A man in his 70s had to be rescued from a farm in Northern Ireland after he collapsed while mixing slurry in a shed.
Firefighters were called to the incident at the Co Fermanagh farm at around 12:10pm on Thursday 6 June.
A man in his 70’s was overcome by slurry fumes while mixing slurry in a shed.
The man had collapsed and he was rescued by another man in his 40’s from the shed prior to the arrival of firefighters.
Both men were treated at the scene by paramedics.
Two cows in the shed were overcome by the fumes and died as a result.
A Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) spokesperson said: “The incident was dealt with at 1.27pm.
“We would like to remind the farming community to ensure that the mixing of slurry is carried out in well ventilated spaces.
“Stay out of the shed for 30 minutes after starting mixing or after moving or re-directing the pump and try to mix on a windy day.”
According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), incidents involving slurry occur regularly on farms in the UK.
These incidents include people, not just farmers, being overcome by toxic gases, drowning as a result of a fall into slurry or liquid stores, or being injured from the collapse of structures containing slurry.
Slurry is broken down by bacterial action which produces gases. Slurry gas includes methane, carbon monoxide, ammonia and hydrogen sulphide, all of which can create a risk to human and animal health.
Some gases are flammable, others are toxic and some will displace oxygen from the air, causing a risk of asphyxiation.
Agriculture remains the most dangerous profession in the UK – yet many of the fatalities and serious injuries reported each year can be easily avoided.
