This crap is dangerous!

[Wolverine]

Two Men to Face Charges in Manure Deaths (http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-manure-deaths,0,6790941.story?coll=sns%2Dap%2Dnation%2Dhe adlines)

MERCED, Calif. -- A judge let manslaughter charges stand against two men accused in the deaths of two irrigation workers who drowned in a pool of manure.

....

The deaths happened in 2001, when Enrique Araisa, 29, was overcome by gases from excrement as he tried to fix a pump in a large concrete waste pipe. He fell into a pool of liquid manure and drowned. Jose Alatorre, 22, fainted and fell into the waste while attempting a rescue.

:eek:

[peptoabysmal]

Talk about being in deep doo-doo...

[shanek]

I'm sure it's nothing a plethora of government regulations that harm the economy and increase unemployment wouldn't fix...

[NoZed Avenger]

If manure were truly that dangerous, the area around Congress would look like a charnel house.

NA

[Baker]

Originally posted by Wolverine
Two Men to Face Charges in Manure Deaths (http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-manure-deaths,0,6790941.story?coll=sns%2Dap%2Dnation%2Dhe adlines)



:eek:

Sounds like the company owner got himself into some deepshit with his lack of safety violations.:D

[Reginald]

I was going to say "I can think of worse ways to go".


But I can't.

[toddjh]

Originally posted by Wolverine
The deaths happened in 2001, when Enrique Araisa, 29, was overcome by gases from excrement as he tried to fix a pump in a large concrete waste pipe. He fell into a pool of liquid manure and drowned. Jose Alatorre, 22, fainted and fell into the waste while attempting a rescue.

I believe it. One of my friends in high school lived on a hog farm, and they had a "lagoon" where liquid waste was reprocessed. Your head started spinning when you came within 100 feet of it. Breathing through your mouth didn't help, because then you'd just taste it.

The worst part is, ducks would swim in it, and try to dive for fish. Ick.

Jeremy

[fishbob]

I'm sure it's nothing a plethora of government regulations that harm the economy and increase unemployment wouldn't fix... There are already a plethora of gummint regs about this. Prolly why somebody is being charged with manslaughter.

[shanek]

Originally posted by fishbob
There are already a plethora of gummint regs about this.

Really? And it happened anyway??? Imagine that...

Prolly why somebody is being charged with manslaughter.

Even if there weren't regulation one about it, he could still be charged with manslaughter. Gross negligence leading to death is manslaughter, regardless of any regulations on the activity you're engaged in.

Something to ponder though: If he had been in line with the regulations (I know he really wasn't, this is a hypothetical here) and his negligence still resulted in death, he would have an effective defense: "I followed all the safety regulations! What more can I do?"

Regulations didn't help at all in this case. They hurt in other cases. And they take jobs, raise the price of goods, and hurt the economy.

[fishbob]

Safety regs do help reduce on the job injuries and fatalities. Of course there is a dollar cost for dealing with these regs, but they do help. You have to judge the value of worker health against the price of goods. Deciding where to balance between safety and cost is not easy.

My wife's grandfather was injured in a Bethlehem Steel plant way back in the 1930s. He was not able to balance after that - he spent the rest of his life walking like a drunk, not able to work at the plant, and not able to do much productive work. The cost of his injury to Bethlehem Steel was almost nothing. According to family stories, lots of other guys were injured or killed in the plants during those years.

Enactment and enforcement of safety regs gradually reduced the number of on the job injuries, and increased the cost of doing business. Most of those big steel plants have since closed - lost jobs, bad for the local economy. Was it because of additional govt regs? Were the regs too stringent? Where do you draw the line?

[RandFan]

I grew up across the street from a diary. Acres and acres of cow dung and when it rained there were small lakes of liquid cow dung. I've heard some people say that they want to buy a farm for the fresh air. :D

[RandFan]

bump

[Shane Costello]

Originally posted by Randfan:
I grew up across the street from a diary. Acres and acres of cow dung and when it rained there were small lakes of liquid cow dung.

How did you jump from a daily journal containing personal thoughts and observations to the subject of animal waste! :D

[Smalso]

Originally posted by RandFan
I grew up across the street from a diary. Acres and acres of cow dung and when it rained there were small lakes of liquid cow dung. I've heard some people say that they want to buy a farm for the fresh air. :D

It does give the air a certain tang, doesn't it.

When Hurricane Floyd hit the eastern part of North Carolina, one of the biggest problems they had, in addition to damage and destruction caused by flooding, was what happened to the waste lagoons of the hog farms. I eat beef and pork, against doctor's orders--and try as I might, I have not yet figured a way to satisfy the country's appetite for these foods and, at the same time, deal with all that poop. I read an article a few years ago that stated that there are ways to convert animal--and human--waste into fertilizer, but the cost is prohibitive.

[shanek]

Originally posted by Smalso
I read an article a few years ago that stated that there are ways to convert animal--and human--waste into fertilizer, but the cost is prohibitive.

Actually, animal and human waste will naturally turn into a very good fertilizer as long as it's kept dry and you wait long enough for all the parasites and microbes to be done with it. Apparently the expense comes in when you try to use the fertilizer "right now" and you try and remove the microbes yourself.

HUMAN WASTE AS FERTILIZER

Plants grow better when they're fertilized. The nutrients can come from any number of sources including human waste. Extension soil fertility specialist Dr. Mark McFarland says the waste is treated and regulated to insure that it's safe. Pathogens that could make people or animals sick are removed and heavy metal levels are monitored. McFarland is testing sludge from Houston called Hou-Actinite. He spread it on forage acreage and says it is performing as well or better than organic fertilizers such as turkey litter and dairy manure. McFarland recommends the use of sewage on forage and on other non-food crops. He says the acceptance of human waste as a fertilizer can happen if people overcome the misperception that it will pollute soil and water and contaminate the food supply.

CONTACT: Dr. Mark McFarland, (979) 845-5366

http://cea-news.tamu.edu/rnb/1997/1997-08-29.html

[Smalso]

shanek: Actually, animal and human waste will naturally turn into a very good fertilizer as long as it's kept dry and you wait long enough for all the parasites and microbes to be done with it. Apparently the expense comes in when you try to use the fertilizer "right now" and you try and remove the microbes yourself.

Yes, that was the point of the article; that, and what do you do with it while waiting for nature to take its course?