Barn fires are a farmer’s worst nightmare and it doesn’t take long for them to get out of control. A recent study shows that within four minutes, the barn can be filled with smoke and in five minutes the barn’s engulfed in flames. At that point, it’s too late to do anything and the barn’s gone. Iowa’s Center for Agricultural Safety and Health said that most barn fires occur late at night or very early in the morning, meaning they normally don’t get stopped right away.
Here are some questions to ask yourself in order to be proactive and prevent a fire or at least keep it from getting out of control on your farm.
- Do your employees know the plan of action incase of a fire?
- Do you perform regular fire drills?
- Are your outlets, lights, and fans cleaned off?
- Has your wiring been checked recently?
- Are the barn exits clearly marked?
- Do you have a fire extinguisher near each exit?
- Make sure your employees are aware of where they’re located.
- If you have smoke detectors, are they working properly?
- Are all flammable liquids set far from heat sources?
- Do you allow people to smoke on your farm? If so, is there a designated area that’s safe?
- Have you checked the machinery lately for buildup that could cause a fire?
These are just some simple questions to keep in mind in order to keep your farm safe from a fire. We all appreciate what our local firefighters do, but that doesn’t mean you want to see them in action on your farm.
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