- Inspect effluent tanks and all drainage channels into tanks to ensure that they work effectively.


- Inspect the silage slab to ensure there is no cracking or concrete deterioration which might allow effluent seepage.


- Take remedial action to seal cracks and any other sources of leakage.


- During ensiling, frequently inspect collection channels to ensure that they are not blocked.


- Inspect tanks hourly until the effluent release from ensiled grass has ceased.


Personal safety precautions - Never work in or near a silo, bunker, or pile alone: make sure there’s a buddy nearby who can keep an eye on you.


- Wear safety vests while working around silage and operat- ing equipment.


- Maintain communication and visibility with a buddy in a safe location when working on, or in, a silage structure.


- Fatigue due to long working hours should be avoided, as this leads to sleepiness, slow reaction times, and increases risk-taking/incorrectly performing silage management tasks.


- Workers should always pay attention to their surroundings and stay alert, especially during night shifts when fatigue can be expected. Proper lighting is essential on night shifts.


- Care should be taken when working near overhead power lines of 10,000 volts or more. Workers should be informed of the location of any overhead lines which may come into contact with the machinery. This will save lives and prevent damage to machines.


- No child under the age of 13 should ever be allowed to ride in a tractor or self-propelled harvester or be involved in any way in the silage making process. Also, children should not be allowed to play around the farmyard or fields when silage is being made.


Machinery - Make sure that the machine is in a safe operating condi- tion. All guards and safety devices must be in place and functioning correctly.


- Make sure that machines and trailed equipment are cor- rectly attached to the tractor or other vehicle.


- Always stop the machine and the tractor before attempt- ing to carry out maintenance work or to free a blockage.


- Make sure that the machine is adequately supported be- fore working underneath it.


- All loads should be stable and well secured while being transported.


- With silage-making going on until late at night, ensure that all lights, mirrors, indicators, and wipers are fully func- tioning, clean, and visible.


- Ensure that the brakes of the tractor are in good working order and that the handbrake is fully operational.


- Only competent drivers should be allowed to operate machinery during the silage season and the carrying of passengers should be avoided.


Chemical hazards Numerous gases including nitric oxide are produced during the first two to three weeks of the harvesting, filling and en- siling periods. Nitric oxide changes to nitrogen dioxide when it comes into contact with oxygen in the air. When inhaled, NO2 dissolves in the moisture on internal lung surfaces to form nitric acid. This strong acid burns the pulmonary mem- brane tissue, effectively stopping the supply of oxygen to the body and can thus lead to sudden death. Prevention includes adequate ventilation and proper respiratory protection. Indi- viduals who survive acute exposure should be closely moni- tored by their physicians.


Feed-out safety Once it’s time for the silage to be fed out, the structure pre- sents many dangers, which can easily be avoided if the fol- lowing measures are taken: - Never stand closer to the face than three times its height. - Never drive or park vehicles or equipment near the feed- out face parallel to, and close to, the feed-out face of an over-filled bunker or pile.


- When on top of a silage pile, stand no closer to the feed- out face than 1.5 meters.


- Use proper unloading techniques, which include shaving silage down the feed-out face.


References are available from the author upon request. ▶ ALL ABOUT FEED | Volume 28, No. 9, 2020 9


It is advised to maintain com- munication and visibility with a buddy when working on, or in, a silage pile.


PHOTO: HENK RISWICK


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