CULTIVATIONTIPS DLV Safe working practice
Safety in and around a farm is often associated with accident prevention when working with machinery or electricity. Fortunately, many farms provide clear instructions about working with machinery during filling, ruffling, cutting and emptying for instance. This also extends to safety instructions designed to protect the user, other people on the farm, the mushrooms themselves and the environment when working with chemicals. Taking a course, or doing refresher training, for a crop protection license can be very helpful here. During my work, I often come across disinfectants in the corridors that should really be stored elsewhere.
By Erik Polman, DLV Plant Mushrooms
e.polman@dlvplant.nl
Minor accidents still occur relatively all too often. A good, safe and clean work environment can help prevent such incidents. Picking lorries, from the simplest hand-pushed ones right up to the most advanced automatic models, have platforms with a ridged surface to prevent slipping. But, if pickers do not empty the tray or bucket holding the stems- or do this too late – as the photo shows - potentially dangerous situations can occur, where slipping is a risk. The well-equipped lorry with a safety guard to prevent falls can still become a hazardous object.
The many stems covering the floor, combined with the wet surface, can also quickly turn into a dangerous situation. The footwear worn by some of the employees is also inappro- priate. Proper footwear instead of soft shoes will protect feet from becoming trapped under machinery and moving equipment such as pallet jacks.
Phase-out freon R22
The absolute ban on refilling freon R22 installations that comes into force on 1 January 2015 signals the end of the freon R22 phase-out period. The use of R22 in new installa- tions has been banned since 1 January 2004 , and since 1 January 2010 it has been illegal to top up the refrigerant in existing plants with virgin R22. Recycled R22 may be used to top up these installations until 2015, but on 1 January 2015 the practice of topping up existing installations with freon R22 will become illegal. You can carry on using existing installations, but they must not be topped up with R22, in whatever form (virgin, recycled and/or a mixed R22 refrigerant).
Jan Gielen, DLV Plant Mushrooms Manager / Climate & Energy Specialist
j.gielen@
dlvplant.nl
Photos: DLV Plant Mushrooms
Cooling is absolutely essential in mushroom growing. The phase-out means that from 1 January 2015, R22 installations (see the indication plate on the exterior of the instal- lation) cannot be started up again, if for one reason or another (leaks/repairs) freon has been lost and the content needs replenishing. In this case you have an acute problem, which can only be solved by converting the plant or installing a new one! So apart from the fact that you will be without cooling for quite some time, solving this problem will always be expensive. To safeguard continuity consider converting your existing R22 installations so they are suitable for an alternative refrigerant (e.g. R134a), providing this still ensures sufficient cooling capacity of the installation in question, or otherwise opt for a new cooling plant (or heat pump). It is important to take this step well-prepared with sound advice, as you must consider the maintenance and running costs along with the purchase price. It’s all about the total costs of ownership of the system during its working life.
The currently available information on energy saving and sustainable technical develop- ments is being presented to growers in a series of eight articles and tips. This project has been commissioned and funded by the Steering Committee Clean & Efficient Mushroom Growing (LTO Vakgroep Paddenstoelen, PT, Ministry of Economic Affairs,
RVO.nl and mushroom growers). This is the fifth tip in the series.
38 MUSHROOM BUSINESS
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