Rural Issue

Manure pit safety 101

spreading manure

The National Educational Center for Agricultural Safety says a dropped tool into a manure pit cost one family farm two funerals.

Center director Dan Neenan is warning farmers of agricultural dangers including those around manure storage.

“There was a tool that was dropped and a person entered to retrieve the tool.” Neenan says, “A family member followed them in and both became unresponsive and passed away.”

He says manure gases are extremely dangerous before, after and during agitation. Neenan says especially for farmers in eastern states using Gypsum bedding, “Gypsum has a high amount of sulfur in there which is really going to really raise the hydrogen sulfide level.”  He tells Brownfield hydrogen sulfide can be deadly which is why he recommends farmers invest in gas detectors.

Before entering confined manure storages, Neenan recommends shutting off power sources to the pump, testing air quality, using harnesses and possibly using a self-contain breathing apparatus. He says the most broken rule in these situations, “Entering into a confined space is a minimum of a two person job—the person entering into the space and then there needs to be a reliable attendant outside who’s one and only job is to keep track of the attendant in there.”  Neenan tells Brownfield the outside attendant needs to be able to perform a non-entry rescue or call for help.

The center trains farmers, agribusinesses and firefighters to preform rescues safely with a manure pit confined space simulator demonstration.

AUDIO: Interview with Dan Neenan (7:09 mp3):

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