3 men die after falling into Slurry Tank

eyeball kid

RIP to the deceased. Absolute nightmare for the family. Can't imagine what they are going through. Hope the sister pulls through.

Local-womanizer

Tragic news. I know it's little consolation to the family but they will have such a strong support from all those involved with Irish and particularly Ulster Rugby.

RIP once again

niallo27

Accidents like this will always happen in farming, there are too many chances taken, there is no one around to check any safety and if anyone tried they would only be laughed off, i remember as a young lad standing on the hitch of a trailor the whole way home most days as the old lad was driving, one slip and i was dead or on top of trailor full of bales, good times but dangerous as ****.

LordSutch

I didn't know what a slurry tank was before today, so how and why could you fall into one? I presume the only reason you would be looking into one would be to do with maintenace? and surely you have to climb a ladder to go over the top? or are some sunk into the ground?

newmug

God bless them all.

LordSutch

LordSutch wrote: »

I didn't know what a slurry tank was before today, so how and why could you fall into one? I presume the only reason you would be looking into one would be to do with maintenace? and surely you have to climb a ladder to go over the top? or are some sunk into the ground?

Most tanks are below ground. Often underneath sheds, ie under the floor. others are huge outdoor holes in the ground. very few are metal tanks above ground. I assume that they were agitating the slurry at the time, because that is when it is the most dangerous.

Here is a couple of links to youtube of agitating:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=NI2iXdGAve8#t=25s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9gChCcihrE

Witcher

LordSutch wrote: »

I didn't know what a slurry tank was before today, so how and why could you fall into one? I presume the only reason you would be looking into one would be to do with maintenace? and surely you have to climb a ladder to go over the top? or are some sunk into the ground?

They're in the ground, they're pits basically.

Odelay

Such sad news. heart goes out to their mother and sister, hope she pulls through. how would you even start to deal with a situation like that. so sad.

Odelay

Such sad news. heart goes out to their mother and sister, hope she pulls through. how would you even start to deal with a situation like that. so sad.

woodoo

Wacker The Attacker wrote: »

In other words, you want to offend me but dont want to get banned for it

Just ponder what happened for a second wacker. This morning the mother of the Spence family got up with her husband two sons and her daughter. Tonight she will go to bed with her husband and two sons dead and her daughter fighting for her life. If you don't feel sad at that thought then you lack humanity. I couldn't joke about.

mikemac1

LordSutch wrote: »

I didn't know what a slurry tank was before today, so how and why could you fall into one? I presume the only reason you would be looking into one would be to do with maintenace? and surely you have to climb a ladder to go over the top? or are some sunk into the ground?

Many were concrete walled off section on the farm with a short ramp, the farmer drives their small tractor and pushes the slurry up the ramp and into the pit.
It worked quite well

Others were pits sunk into the ground.

Nowadays many are underground tanks, some are absolutely huge. Money has been invested and grants and loans were available to modernize

Gassing or drowning will be extremely quick to any poor soul who falls into a tank

NTMK

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

is it not possible to design them in such a way that theres an emergency release button on the outside which would open the bottom of it and eject the contents in 60 seconds?

RIP.

Wouldn't work,

most tanks ive been around wouldnt even be that deep maybe 5-6 feet at most. Its the fumes that kill once the crust is broken. You can smell a tank being agitated from a huge distance away its horrendous near the tank. a quick release would probably make things worse

allthedoyles

easy solution to this is to make them a maximum of 4' deep

Witcher

allthedoyles wrote: »

easy solution to this is to make them a maximum of 4' deep

Read the thread.

RosieDee

what a horrible way to die, must have been awful.

bleg

I'm still confused. I've been on many many farms but I thought that underneath the slatts there was some sort of slope that brought all the slurry away from the sheds. But basically you guys are saying that the pits below the sheds are the actual slurry pits?! I've helped out on my cousins' and brother in laws farms and haven't been told this!

later12

Chuck Stone wrote: »

It seems like such a common accident and yet it still happens. Why don't they have a steel mesh over them or a lattice of bars within that would prevent people from drowning?

