FEED SAFETY ▶▶▶
Silage production: human safety issues
A review of the risk factors during silage production and how to prevent accidents.
BY SALAH H. ESMAIL, PHD T
here are many risk factors associated with silage making, which may potentially cause a serious inju- ry or fatality and hence threaten human life and safety. In Britain alone, for example, there were
9.12 deaths per 100,000 workers in 2015. This is significantly higher than in any other industry and six times higher than in construction. Safety rules should therefore be implemented to ensure that all workers understand the risks assoicated with making silage. Below is a review of the major risk factors and ways in which they can be eliminated.
Harvesting silage crops Producers should avoid harvesting during unfavorable weather conditions, particularly if crops such as corn, sorghum, small grains, and Sudan grass are used. Periods of droughts followed by heavy rainfall – as well as damage from frost and hail – can lead to increased nitrate uptake by these plants and that can lead to the production of an orange, toxic silage gas. Thus, it is recommended to wait a four to five days.
With silage-making going on until late in the night, make sure that all lights work properly.
8 ▶ ALL ABOUT FEED | Volume 28, No. 9, 2020
The silo Silos must never be overfilled as this greatly increases the chance of a tractor overturning when filling or rolling a silo. Nobody should go underneath a silage cover once the cover has been fixed in place. The fermenting grass uses up the oxy- gen in the air under the cover very quickly and at the same time, the level of harmful gases increases rapidly. These gases include carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. Anyone going under the cover when the covers have been fixed in place risks death due to asphyxiation. In tower silos with crops con- taining less than 30% DM, silage effluent could be a problem. The effluent may produce toxic gases such as hydrogen sulfide, which represents a serious health hazard. These are management strategies that can help avoid many of these effluent problems: - Before cutting silage, ensure effluent tanks are empty.
PHOTO: BERT JANSEN
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