Fire

Many farm fires start as a result of damaged or defective electrical installations.  It is essential that all fixed wiring installations, including those in animal housing, is installed and inspected periodically by a competent electrician.  A periodic inspection report should be provided by the electrician identifying the schedule of future inspections. Electrical installations should  be suitable for the environment with particular care taken in areas that are wet, exposed to high levels of dust or where corrosive substances may be stored.  Electrical installations in these environments will need to be protected and will also require more frequent inspection. 

Hot works are carried out on many farms and include welding, cutting, grinding and includes all operations which can generate sparks.  Where hot works cannot be eliminated it is essential that suitable control measures are implemented to reduce the risks, especially when the hot works are taking place in close vicinity to combustible materials, flammable liquids or gases. 

Priority should always be given to avoiding fires rather than fighting fires, and while fire extinguishers or other suitable extinguishing media should always be immediately available in the vicinity of hot works, the aim would be to never have to use them.

Almost as important as ensuring that the work is carried out safely is the requirement to ensure that the area is monitored following hot works for a suitable period of time.  Fires often occur in the hour following the hot works where sparks may be smouldering and could go unnoticed. 

Chemicals are present on most farms and many of them are classified as Flammable or Highly Flammable.  The chemicals must always be stored in accordance with their Material Safety Data Sheet and should be kept in small quantities where possible.  Smoking must always be prohibited in areas where chemicals are located and there should be clear signage to identify the hazard.

In addition to the flammable chemicals there are also gases that are a particular hazard.  Many farms will have bulk gas tanks or smaller portable gas cylinders.  The use and storage of these cylinders is critical in reducing fire risks and perhaps more importantly fire spread. 

The location of flammable chemicals and gases must always be identified in the fire risk assessment and should be marked on the fire plan for the farm.  

Ammonium Nitrate is an oxidizer and can generate its own heat.  The storage location of AN based products is therefore extremely important.  AN should not be stored in the same location as combustible products such as animal feed or bedding.  Bags should not be stored more than two high and hot machinery, equipment and vehicles should not be stored in close proximity to AN products. 

The amount of AN present on a farm may lead to additional requirements under NAMOS.  

Heating and lighting should be suitable for the environment and fixed installations should be installed and periodically inspected by a competent person.  

The choice of heaters can significantly increase or reduce the risks.  Space heaters are a known source of fires on farms and in workshops where they tend to be used the most.  Space heaters should never be left unattended and should only ever be used with fuel intended for the heater as detailed by the manufacturer or supplier.   Space heaters should not be sited on combustible surfaces and the area in front of and surrounding the heater should be free of flammable and combustible items. 

Convector heaters and radiant heaters are safer forms of heat but only if used correctly.  Convector heaters are safer than radiant heaters but they should always be positioned where they cannot come into contact with animals and there should always be at least a 1 metre separation between the heaters and any combustible including animal feed, bedding or other combustible materials. 

Portable heaters should be avoided and must never be left unattended. 

Heat lamps are also a source of fires and their use must be assessed and controlled. A clear space of 1m must be maintained around lamps and they should always be supported to prevent them from falling onto animals or bedding.  They should be secured against contact by the animals and the securing measures must be suitable for the environment.  Chains will provide better protection than string or twine.   You should also ensure that you have suitable protection should the bulb of a hear lamp break/blow during use as the particles that break free will be hot and this has been sufficient to cause fires.

There are numerous reported cases of fires which have started in bale stacks.  Many of these fires have been started deliberately and there are many reported cases of arson on farms following harvest.  The location of bale stacks is therefore important.  Where possible stacks should be kept in an area that is not accessible easily by others.  Placing bale stacks immediately adjacent to a road, bridleway or public right of way increases the risk of arson significantly.

Hay should only be baled when it has properly dried and ideally baled and stacked hay should be covered to keep it dry.  Hay stacks should be tested for overheating and if the temperature rises above 70 degrees C the fire service should be called. 

Silage can also catch fire as a result of the fermentation process and safeguards are required to ensure that the risks are adequately controlled.   Self heating can also occur in silage and it is essential to ensure that the moisture content is not less than 40%.

Vehicles and farm equipment should be kept as clean as possible to prevent the build up of  materials such as grain, soil, straw, and dusts.  Where these materials are permitted to remain on the vehicles and equipment they can cause overheating of motors which in turn can ignite the materials and cause fires. Every year harvesters catch fire and this is often caused by materials settling onto heat sources such as motors.  Harvesters should always be cleaned and any loose materials should be blown/cleaned off before storing after use. 

Where fire extinguishers are provided on vehicles and farm equipment they must be visually inspected periodically to identify any obvious defects and should be subject to annual inspections by a competent person. 

Vehicles and equipment should not be stored in buildings that are used for storage, especially where there are large amounts of combustible materials present.  If vehicles are to be covered they should always be sufficiently cooled before they are covered. 

Spare tyres should also be stored to reduce the risk of catching fire.  Ideally they should be stored outside away from any sources of heat or ignition.  Tyres that are no longer required should be removed from site and tyres that are stored for later use should be laid flat in a well ventilated area. 

A fire plan should identify how vehicles can be moved safely in the event of and emergency.