You have slats covering them in the sheds, sometimes these can need to be removed for whatever reason, maybe to remove an aggregate that has built up. Something like that could have happened here.

All it takes is one person to fall in or collapse inside; others can try to assist and the fumes are what kills them, even if they don't necessarily enter the pit.

As someone else said, the gas is on the bottom of the tank, so you can think you're quite safe until you go down to assist.

It sounds obvious, but to be honest most people, if they're honest, will probably admit to having done something stupid on a farm that could have ended up with this sort of result. Especially when we tend to see farms as 'home', somewhere we are relaxed and casual, as opposed to a potentially hazardous workplace.

But that's not an excuse, if anything positive comes from this hopefully it will leave a mental relic with farm users about being more unrelenting as regards safety.

RosieDee wrote: »

what a horrible way to die, must have been awful.

Hopefully it will be some consolation to the family that when this happens, they don't suffer ; it's awful but it does happen very quickly.

Witcher

bleg wrote: »

I'm still confused. I've been on many many farms but I thought that underneath the slatts there was some sort of slope that brought all the slurry away from the sheds. But basically you guys are saying that the pits below the sheds are the actual slurry pits?! I've helped out on my cousins' and brother in laws farms and haven't been told this!

Where did you think the slurry went after it went down the grating?

4zn76tysfajdxp

All the bickering in this thread is extremely undignified.


RIP to all who died.

bleg

bleg wrote: »

I'm still confused. I've been on many many farms but I thought that underneath the slatts there was some sort of slope that brought all the slurry away from the sheds. But basically you guys are saying that the pits below the sheds are the actual slurry pits?! I've helped out on my cousins' and brother in laws farms and haven't been told this!

In most cases the underneath of the slatts are slurry pits, but it is possible for farms to have the slurry flowing from the shed to another pit. Slurry doesn't flow too well, so it is not that common.

bleg

Blay wrote: »

Where did you think the slurry went after it went down the grating?

I dunno but I presumed that my cousins/brother in law would have told me that I was working on top of a slurry pit! Anyway, nevermind, I don't mean to sidetrack the thread.

later12

There wouldn't be a big need to tell someone that, it's perfectly safe working above them if they're secured in the normal way. the danger is when you open them, or when you're agitating.

mathepac

What an appalling tragedy. My condolences to the Spence family, friends and the communities the family lived in and was associated with, farming, sports, church, etc.

Hank Scorpio

This is horrific, RIP

blacklilly

Such an awful tragedy, horrific for their family.
As another poster pointed out farm fatalities represent a large percentage of over all work place deaths in this country. So many farmers work alone and obviously in many cases there is no health and safety procedures added to this is many farmers have never been formally educated and therefore can take safety for granted. Farm safety needs to be advertised more to try and help reduce accidents like these.
My heart goes out to this family, Its devastating, hopefully the sister will make a full recovery

wp_rathead

shock
just back from pub
in shock
RIP to the Spence family, his friends and to the ulster rugby community

Wacker The Attacker

Mod

Wacker The Attacker wrote: »

Bad sh1t

This poster has been banned.

Nathalie Bumpy Oats wrote: »

All the bickering in this thread is extremely undignified.

This.

Please remain civil and remember that this is a public forum easily accessible by friends and family of the deceased. Report posts instead of feeding trolls.

Halloran springs

RED PASSION wrote: »

sh1tty way to die no pun

Oh just fuck off

Mully_2011

Christ my thoughts go out to that poor woman

RIP

Halloran springs

Condolences to family and friends of all the deceased, a tragedy like this is almost incomprehensible.

RED PASSION

Halloran springs wrote: »

Oh just **** off

u misunderstand me buddy

RED PASSION

Deleted User wrote: »

Before spreading, the tank would need agitating, i.e. stirring it up. This is the dangerous part, because any built up gasses would be released. The tanker/truck has a hose which literally just sucks up the slurry. A pump can also be used in addition with a long hose to pump it straight to the field.

is agitator a sh1t stirrer

why does the farmer have to sh1t stirrer with agitator, if it is dangerous why not suck up sh1tt straight away to avoid gas and death

Yamanoto

RED PASSION wrote: »

is agitator a sh1t stirrer

why does the farmer have to sh1t stirrer with agitator, if it is dangerous why not suck up sh1tt straight away to avoid gas and death

The various processes were explained earlier on in the thread.

