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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1992-07-22, Page 12PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 22,1992. Negligence, main cause of silo injury Dennis Harper of Kitchener Silo attended the Huron County Farm and Home Safety Association's media day on July 7 to discuss the dangers of poorly maintained silos. "The main cause of personal injuries from falls in silos is negli­ gence on the part of the silo owner," he said. The number of injuries that occur specifically in silos, Mr. Harper said, is "tremen­ dous". The majority of falls occur in the chute area and the outside ladder. Traditionally, Mr. Harper said, there are 23 doors in the chute area. These shrink over time so that they no longer fit properly and the vic- MVCA hosts no-till twilight tour No-till cropping is a soil conservation practice that is gaining popularity in mid-westem Ontario. This method of cropping holds many advantages for use on the farm today. Not only does it save time by reducing tillage hours, but it also saves on fuel costs and reduces erosion and compaction of the soil. If you would like to see some no­ till crops to judge for yourself, or hear about no-till practices from Students work on environmental study The Maitland Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA) has received funding for a project that will attempt to assess the health of the soil, water, forests and wetlands in the Maitland River watershed. Since May 20, five local students have been working on the project, funded by the Provincial Government's Environmental Youth Corps Program (EYC). Deb Mitchell from Listowel is studying soil health, while Terri Johnson from Kinloss Township and Jay Dickison from Mildmay are examining the health of local streams and rivers. The assessment of forests and wetlands is being completed by Jeanette Sears from Holmesville and Ruben Boles from London. Shelley Bray of Brussels will be entering data collected by the students onto computer. Rick Steele, MVCA Resources Planner, noted that the health assessment will help identify and confirm the most pressing local environmental problems. "This information will aid the MVCA in planning activities that will most improve the environment over the next five years," said Steele. The MVCA plans to complete health assessments at intervals of five to ten years to learn if the health of the local environment is improving or declining. This is the first time a project of this type has been carried out in the Maitland watershed. To determine the health of water, soil and forests, the students will look at a variety of factors. To learn the health of streams' and rivers, Terri Johnson and Jay Dickison will study about 35 sites in the Maitland River. They will be looking for fish and invertebrates that need good water quality conditions to survive. Signs of water pollution, such as excessive algae growth, will also be noted. Soil health will be evaluated by looking at the level of organic matter, and checking for signs of tim can fall through. Also it allows oxygen into the silo, which may contribute to silo fire and will lower the food quality. Due to the large number of older silos in use that are rarely emptied and the rebuilt used silos that are not erected to current building codes there will continue to be a problem. The silos that have deteri­ orated on the inner surface will only continue to do so over the years, weakening the bottom. Every year, Mr. Harper said, moist feed allows more acid to pen­ etrate the wall, softening it, while the silo unloader action removes the loose aggrevate, leaving the some of those farmers using them, the Huron Soil and Water Conservation District is conducting a twilight tour for your benefit. The tour will leave the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority Admini­ stration Building in Wroxeter at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 30. The evening will include a crop tour that will look at such crops as no-till barley and com, as well as no-till soy and white beans. This will be accompanied by a guest speaker, informal discussions, and soil erosion and stress on crops. Deb Mitchell expects to visit 35 to 40 sites during the summer. Jeanette Sears and Ruben Boles will be assessing the health of selected forests and wetlands by checking for the presence of expected plants and animals. They also will be identifying alien plant species such as Purple Loosestrife Protect your pets from poison While most people realize that poisonous substances are harmful to pets, many may not realize just how many substances there are, or that can be life threatening to ani­ mals. Many plants and products are assumed to be harmless, but they can actually produce serious dis­ ease or even death in pets. According to Publications Coor­ dinator of the OSPCA, N. Glenn Perrett, there are several hundred | You could be a ------------X by calling the Blyth Festival Box Office at 523-9300 Thursday July 23 or Thursday July 30 to order tickets to any play at the Blyth Festival this summer, your name will be entered in a draw for one of: 1. Two tickets for one of the plays at The Blyth Festival. 