Manure and Gas Leaks

Are You Prepared for Manure and Gas Leaks?

Natural gas in transmission pipelines does not have an added odorant making it difficult to detect leaks. Protect tanks, gauges, pipes and connectors from rust and inspect regularly for signs of damage or wear.

Know the signs of a natural or propane gas leak:

Rotten egg smell;
Dead or discolored vegetation in an otherwise green area;
Dirt or dust blowing from a hole in the ground;
Bubbling in wet or flooded areas;
Blowing or hissing sound; and
Flames, if a leak has ignited.

Prevalent Poultry Barn Gases
Gas	Characteristic	Source	TLV*(max	Comment
Carbondioxide (CO2)	Colourless and odourless	Animal respiration	5,000 ppm (8-hour day)	Non-toxic, but elevated levels will displace oxygen at floor level
Carbonmonoxide (CO)	Colourless, odourless, toxic, non-flammable	Burning fossilfuel (gasengines	25 ppm (8-hour day)	Asphyxiant; toxic concentrations quickly absorbed; may cause illnesses in humansand poultry.
Ammonia(NH3)	Pungent, recognizable by acrid smell, and colourles	Bacteria that live in faeces and urine	25 ppm (8-hour day	Most prevalent of all barngases – irritates mucous membranes of eyes, nose, and upper respiratory tract; long periods of exposure may cause respiratory diseas.
Methane (CH4)	Highly flammable, colourless, and odourless	Manure pits	5% max concentration in air	Highly explosive; simple asphyxiant, though rarely reaches danger threshold for oxygen deprivation
Hydrogensulfide (H2S)	Rotten eggs smell at low concentrations; highly toxic, numbs sense of smell at high concentrations; flammable at 4% concentration in air	Breakdown of manure in areas where there is no oxygen (silos, manure pits)	10 ppm at any time	800 ppm is the lethal concentration for 50% of humans for 5 minutes exposure (LC50). Concentrations over 1000 ppm cause immediate collapse with loss of breathing, even after inhalation of a single breath

*TLV = threshold limit value, the airborne concentration of a substance to which an average person can be exposed repeatedly without any adverse effects.

1 Chart extracted from the Emergency Management Guide for BC Pork Producers, 2015. TLVs are based on the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers’ Safety Standard, 2005. Refer also to OMAFRA Factsheet Hazardous Gases on Agricultural Operations

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Dig safely to prevent damage to gas services and pipelines. Call for a utilities locate prior to excavation, even for simple jobs such as planting, replacing a mailbox post or installing a fence. Contact Ontario One Call (ON1Call)1-800-400-2255 or visit their website to request a utility locator.