Perhaps leave the questions for another time eh?

Where To

A couple of my neighbours died from slurry gas inhalation, they were farmers all their lives and well aware of the dangers, justvthought it would never happen to them.

I remember when we were farming when I was small, I once passed out when the slurry was being agitated, had a headache worse than the,worst hangover for a week after it, and I was only standing at the door of yhe house.

RIP.

Wee Willy Harris

sounds like quicksand n snakepits have nothing on a slurry tank? even that hole to hades in amityville 3 sounds like a quaint holiday escape in comparison. maybe the girl just smelt some fumes, from a distance n was nearly killed by the repellant thats the sort of toxicity i imagine eminates from a broken surface of one of these cesspits.

its a bad tragedy alright, RIP.

Galwayguy35

RIP

Shows how dangerous working around slurry pits can be, my brother empties pits for himself and for the neighbours, I never knew myself the fumes could kill someone until he told me.

funnyclub

Terrible tragedy RIP to all that passed away.

But surely with health and safety the way it is now things like this should not happen anymore.

Surely you should be made wear some sort of breathing apparatus when working in close proximity to these tanks, and as other people have mentioned some sort of mesh or bars fitted to tank so a person cannot fall in!!!

Still no amount of talking about what could or should be done will bring these 3 family members back but hopefully in the future something will be done to stop it happening again.

later12

funnyclub wrote: »

Terrible tragedy RIP to all that passed away.

But surely with health and safety the way it is now things like this should not happen anymore.

Surely you should be made wear some sort of breathing apparatus when working in close proximity to these tanks, and as other people have mentioned some sort of mesh or bars fitted to tank so a person cannot fall in!!!

Yes, you should wear a mask, but the masks are are only very crude protection. And they only work above ground; you wouldn't have a hope down in the tank.

It's understandable to say this shouldn't have happened, but if one of us saw our Dad collapsing in a slurry pit, what would we do? Stand back? You have a split second to make a decision; I reckon human instinct would trump logic in that moment.

Twinkleboots

What an awful tragedy. That poor family. RIP.

Max_Charger

allthedoyles wrote: »

easy solution to this is to make them a maximum of 4' deep

Rte now reporting that the tank was only 4' deep. http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0916/down-farm-deaths.html

TheChizler

Why do tanks not have built in agitators? Surely it would go a great way to avoid all these deaths that's seem to mainly happen when they're opened up for agitation.

RED PASSION

TheChizler wrote: »

Why do tanks not have built in agitators? Surely it would go a great way to avoid all these deaths that's seem to mainly happen when they're opened up for agitation.

most farmers are sh1t stirrers with the agitators, but they are expensive, if you had 3 tanks you would need 3 built in ones whereas nowadays you need one or farmers share them ie less expensive on farm.

What gas is released that can kill, is it methane

i think they were saving the dog and it happened

more important
God help the poor Spence Family, 3 members just gone.

Heart and prayers go out to them all

bbam

Farming is by far the most dangerous industry in the country. The combination of lone working along with living and having children in the work place leads to many many tragic accidents..

Really, there needs to be a serious push on farm safety, the current rate of loss of life is impossible to defend by farmers and farming organisations..

In the last 4 years many thousands such slatted units have been grant aided in this country which has had a very positive effect on pollution control, in hindsight the specification should have included a permanent electronic toxic gas warning system.. By the time it is realised that gas has become a problem its too late.

I worked extensively in an industry where toxic gases were common place and both early warning systems and breathing protection were the norm.

later12

That's true. To underline those figures,

4.45% = proportion of the workforce working in agriculture
27 = Number of deaths in agriculture in 2011
50% = Proportion of agricultural workplace deaths to overall workplace deaths.

