NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
October 28, 1999
Editors: This is the fifth in a series of six articles on Anhydrous Ammonia Safety
Anhydrous ammonia can inflict terrible damage on a human body, so it's essential to make sure you have safety equipment in good condition, says a North Dakota State University agricultural safety specialist.
"Every nurse tank should have a safety kit," says George Maher of the NDSU Extension Service. "That kit is like a free health and life insurance policy. All you have to do is look to make sure everything is there and in good condition."
Safety kits should include gloves and goggles that are approved for anhydrous ammonia work. The gloves should be made of rubber and coated with polyvinyl chloride. They should be lined for thermal protection, too. They should have long cuffs that can be folded back about an inch to prevent drips of ammonia from running down your arm. The should not have any tears, cuts or holes. Goggles should be unvented and made of soft vinyl which conforms to your face and seals better.
Each nurse tank must also have a five-gallon water reservoir filled with fresh water for first aid flushing. Every anhydrous ammonia trailer, including semi-trailers, nurse tanks and applicator tanks, must have this reservoir. The water can absorb enough ammonia in a single day to make it ineffective, so the water should be changed each day.
"An excellent way to get an extension on that safety kit insurance policy is to have a safety kit on the tractor too," Maher says. That kit will serve as a backup if a leak on the nurse tank or applicator prevents you from reaching the safety kit on the nurse tank.
For added coverage, Maher advises those working with anhydrous ammonia to carry a respirator with a cartridge approved for anhydrous ammonia readily on the tractor. The respirator must be approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and include a cartridge such as number 7254 from 3M or its equivalent. Keeping the respirator in a sealed plastic bag will prevent the cartridge from becoming loaded with vapors.
Maher says you can add vision coverage to your insurance by carrying a squirt bottle of water in your pocket. "Five or six ounces is just enough for the first flushing of anhydrous from the eyes. But remember to change the water every day; using ammonia-tainted water will only add insult to your injury."
###
Source: George Maher (701) 231-8288
Editor: Tom Jirik (701) 231-9629