Revised:  05/22/2008

	Farm Safety

Barn fires are a farm owner’s worst nightmare. Most have tragic results such as the loss of human life, animals, valuable equipment or the building itself. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) estimated that from 1999-2000 there were 5,800 structural fires in barns and livestock facilities resulting in $124.6 million worth of property damage. These fires resulted in 34 human injuries and one death; the number of animals lost in these fires is not reported. Insurance statistics show that the two most common times of the year for barn fires are summer and winter. Summer fires are often the result of electrical storms or spontaneous combustion of hot hay. Winter fires are caused by appliances, rodents chewing through electrical wires or the accumulation of dust and cobwebs on electrical surfaces. This fact sheet will explain to horse owners and others the short and long term precautions that should be taken to help reduce the incidence of barn fires.

• Hay and straw
• Bedding material (especially sawdust and shredded newspaper)
• Cobwebs, dust, and grain dust
• Horse blankets
• Paint
• Fertilizer
• Pesticides and herbicides

Accelerants - Accelerants are substances that increase the speed at which a fire spreads. All accelerants are highly flammable or combustible, but not all highly flammable or combustible materials are accelerants. Accelerants must be stored in approved containers and properly labeled as such (plastic milk bottles do not qualify as approved containers for storing chemicals). An updated list of all chemicals on the farm should be maintained. The list should include the name of the chemical, date purchased, the quantity of the chemical, and the place of storage on the farm. This list should be kept in a safe, handy place such as a farm office (not in the building where the products are stored). In case of a fire, the list should be given to the fireperson in charge to aid the fire department in knowing what potential toxic fumes or explosions may result and how best to contain the situation. Common accelerants include:

• Gasoline
• Kerosene
• Oil
• Aerosol cans

Ignition Sources - An ignition source is something that can cause an accelerant or flammable material to ignite or smoulder. Examples of ignition sources are:

• Cigarettes and matches
• Sparks from welding machines and machinery (trucks, tractors, mowers)
• Motors
• Heaters
• Electrical appliances
• Fence chargers
• Electrical fixtures and wires
• Batteries
• Broken glass
• Chemicals which may react with each other or with water or dampness.

When constructing a new building in which to house horses and/or livestock, precautions should be taken to reduce the chance of barn fires. Many of these measures are required by the township’s building code. Always check with the town building inspector’s office for the requirements and permits necessary in your area.

Many insurance companies will lower premiums if extra fire safety precautions are taken during the construction of a new building, some of which may be above and beyond the standards required by the township. Check with industrial insurance companies regarding features which will possibly lower insurance premiums. Extra measures may include:

• Approved fire doors
• Fire wall between hay/bedding storage and the actual stabling area
• Use of materials that are flame retardant or fire resistant
• Use of fire retardant latex paint - preferably two coats
• Installation of smoke detectors, fire alarm and sprinkler systems - all of which can be monitored by local police or fire departments
• Trickle-charged battery powered emergency lighting to permit evacuation of people and animals in case of power failure
• A water source on the premises, especially a pond, will help the fire department to save buildings. Trucking in water from a distance if a water hydrant is not available is time-consuming. Remember to have the water source properly fenced to keep “unwanted” visitors out.

Electrical systems in barns, especially in older structures, are often the cause of a barn fire. The following safety precautions (sometimes beyond the township electrical code requirements) should be taken when installing a new system or repairing older electrical systems.

• Avoid areas of excessive moisture for the location of the main electrical panel box.
• Place panel box in the driest, most dust free area possible. (Stall areas are not recommended; place in tack room or utility room.)
• Panel box should be corrosion-resistant and weather-proofed even if installed inside a building.
• Outlets and switch boxes should be made of metal and have dust and watertight spring-loaded covers which close when released (See Fig. 1).
• Wires should be encased in metal conduit pipe. Even temporary wires (such as extension cords to a tank heater) should be run through conduit pipe to keep the wires safe from breakage and away from the teeth of horses, livestock and rodents and the metal shoes of horses.