In other words, 50% of workplace deaths occurred in a sector which represents less than 5% of workers in 2011.

http://www.hsa.ie/eng/Publications_and_Forms/Publications/Corporate/Summary_of_Workplace_Injury,_Illness_and_Fatality_Statistics_2010-2011.pdf

asherbassad

Chuck Stone wrote: »

An awful tragedy.

My condolences to the bereaved.
____________________________________

Why the **** has a slurry tank that is impossible to drown in not been invented? How about if the tank had criss-crossed bars that would prevent people from being submerged?

Why the FCUK has a pond or lake or river that's impossible to drown in not been invented?
Why hasn't a dog that doesn't bite or a car that doesn't crash or electricity that doesn't shock to death been invented?

RED PASSION

Originally Posted by Chuck Stone

Why the **** has a slurry tank that is impossible to drown in not been invented?


Are you trying to B/S us, how can that be invented. don't be stupid and prayer for the girl to survive the mother must be beside herself with grief

TheChizler

asherbassad wrote: »

Why the FCUK has a pond or lake or river that's impossible to drown in not been invented?
Why hasn't a dog that doesn't bite or a car that doesn't crash or electricity that doesn't shock to death been invented?

It fairness it seems to happen disproportionately, as far as I'm aware it seems to mostly be a small enough hole ever open, and you do hear about this kind of thing more often than you'd expect. You could seemingly easily make that small hole difficult for something to fall into, not so easy with a river for instance.

JupiterKid

What an appalling tragedy - my heart goes out to that family.:(

But something really needs to be done about farm safety - the level of farm related deaths is simply unacceptable. Here are some North American guidelines of health and safety issues with respect to slurry pit use and management.

Manure Gas Dangers


Since the increased use of manure storage facilities in agriculture there have been numerous instances where a farmer, family member, or employee has asphyxiated or succumbed to toxic gases from the storage. Cases have been documented where several individuals have died while attempting to rescue a coworker or family member from an underground pit or a spreader tank.

What toxic gases are present around such storage facilities? The four main gases produced from decomposing manure are Hydrogen Sulfide, Methane, Ammonia, and Carbon Dioxide. In high concentrations, each of these gases may pose a health threat to humans and livestock.

In animal housing facilities, where the manure pit is often located below the facility floor, manure gases are generally detectable in low concentrations throughout the year. When pits are agitated for pumping, some or all of these gases are rapidly released from the manure and may reach toxic levels or displace oxygen, increasing the risk to humans and livestock.

THE PRIMARY HAZARDS OF THESE GASES ARE:

Toxic or poisonous reactions in people or animals, oxygen depletion which can result in asphyxiation and explosions that can occur when oxygen mixes with the gases such as methane.

CHARACTERISTICS OF HYDROGEN SULFIDE (H2S)

Hydrogen sulfide is considered the most dangerous of the byproducts of manure decomposition. It has a, distinct rotten egg smell and is heavier than air. After breathing this gas for a short time, your sense of smell becomes fatigued and you can no longer detect an odor.

At low concentrations H2S irritates the eyes and respiratory tract while at moderate levels exposure causes headache, nausea, and dizziness. At high concentrations H2S paralyzes the nerve cells of the nose to the point where the person can no longer smell the gas. Both carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide are heavier than air, and will tend to settle to the lower areas of the storage facility and remain in high concentrations even after ventilation.

CHARACTERISTICS OF AMMONIA (NH3)

Ammonia has a distinct, sharp, penetrating odor detectable at very low concentrations. It is heavier than air, and at moderate levels of concentration, it can irritate the eyes and respiratory tract. At high concentrations it can cause ulceration to the eyes and severe irritation to the respiratory tract. . Flushing irritated skin or eyes with water is the best first-aid treatment

CHARACTERISTICS OF CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2)

Carbon Dioxide is heavier than air and difficult to detect. It replaces Oxygen in air and acts as an asphyxiate. At moderate concentrations it causes shortness of breath and dizziness.

It is a major contributing factor to animal deaths by asphyxiation in confinement buildings with faulty ventilation. In addition to manure decomposition, carbon dioxide is also a byproduct of livestock respiration.

