanks to allow outdoor agitation;
Tams 3 grants are also available to help with the financial cost of installing a slurry circulation pipe so that more areas of the tank can be agitated from outside agitation pipe or installing a slurry aeration system that uses air bubbles to churn the slurry and avoid the development of pockets of highly concentrated slurry gasses.

Move animals out of sheds before commencing slurry agitation

Never begin slurry agitation when animals are still in the shed. Before you or a contractor begins, take time to move animals to a safe location outside of the shed; do not be tempted to leave cattle in the shed.

Instead:

Move animals to another shed or cattle handling unit during agitation;
Set up temporary fencing to hold animals in an outside area during agitation;
Up to 60% of TAMS 3 grant funding is available for animal handling facilities. Make a plan now to put facilities in place if you need them. It may take a year from TAMS 3 application to when the final gate is erected.

Slurry drowning

With slurry, the risk most people think about is gas, but it is important to remember that drowning is also unfortunately a frequent occurrence.

Working around an agitator or slurry tanker is demanding, and it is a possibility to lose concentration and step back into a slurry tank if precautions to prevent access to tanks are not in place or enforced.

Key safety tips:

Safety grids and barriers must be in place to prevent falling into slurry;
Maintain high vigilance when placing slurry agitators into position;
Agitation should fully cover the agitation point;
Use access holes for slurry pipes;
Keep slurry tanks and pits securely covered or fenced.

Slurry gassing

Slurry can produce a range of gases based on the nature of the fermentation that occurs.

Facts on slurry gas:

Poisoning occurs above ground due to the release of hydrogen sulphide (H₂S);
H₂S can be detected by smelling at 0.1 part per million (ppm);
At 150 ppm, the olfactory nerve which detects smell in the nose is desensitised and then H₂S cannot be detected by smell;
As concentration of the gas increases, it produces adverse health effects and is rapidly fatal above 700ppm;
Teagasc measurements have indicated that fatal levels of gas can occur in the period after agitation commences.

Key tips to consider around slurry gas:

Always wait for a breezy day;
Open all doors and vents;
Remove all animals from the shed;
Ensure persons, particularly children or older persons, do not enter during/after agitation;
At least two people should be present at all times;
Make sure machinery is in good repair and guards are in place;
Make sure tank access points are guarded;
Stay away from the agitation point for at least the first 30 minutes after agitation commences;
Slurry gas concentration can rise each time you move the agitation to a new agitation point;
Remember poisoning can occur either outdoors or indoors in calm conditions.

Be wary that slurry gas can travel into linked tanks or buildings that are connected by drainage pipes or channels.

This means you or others in the yard may be unaware that milking parlours, store sheds, or workshops could have high concentrations of potentially fatal gas present in them.

Pumping slurry

Pumping slurry with the use of an umbilical system is becoming more common due to the speed of application and as well as reducing soil compaction.

However, it also carries risks due to the presence of slurry under high pressure and also the potential of unexpected movement of a heavy slurry pipe.

Teagasc gives these safely tips to follow in relation to pipes:

Slurry pipes must be in good condition;
Be vigilant and plan pipe runs to avoid high risk areas and sharp edges;
Make sure pressure is released before disconnecting pipes;
Only experienced operators should manage umbilical pipe slurry application.

Slurry gas meters

The HSA/Teagasc guidance does not recommend the use of gas detection systems by farmers.

These meters typically are set to alarm at 10ppm, which is the occupational exposure limit value (OELV) for a 15-minute exposure under the Code of Practice for the Safety, Health and Welfare (Chemical Agents) Regulations.

This is considered to be the maximum exposure that will not cause a health issue.

Things to watch out for:

Fatality can occur in an instant – H₂S emissions from slurry (over 1,000ppm);
Gas detection systems can only be used safely along with full breathing apparatus and should not be used as a substitute for the safety guidelines outlined in the Health and Safety Authority (HSA)/Teagasc slurry handling guidance.

Never enter a tank

Entering a slurry tank or any tank that contains organic material can be lethal and is not advised.

This work is cover by confined space entry regulations and a code of practice giving insight and guidance on these regulations.

Teagasc stated these facts to remember:

Gas such as H₂S, methane, carbon dioxide, or ammonia may be present;
These gasses also deplete oxygen levels which can cause asphyxiation and instant death;
Rescue is not possible. Multiple fatalities have occurred when this has been attempted.

And finally, Teagasc advised always hiring persons or firms with the requisite training and equipment if the need to enter a tank arises