Overview
Fatalities due to entry into on-farm confined space manure storage facilities occur each year. These relate to the oxygen-deficient atmosphere as well as toxic and/or explosive gases present. Most deaths occur to persons conducting repair or maintenance on equipment, or to those attempting to rescue another person in the storage facility. After years of engineering investigations, Northeast Center (NEC) researchers introduced a new International Engineering Standard (ANSI/ASABE S607), "Ventilating Manure Storages to Reduce Entry Risks" which has now been accepted. The standard provides ventilation rates, configurations, and air exchange rates required to reduce entry risk for 80-85% of manure storages. If the standard is adopted into new and existing storages, these will have a ventilation system capable of evacuating gases and replenishing oxygen to levels safe for human occupancy within five minutes for many systems.