NEW guidance on mixing slurry has been issued by the Health and Safety Executive following a series of high profile tragedies on farms across the north.
With the closed period for spreading slurry starting on October 15, the executive is reminding farmers to take extra care to guard against poisonous gases which can kill in seconds.
As well as a new safety leaflet, ‘Slurry Gas – Mixing Slurry Safely’, a hard-hitting survivor story video has also been released on the health and safety executive on YouTube in which Co. Antrim farmer Alex Walker recalls a near-fatal incident in 2001.
Mr Walker spent a night in hospital followed by weeks of severe headaches and fatigue but was fortunate to survive the experience, unlike the seven slurry fatalities in Northern Ireland since 2008.
Recent victims include well known Ulster Rugby player Nevin Spence, his father Noel and brother Graham who all died after entering a slurry tank on their farm outside Hillsborough in September, 2012, and eight year-old Robert Christie from Dunloy, Co Antrim, who died after being overcome by slurry fumes in June, 2014.
The slurry code of conduct can be downloaded at www.hseni.gov.uk/mixing-slurry-safely.pdf or by ringing the HSENI helpline on 0800 0320.