2. Two tickets for one of the plays at Huron Country Playhouse. 3. Two tickets for one of the plays at The Drayton Festival Theatre Inc. winner!Be sure to call Thursday July 23 or 30 to order your tickets! BE A WINNER! ----------------------- -----------/ wall structurally weaker. Structural repair must be done to prevent loss of life, livestock or buildings. Silos he said should be emptied every second year to air it out and allow time for it to be inspected."The juices eat the concrete and steel, so inside it looks pebbly and stoney." This can't be glossed over, Mr. Harper said, because once it's in there it's like a cancer. "It doesn't go away. It gets deeper and deeper. Mr. Harper recognizes the fact that poor economic limes are to blame for much of the problem as many can not afford the repairs. He showed some extremely rusty hard­ ware that was just recently an equipment display. Equipment on display will include a Yetter coulter caddy, an Aerway unit, a chisel plough, a no-till planter, and a no-till drill. This is a chance for farmers to discuss and iron out any problems and difficulties with getting started in no-till, as well as an opportunity for interested farmers to be introduced to the basic principals of no-till farming. No-till requires only a single pass over the field for planting. Minimal preparation of the seed bed is that may be present. Diseases in trees will be noted, and the size of forested areas. Generally, the larger a wooded area is, the more valuable it is for wildlife habitat. Most of the assessments will be carried out on private land, with the permission of the landowner. The students expect to begin contacting plants that have been identified as producing physiologically active or toxic substances that can be harm­ ful to animals. Common household plants such as philodendrons, but­ tercups and rhododendrons are poi­ sonous to cats and dogs. An animal that has ingested, absorbed through the skin, or inhaled a toxic material, Mr. Perrett says, may show one or more of the following symptoms: vomiting; removed from a silo. "Al $50 a pop, he didn't want to replace it. What is your family's life worth? What is your life worth?" Ladders as well should have yearly inspection. These things are often ignored, because Mr. Harper said when the farmer has to climb . the ladder it's because there is a problem. "His mind is not on the silo; he’s thinking of the problem inside it." There are over 50,000 silos in Ontario, of which 24-26,000 are in use. Mr. Harper says they continu­ ally are finding 12-year-old silos with serious damage. "Literally thousands are on the verge of col- necessary. Primary tillage is avoided and as a result soil moisture is retained and stones are not ploughed up to the surface. No­ till allows you to plant directly into crop residues. The cover the residue provides helps to retain the soil moisture as well as holds the soil in place. If you would like additional information, contact Chris Hoskins at the Maitland Valley Conserva­ tion office at 335-3557. the owners of prospective sites early in July. The students could be considered "pioneers" as their work will be a foundation for future assessments of' environmental health. Professors from the University of Guelph and the University of Western Ontario are helping to co­ ordinate the project. diarrhea; staggering, incoordina­ tion; breathing difficulties; convul­ sions; and possibly collapse or death. If your animal is behaving abnor­ mally or appears ill, Mr. Perrett suggests you contact your veteri­ narian immediately for instructions. Try to have the name of the sub­ stance or plant on hand, and if pos­ sible, a rough idea of the amount consumed and when. lapse due to overuse, and abuse. "When someone is hurl people think silos are not a safe way to store grain. Thai's not true if prop­ erly maintained." Also, Mr. Harper feels it's impor­ tant for farmers to be educated about silos. "The important thing about understanding what you've got is how to look after it." Mr. Harper staled that many farmers don't realize that silos fall under the building code and Con­ struction Safely Act. "A lol of farmers will accept sub-standard used silos thinking it's okay." Mr. Harper offers advice on key points to inspect. Door steps can and do break after years of use and if bent or cracked the odds of an injury increases. Outside ladders must be secured tightly to the silo, allowing a mini­ mum of six-inch toe space. There should be a 12 inch spacing with a rung width of 12 inches. A safety platform must be on all silos and must function properly. A safety cage is not a legal require­ ment on silos, but does provide an added element of safety to the climber. SHARP DEALS ON QUALITY- CLEAN READY-TO-GO USED CARS Great Savings on These Used Cars & Trucks. SomeOne Owner Low Mileage. 1991 Pontiac 6,000, 4 door 1990 Lincoln Town Car, 4 door Sedan, Signature Series, loaded 1990 Corsica, 4 door, V6, air conditioning, other options 1990 Chrysler New Yorker Landau, loaded with extras, 4 doors 1988 Ford 4X4 1983 Ford F150 4X4 pickup HAMM'S BLYTH PHONE - 523-4342