Tragic deaths renew calls for farm safety

There have been renewed calls for greater awareness of the dangers of farming, following the tragic slurry tank accident in County Down at the weekend.

Poisonous gases from the slurry tank claimed the lives of three members of the Nevin family at their farm near Hillsborrough. Ulster rugby player Nevin Spence (22); his brother, Graham (30) and their 58-year-old father, Noel died while working at the tank, while his sister, Emma survived and was treated in hospital.
Tipperary-based agricultural commentator, Michael Flynn, has called for a review of safety regulations for slurry tanks. He highlighted the depth of the 8ft tanks as a serious cause for concern.

 

East Clare Councillor Pat Burke, who is from a farming family, agreed there needs to be greater awareness raised of the risks.

“We can’t do away with the 8ft tanks,” he insisted. “They need to be utilised. However, there certainly needs to be an awareness campaign.”

Councillor Burke warned that September is the most dangerous month of the farming season, due to the slurry being left stagnant in the pit since April. The fumes and gases from the crust being broken five months later, are toxic and extremely dangerous. In some cases, all it takes is one lung-full to kill. He conceded that while farmers have come a long way in terms of safety measures, there is still more to be done.

“Safety covers for slurry tanks have been brought in,” he noted.

Chairman of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) Clare branch, Andrew Dundas, agreed that new safety measures could be introduced to act as some form of a safety barrier.

“Deadly gases are heavy, odourless and don’t rise. I feel adequate ventilation might break them up a bit, before they become too strong. A gas alarm could act as a warning, allowing farmers to have a chance to escape. Once you notice something untoward, get out,” he warned.

Former chairman of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) in Clare, Maurice Harvey, noted that this wasn’t the first time an incident involving a slurry tank has occurred.

“There have been a few problems which have occurred locally,” he recalled. “I know of a situation in Clare, where one lad passed out in the tank. His friend retrieved him and they got away with it. But they were very, very lucky.”