Eight causes and ten tips
Dozens of times a year, a large barn fire takes place in our country. That causes a lot of misery. Especially because there are often animal victims to be regretted. A fire cannot always be prevented, but fortunately a farmer can do a lot himself to keep the risk as small as possible. Read how in this checklist.
If you want to prevent a fire, you must of course first know how it starts. We list the eight most common causes.
I. Number one: fire by electrical installations
Electrical installations, electric motors and fans can be found on every agricultural farm. Think of the lighting and heating, but also of drinking, feeding and milking machines. Partly due to new developments, a farmer is dependent on technology. If you maintain these installations properly, you can prevent fire. After all, poor maintenance can lead to overheating or a short circuit. But how do you do that, proper maintenance?
Tip 1: ALWAYS have your electrical installation installed, or adapted and delivered by a recognized installer according to the NEN1010.
Then periodically (after three to five years) have a Scope 10 electrical inspection carried out. This inspection is partly aimed at fire safety. Do you work with staff? Then additionally opt for a Scope 8 inspection, which has occupational safety as a starting point. Click here for a list of certified companies.
Tip 2: Do you have solar panels on the roof of the barn or are you planning to install them? Ask your insurer what requirements there are.
Have that installation inspected upon delivery (Scope 12) and then periodically inspected. And place the inverters OUTSIDE the barn on a fireproof surface or in a room outside the barn.
Always inform your insurer or intermediary before installing the panels and ask about the applicable prevention measures.
II. Human actions
A second major cause of barn fires is human action. It is precisely at this point that you can do a lot to limit the risk of fire.
Tip 3: You may not need to weld or grind at all, because you can also connect the materials with screws.
If necessary, do welding or grinding preferably outside the barn. And if you can't do it outside, make sure you have enough extinguishers on hand. Fire extinguishers, water and fire blankets. Check regularly whether these are still working and conclude a maintenance contract.
Tip 4: It sounds so simple, but make sure your barn is neatly tidy.
Remove flammable materials, shield your workplace with bulkheads and cover manure grids. Give clear instructions to your staff, even if you outsource work. And after work that may have released fire or sparks, make a check round through your barn. Do this right away and repeat again after an hour and before bedtime.
III. Heating
What applies to activities such as welding and grinding also applies to heating. Try to place the heating fire source outside the barn. Do not place an open fire or stove in the barn. And if there is really no other option, put the stove in a fire-resistant compartment.
Tip 5: For heating boilers you can make a separate compartmentalized technical room, of course outside the barn.
IV. Scalding
If you are going to harvest, it is important to store the hay and straw well. Do not store hay and straw bales in the barn, but in a loose shed or outside in wrapped bales.
And be alert to the smell of hay scalding. This chemical smell resembles the smell of sulfur and tobacco. If there is condensation on the hay, it may be a sign of scalding.
With a penetration thermometer, the core temperature of the hay or straw can be measured. Ask your insurer about the possibilities for measuring the temperature.
You can prevent scalding by squeezing only completely dry hay or straw. Also make sure there is enough space between the bales when storing. If in doubt, wrap the bales and store them outside.
Tip 6: Scalding can also occur in manure, wood chips and pellet granules. Therefore, store it outside and not too high (maximum 3 meters).
V. Battery charging
Batteries are indispensable in an agricultural company, but charging is not without risk. That is why it is good to observe a few precautions:
• keep the environment free and ensure sufficient ventilation;
• install connected smoke or thermal detectors in the barn and at the charging station;
• provide a fixed loading station setup with collision protection;
• do not leave connection cables on the ground (hang them);
• Mount an (automatic) fire extinguisher in the charging box;
• have the batteries and charger inspected every year;
• draw up an RI & E for gas explosion hazard (according to NEN-EN-IEC 60079-10 and NPR 7910);
• use an ATEX zone and a smoking ban around the charger.
The connection cables cannot get on the ground here.
Unsafe arrangement battery chargers small tools.
VI. Manure mixes
On average, three deaths per year occur in our country due to manure gases. And that's probably just the tip of the iceberg. Therefore, always be aware of the risks and consider the use of a manure gas meter at manure processing plants.
When mixing slurry, harmful gases are released, which:
1. displacing oxygen, which can cause people and animals to become unconscious and, in the most serious case, to die:
2. be explosive, which may cause explosions.
Tip 7: Do not leave people in the barn while mixing manure and, if possible, bring the animals outside.
Preferably stay outside the barn yourself. If that doesn't work, don't mix in windless weather. And always ensure maximum ventilation.
Tip 8: You must prevent any spark in and around the barn. De-energize manure robots, feeding stations, light and everything that can temporarily run out of power.
Smoking and open fires in and around the barn are also prohibited, especially during manure mixes.
VII. Spontaneous combustion vehicles
Spontaneous combustion of tractors or shovels is more common than you expect. If those vehicles are in the barn, that can skip. The cause often lies with the starter motor or other electrical components.
Tip 9: Simplest solution? Do not leave the tractor in the (vicinity of the) stable or near flammable storage.
Make the engine and exhaust dust-free after intensive use during, for example, haying or harvesting. You can also place a ground switch in the trigger, so that the voltage to the battery is interrupted and no short circuit can occur.
An additional advantage of that mass switch is that the trigger is also less easily stolen, because the criminals first have to discover where the switch is!
VIII. Watch out for dust!
A barn fire can spread very quickly if the air duct is full of dust. Dust can catch fire very quickly and is very flammable.
Make sure that there are no ignition sources in the air duct (lighting or cable connections). And also include this space in the SCIOS scope 10 inspection.
Tip 10: Have the air duct regularly checked and cleaned by a specialized cleaning company.
This also applies to any frequency inverters present.
Always be well informed! And if in doubt, contact your insurer or advisor
Are you already prepared for the future?
More and more agricultural entrepreneurs are investing in an Energy Storage System (EOS). Rightly so, but did you know that there are different types of batteries, all of which have a different fire risk? What do you choose?
For example, there is the lithium iron phosphate battery (LiFePO4). This battery can be charged and discharged with high power. In addition, it has a long service life (many charging cycles) and a high energy density. This battery is safer and more stable than other lithium-ion based batteries. They can withstand extremely high temperatures and there is little to no chance of explosions in case of overcharging, overheating, short circuits and damage. The battery is slightly more expensive than a lithium-ion battery.
There is also the saltwater battery. This is safer than, for example, lithium batteries. However, the speed of charging is less and this battery is more pricey. When purchasing a battery, be well informed by an expert.
• Place the battery storage outside the barn and at least ten meters away from the façade.
• If you do place the storage inside the buildings, do so in a 60-minute fire-resistant compartment with smoke alarm and automatic fire extinguisher.
• The housing/container must be equipped with a smoke detector with notification and an automatic fire extinguisher.
• The EOS must be installed according to the standard.
Note!
If you are now considering purchasing an EOS system, solar panels or a hydrogen system, please contact your insurer or insurance advisor first. They can inform you about the possibilities and safety requirements, so that the fire risks remain as small as possible. Moreover, you prevent surprises, such as structural adjustments, afterwards.
Always have tips at hand? Print the infographic and hang the tips in the barn!
Do you want more information? Or are you curious about the latest figures about barn fires, check out our website!
Was this article useful?