Pig Barn Explosion, Leaves Two Farm Workers Seriously Injured

Oct 03, 2012

Ontario Hog Barn Explosion Cause Unknown

Two farm workers were seriously injured after a swine barn exploded on Sunday around 12:30pm. The explosion occurred while the two men were pumping manure on a farm located on Bridge Road, east of Seaforth, Ontario. The two men who were injured Dann Eedy, 25, and Joshua Purdy, 15, were transferred by air ambulance to Victoria Hospital in London, Ontario. The official cause of the explosion remains unknown. However, officials with the Ontario Ontario’s Ministry of Labour and the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office have launched a full investigation to demine the cause of the explosion.

Farm operations should always proceed with caution when pumping manure from liquid pits. When pits that have a significant amount of foam covering, it impedes the release of methane from the pit facilities. Captured methane can be released quickly when foam is disturbed. When methane is released quickly and mixes with fresh air it can create an explosive mixture and if those mixture conditions come into contact with an ignition source it can cause an explosion or a flash fire.

Farm safety procedures when working around liquid manure pits:

Review your on-farm emergency plan with all farm workers and have emergency contact numbers available on site.

Prior to agitation or pumping liquid manure, turn off all electrical power to any non-ventilation equipment such as lights and feed motors, and extinguish any pilot lights or other ignition sources. Fully open all ventilation curtains/ ventilation pivot-doors and lock building doors to prevent human entry.

Run ventilation fans

Check to make sure that people are out of the building before agitation and pumping.

Do not agitate manure until manure has been pumped and level is at least two feet below the slats.

During the process of agitating manure, keep the jet of pressurized manure below the liquid surface. Don’t let the jet of manure strike walls or columns in the pit.

Stop agitation when manure level does not allow agitation below the liquid surface.

Provide maximum ventilation for at least 30 minutes to an hour after pumping has ended before re-entering the building.

NEVER enter a building or manure storage structure when liquid manure is being agitated or pumped.

Video: Spring weed control in winter wheat with Broadway® Star (pyroxsulam + florasulam)

#CortevaTalks brings you a short update with Cereal Herbicides Category Manager, Alister McRobbie, on how to get the most out of Broadway® Star.

Significant populations of grassweeds, including ryegrass and brome, can threaten winter wheat yields. Spring applications of a contact graminicide, such as Broadway Star from Corteva Agriscience, can clear problem weeds, allowing crops to grow away in the spring.

Broadway Star (pyroxsulam + florasulam) controls ryegrass, sterile brome, wild oats and a range of broad-leaved weeds such as cleavers. It can be applied to winter wheat up until GS32, but the earlier the application is made, the smaller the weed, and the greater the benefit to the crop. Weeds should be actively growing. A good rule of thumb is that if your grass needs cutting, conditions are right to apply Broadway Star.