Safety, Health and Emergency Readiness

Confined Space Entry in Manure and Silage Systems

Some of the most tragic farm accidents happen in confined spaces such as manure pits, tanks and silos. This article explains why they are so dangerous and why the safest answer is usually not to enter at all.

What counts as a confined space

A confined space is a space large enough to enter, with limited ways in and out and not designed for people to stay in. On a dairy, that can include manure pits and tanks, sumps, below-grade pump rooms, silos, bins and some tanks and vessels. Some are marked and some are not.

The hazards are often invisible: toxic or flammable gases, low oxygen, engulfment in material and entrapment. Check OSHA for the current rules and how they apply to agricultural work, and ask a safety professional about your own dairy.

A dairy may have more of these spaces than the owner realizes: old sumps, drain pits, tanks under floors and the interior of equipment. A simple walk with a list is a good first step toward knowing what you have.

Why they are so dangerous

A person can lose consciousness within moments in a bad atmosphere, and a would-be rescuer can be overcome too. Material such as grain, silage or manure can shift and trap a person. Many deaths involve people trying to help.

This is why confined space work needs planning before the day starts, not improvisation in the middle of a job. The CDC and its farm safety programs have explained these hazards for years.

The first question: does anyone need to go in?

Many jobs can be done from outside. Use tools, pumps, cameras, extension poles and equipment designed to avoid entry. Redesign the system if you find yourself entering regularly, for example by adding access ports, better covers or a different cleaning method.

If someone must enter, it should be a trained team with proper equipment and a written plan. Hire a qualified contractor if you do not have that capability.

A hypothetical example: a dairy that cleans a settling pit by hand every year decides to install a pump-out port and a long-reach tool. The job takes a bit longer, but nobody goes in. That kind of redesign pays off every year after.

• Can the job be done from outside?
• Can the system be redesigned to avoid entry?
• Is there a written entry plan?
• Are testing equipment and ventilation available?
• Is a trained rescue team ready?

What a safe program involves

In general terms, a program identifies each space, marks and secures it, tests the air, ventilates, assigns trained people to roles, provides appropriate equipment and has a rescue plan. The specific requirements are technical, so work with a qualified professional and check the current rules at OSHA confined space pages.

This article does not give entry or rescue instructions. Those require training and equipment that cannot be learned from a web page.

Written plans should name who is in charge, how the air is checked, how people communicate and how the space is made safe. If any item cannot be answered, the job should not go ahead.

Rescue: do not improvise

If someone collapses, call emergency services immediately and do not enter. Trained rescue teams with proper equipment are required. Tell responders what you know, including what the space contains and how long the person has been inside.

Make sure every family member and worker knows this rule. The emergency number and farm address should be posted where people can see them. Ready.gov offers general emergency planning resources.

Training and culture

Make it normal to say no. Anyone should be able to refuse to enter a space without penalty, and anyone should be able to stop a job. Train in a language people understand, repeat it each year and cover family members and seasonal help.

Pair training with a culture that rewards caution. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and farm safety organizations offer education, and see this farm safety guide and this dairy herd care guide for related topics.

Contractors who enter spaces on your property should be qualified and should coordinate with you on hazards and rescue. Ask for proof of training and a written plan before work starts.

Questions to ask and where to read more

Ask: Which spaces on our dairy are confined spaces? Who has authority to approve entry? Who is trained? What is our rescue plan? Who will we call?

For more reading, farm.FM has dairy stories and farming stories, including a farm.FM piece on confined spaces. Workers' compensation questions go to the Texas Department of Insurance. This is general education, not a safety program.

Keep a one-page list of every confined space on the property with its location and a note that entry is prohibited without a plan. Post it where the crew will see it.

Sources and further reading

• OSHA: workplace safety
• CDC: public health
• Ready.gov: FEMA disaster preparedness
• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension: Texas extension service
• Texas Department of Insurance, Workers Compensation: Texas workers comp information
• National Weather Service: forecasts and warnings

Ask locally: Ask OSHA or a qualified safety professional to help you identify confined spaces on your dairy.