Farm Health &
Safety- Slurry Management
Open & Closed Periods
As many of you are aware in 2019 the closed period for chemical
fertiliser started on the 15th of September, 15th of October for slurry
& farm yard manure on the 1st of November. This meant that
chemical fertiliser could not be spread after the 15th of September, slurry after
the 15th of October and farm yard manure after the 1st of November. When it comes to
the open period for putting out slurry, chemical fertiliser or farm yard
manure, Ireland is split into three zones. The three zones with the according
areas and open period dates are listed below;
Zone A- 12th of January
Carlow, Cork, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Tipperary,
Waterford, Wexford & Wicklow
Zone B- 15th of January
Clare, Galway, Kerry, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Roscommon,
Sligo & Westmeath
Zone C- 31st of January
Donegal, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan, Antrim, Fermanagh, Derry, Down,
Tyrone & Armagh
As of the 1st of February all zones are cleared to spread chemical fertiliser, slurry &
farm yard manure according to the Department of Agriculture, Food & the
Marine. Farmers are reminded to not just keep an eye out for dry weather to
spread slurry but for heavy rainfall postpone applying slurry, to avoid the
risk run off. Slurry should be spread initially on paddocks with low grass
covers and paddocks with low Phosphorus (P) & Potassium (K) levels
identified through soil sampling. Farmers are also advised to use protected
urea this spring when applying chemical fertiliser to avoid the risk of
leaching.
Health & Safety
Farmers are also reminded of the dangers around the opened period which
they often forget to consider. Drowning and gas poisoning are the two major
health and safety problems associated with slurry, it not only affects the
farmers but the children and elderly are particularly at risk. In the period 2000-2010, 30% of child fatal
accidents on farms were caused by drowning in slurry or water. In the same
period 8% of deaths to elderly farmers were caused by drowning. Now with slurry
spreading season underway farmers need to raise their awareness levels with
their family and friends and remain vigilant to the risks involved in slurry
spreading.
It is very important to note that smell is no indicator of the absence
of gas, as many gases are odourless. Hydrogen sulphide has a 'rotten egg'
smell at low levels, but cannot be smelt at higher levels. High levels can be
released when slurry is agitated. One breath or lung-full at this level
causes instant death.
Always Obey Safe Agitation Guidelines, these include;
- Always
agitate on windy days.
- Remove
all livestock from slatted shed before agitating.
- Keep
pets under control and away from the working area.
- Open
all doors to slatted sheds.
- Control
access to slatted sheds where slurry is being agitated.
- Agitate/
Ventilate and stay away for 30 minutes.
- Work
upwind at all times.
- Never
enter a slurry tank, even if it is empty.
- Keep
tank openings secure at all times and control access.
- If
at all possible for the safety of yourself never agitate alone.
- If
the above point is not possible, make sure your phone is charged fully and
tell someone where you are and how long you will be gone for.
Some of the information in this article was obtained from the Health
& Safety Authority's Website.
For more information on Health & Safety when working with slurry,
please follow the below link;