CHARACTERISTICS OF METHANE (CH4)

Methane is odorless and lighter than air, so it tends to accumulate at the top of manure pits. It is considered an asphyxiate at extremely high concentrations. The main hazard is its flammable, explosive nature. Methane is extremely difficult to detect without gas detection instruments because it is odorless, but it should be anticipated as being present in all manure storage areas.

MANURE STORAGE

Some systems for storing the manure are more dangerous than others. Below ground storage facilities, or pits, are more hazardous than above ground structures. Systems that are covered by lids, caps or slotted floors are more hazardous than uncovered systems. Pump-out pits or caps can also be very hazardous. Leaks from storage structures may also cause significant losses of fish and other aquatic species if near streams or lakes.

Construct manure storage pits outside confinement buildings, above or below ground, and in a way that gases cannot move back into the building.
Make sure that pumping equipment can be quickly and easily removed for repairs or adjustment.
Attach a hinge or chain to covers or lids on storage areas to prevent them from falling into the storage pit
Covered or enclosed tank facilities present the greatest danger, especially when manure is being agitated or pumped out of the structure. Little gas is produced or accumulates when the manure is still and natural air movement or ventilation from fans prevents gas buildup.
The primary advantages of liquid manure storage facilities are that they make the waste handling process less demanding on your time and allow for applications of manure on croplands at more convenient or appropriate times. In general, there are three types of liquid manure storage systems being used.
a) Large manure storage tanks located directly underneath the livestock housing area.
b) Manure storage located away from the livestock housing areas in open lagoons or ponds.
c) Above ground, silo-type, manure storage structures.
In all three types, the manure is flushed from the livestock housing area with added water and then agitated by various means to form liquid slurry. This slurry is then pumped periodically from the storage area into applicator tank wagons or through irrigation systems for application on crop land as a valuable fertilizer and soil conditioner.

When animal waste of any type is being stored in large quantities, a number of hazards are present for both man and animal. The most obvious hazard is the potential danger of falling into one of the large open storage areas and drowning.

There is also the danger from manure gases, which are produced as the manure is decomposed by bacterial action. During the decomposition process, a variety of gases are released which can be hazardous to both people and livestock.

Knowing the nature of these gases and the effects they might have on you should reduce the potential risk of working around manure storage areas.

In addition to adhering to proper construction and maintenance procedures for liquid manure storage facilities, owners should be encouraged to follow a few precautionary measures to protect both workers and livestock from harmful manure gases.

They are as follows:
Know the physical effects of the various gases released during manure decomposition. If at any time these effects are detected, it is critically important that both workers and livestock are evacuated from the area or ample ventilation provided.
Maintain adequate ventilation in all confined areas where livestock are housed or livestock waste is stored. This is especially true if the manure is being agitated, since agitation causes a rapid release of gases. Even with the facility's ventilation system operating, high levels of toxic gases can accumulate quickly. Ventilation recommendations are available from a number of sources.
If the power fails, open all windows and doors and remove livestock if possible. Many farmers with livestock confinement operations have invested in portable or emergency power generating units to insure livestock housing areas have continuous power for ventilation.
Since a methane/air mixture can be highly explosive, prohibit smoking or other open flames in confined housing or manure storage areas.
Concerning open storage of liquid manure in ponds or lagoons, precautionary measures should also be taken to reduce the risks to people and livestock.
Manure ponds or lagoons should, if at all possible, be fenced in to prevent access by children or livestock. Open lagoons can appear deceptively solid during warm weather and lure the curious out onto the surface.
Signs should be posted around the perimeter of the lagoon providing a clear warning of the existing hazards
Remind children, visitors and any nonessential workers to stay away from manure pits and transfer/holding tanks, especially during agitation and pumping.
Do not allow people to enter livestock buildings during agitation and pumping of manure pits under the building floor.
Full respiratory protection, in the form of self-contained breathing units, should be utilized at all times. No one should ever enter a manure storage pit - even to rescue a victim overcome by gases -without a supply of air and assistance from a backup crew using a lifeline.


MANURE STORAGE ENTRY PROCEDURES

Avoid entering manure storage areas if at all possible. Many deaths have occurred when people entered manure storage areas without proper safety precautions.
If you must enter a manure storage area, the following confined space entry procedures will minimize, but not eliminate, the risks.

