WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — One of the most important issues that is associated with the agricultural industry is safety when it comes to working around confined spaces like grain bins or manure pits.
Edward Sheldon, AgrAbility Job Coach and Engagement at Purdue University, shared safety tips to remember when one is working around areas that contain manure.
1. Don’t go in alone. Sheldon said that this is the No. 1 rule when working in any confined space in the agricultural industry, especially when it involves working with manure gases. He said that if it is possible an individual should try to avoid going in at all. You want someone outside the manure pile or pit in case their is a emergency.
2. Ventilation is huge. Manure gases tend to hang in the pits, but proper ventilation will circulate fresh air into the manure pile.
3. Manure pits are much more dangerous to enter when the manure has been agitated. Sheldon said that conditions become much worse in a manure pit, if someone enters it after the manure pile has been agitated or worked with.
4. Stay safe. Sheldon said that if someone gets overcome by methane gases, their contact person should not go in after them, but call 911. Calling emergency services is the best thing one can do to help the individual inside, so they don’t risk being overcome by methane gases themselves.
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