 Accidental releases of anhydrous ammonia increased to 50 last year.
That figure is twice the annual average for the previous five years,
according to the department, which is responsible for investigating
such incidents."If greater attention had been paid to the proper
operation of equipment, many of these accidents may have been
prevented," said Jim Larkin, bureau chief for ag products
inspection. "Our investigations show the leading cause of accidents
in 2010 was the improper management of ammonia hoses."
To prevent a reoccurrence of last year, the department is
advising ammonia applicators to follow these recommendations:
-
Inspect anhydrous ammonia hoses prior to each use. Look for
cracks, cuts, rubs and soft spots, as well as "slippage" near the
couplers. Always purge anhydrous ammonia from the hose or system
prior to inspection.
-
Perform regularly scheduled maintenance on the tool-bar
quick-coupler (refer to the manufacturer’s recommendations) to
assure it is suitable for service. A visual inspection should be
performed prior to each use. Check to assure hoses are the correct
length for the type of nurse tank being utilized.
-
When applying anhydrous ammonia, always use the safety chains
provided on the nurse tank along with the attached hitch pin and
safety clip to prevent hoses from stretching and breaking.
-
Prior to pulling a nurse tank on a roadway, purge all anhydrous
ammonia from the tool-bar and hoses and secure the end valves of the
hoses to the parking plugs on the tool-bar. Attach the safety
chains, hitch pin and safety clip. Drive at speeds of 25 mph or
less.
-
In the event of an accident, the
applicator who was in control of the ammonia at the time of its
release must immediately report the incident to regulatory
agencies -- within 15 minutes if possible. Farmers are not
exempt from these reporting requirements.
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"We have definitely seen an increase in enforcement of the
reporting regulations, from both USEPA and IEPA," said Jean Payne,
president of the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association.
"There is no penalty for reporting an ammonia release on time, only
for not reporting a release on time, so please don’t be afraid to
make the phone call."
A handy wallet card that lists the phone numbers of the agencies
that must be notified when a release occurs is available by calling
the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association at 309-827-2774.
The department and IFCA have jointly produced an ammonia safety
training video designed specifically for farmers. It highlights the
most common safety errors that can lead to an anhydrous ammonia
accident. The high-resolution video can be viewed online at
www.ifca.com or
www.agr.state.il.us or by contacting IFCA to obtain
a DVD copy.
[Text from
Illinois Department of
Agriculture file received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information]
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