Never enter a manure pit during or just after agitation because there is always the possibility of deadly concentration of this gas. Plumbing and pumping equipment should be installed so that it can be easily removed for repairs.
Before agitation, take steps to ensure the welfare of the animals and people working in the area.
Remove all people and animals if possible. If animals cannot be removed, maximize ventilation and agitate slurry very slowly at first. Monitor the condition of the animals. If the animals act restless or agitated or abnormal, stop the agitation immediately and ventilate the area.
Always keep at least one foot of space between the highest manure level and the slats. This protects animals who lie on the slats and inhale the gases that accumulate at the surface of the pit.

Do not enter manure pits without either:
A self-contained air supply like those fire fighters use. (Dust masks or other cartridge respirators will not filter out the toxic gases nor will they provide the oxygen requirement to work in confined spaces such as manure pits.)
OR Test before entering. Test the oxygen level to make sure that adequate oxygen is available. Also test for hydrogen sulfide, a particularly toxic gas, to be sure that concentrations are safe (less than 10 ppm).
Provide additional forced ventilation. Additional ventilation will increase oxygen and decrease hydrogen sulfide and other toxic gases.
Monitor conditions. Agitation from working can increase the toxic gas levels. Monitor conditions while working.
When someone collapses in a pit, gases are so concentrated that it is suicidal for anyone else to enter without a self-contained breathing apparatus.
The only reasonable immediate action is to ventilate the storage area and notify rescue personnel who can bring the proper equipment.
Barn fans may be activated to provide ventilation, but do not lower fans into the pit because this could cause methane explosion
Use a safety line. A worker in a confined space or manure storage area should wear a body harness with a safety line.
The safety line should be held by enough people and/or a winch so that the worker can be pulled out of the area if a problem develops.

Wear a supplied air respirator. Never a pit without one.
The person using a respirator should be trained on the use of the mask. It is particularly important that the mask form a tight seal around the face.
Provide a clear escape path. Make it as easy as possible for the worker to exit the manure storage area quickly. Don't block the path with tools or objects.
Keep fire away. Methane gas is a byproduct of manure degradation, and it is flammable. Keep fire and other ignition sources such as electrical tools away from the manure storage area. Test the methane level with an explosion meter.

Know first aid. Someone on the site should be trained in CPR and first aid.
Recognize that conditions are of greatest risk when manure is agitated or moved. Movement and agitation increase the release of dangerous gases, sometimes several fold. When agitating, pumping, or moving manure, take precautions to be sure that extra ventilation is provided to nearby areas (e.g., buildings over or near the manure storage).
Due to the equipment requirements and inherent risks associated with entering an area where there may be toxic gases or insufficient oxygen, you should consider hiring a professional trained in working in these areas to perform maintenance tasks. If hiring a professional or using a SCBA is not possible, the best advice is to stay out of the pit.
The information and recommendations contained in this publication are believed to be reliable and representative of contemporary expert opinion on the subject material. The Farm Safety Association Inc. does not guarantee absolute accuracy or sufficiency of subject material, nor can it accept responsibility for health and safety recommendations that may have been omitted due to particular and exceptional conditions and circumstances.

JupiterKid

Does anyone else think that the number of farm accident deaths each year is unacceptable?

Slurry pits are a hazardous work environment and should be subject to the same regulations as a chemical plant. I know that sounds like wishful thinking but something needs to be done if we are to prevent more tragedies like the Spence family deaths from happening.

hoochis

JupiterKid wrote: »

Does anyone else think that the number of farm accident deaths each year is unacceptable?

Slurry pits are a hazardous work environment and should be subject to the same regulations as a chemical plant. I know that sounds like wishful thinking but something needs to be done if we are to prevent more tragedies like the Spence family deaths from happening.

Slurry tanks are generally safe enough so long as the farmer is educated to the dangers and doesn't take chances. Farmers are never going to treat them as chemical plants because it is just not practical or safe to suit up in full gear every time we need to work near them. Any restriction in movement or vision would bring other dangers into play.