• Light fixtures, fluorescent lights and insect control devices should have dust- and moisture-resistant covers. Incandescent bulbs should have gloves with seals that are dust- and moisture-proof, surrounded by a globe cage to prevent accidental breakage (See Fig. 2).
• Motors -- such as the type used for circulation fans, water pumps or hay elevators -- should have moisture- and dust-proof on/off switches.
• Motors should not be within 18 inches of any combustible material such as hay or bedding. A fire-resistant shield should be placed around such material to protect it from any heat given off by a motor.
• Electric fence units can be potential fire hazards, especially if the units are of the continuous current type. Use only UL listed units that are of the solid state transistor-type, with intermittent current. Fence-line units should be 10 feet from buildings, enclosed in a weather-proof structure.
• Any appliances used in the barn (e.g. clippers, dryers, vacuums) should be UL approved and grounded. Appliances with broken, frayed cords or bent plugs should not be used until properly repaired. (Wrapping the cord in electrical tape is not a proper method of repairing a frayed cord.) All appliances should be disconnected when not in use.
• Portable heaters should not be used in the barn area. If they are used in tack rooms, heater units should not be left unattended and should be turned off when you leave the room. Many of these heaters do not contain safety devices which prevent overheating.
• Do not place portable space heaters near livestock where they may be knocked over. Make sure heaters have a shut-off device that activates if the unit is knocked over.
• Improperly utilized heat lamps are a major source of barn fires. They are often placed too close to hay and bedding which may ignite quite easily from the heat. Never use extension cords with heat lamps.
• Heat tapes, heated automatic water tanks and water tank heaters must have a thermostat and be UL listed. All heating devices should be installed and used following manufacturer instructions. Tank heater cords and heat tapes should be adequately protected so that animals (horses, livestock, cats, dogs, rodents) cannot easily chew through them and cause electrocution, electrical shocks or a barn fire. Heat tapes should be protected with a fire-retardant insulation material.

General Fire Safety Precautions

• Smoking should never be permitted in any barn, hay/bedding storage area, tack room or lounge. No-smoking signs should be posted in these areas and at all exterior entrances. Butt cans should be provided as an incentive to extinguish all cigarettes.
• Exit doors should be clearly marked.
• Aisles should be raked or swept clean of hay and bedding. Vacuum up cobwebs and dust regularly. Wipe dust/dirt off light fixtures, outlet covers, switches and panel boxes.
• Weeds, twigs, and other trash should be kept mowed or picked up from around the outside of the barn.
• Manure piles should be at least 20 feet away from the barn to reduce the chance of combustion fire.
• Hay/bedding storage should not be near lights, fans, electrical boxes, heaters or outlets.
• When storing newly baled hay, the temperature of the bales should be monitored. Adequate ventilation should be provided for additional drying of the hay. If too much heat builds up, spontaneous combustion can occur. (Never purchase hay that is hot because it can mean that it was baled too wet. In addition to being a fire hazard, the hay may turn moldy, making it unpalatable and unhealthy for horses to eat.)
• Flammable substances should be kept away from the barn.
• Store vehicles and machinery in a separate building.
• If a vehicle is being driven through the barn, during stall cleaning for example, care should be taken not to block horses in stalls.
• A halter and lead shank for each horse should be hung on all stall door fronts in case of an emergency.
• A fire hose and buckets should be available and kept for this purpose only.
• Practice fire drills should be held so employees and boarders are familiar with their responsibilities should a real fire occur.

Lightning Protection

• Buildings should be equipped with professionally installed lightning rods of copper or aluminum. The system should be properly grounded.
• All pipes, water systems, electrical systems and telephone lines should also be grounded.
• Contact a professional company for proper maintenance and installation.
• Information on proper lightning precautions for your livestock structure can be obtained from the Lightning Protection Institute, www.lightning.org.

• ABC (all class) dry-chemical fire extinguishers should be in all livestock buildings, workshops or wherever welding is done.
• The extinguisher should be 5 lbs. minimum. 10 lbs. is ideal.
• Even if a unit is only partially discharged, the extinguisher must be recharged.
• A fire extinguisher should be hanging at all exterior doorways, in the middle of long aisles, and next to the electrical panel box.
• Signs denoting placement of fire extinguishers should be highly visible.

Early fire detection systems may give you enough time to get livestock out and maybe save the building. Heat and smoke detectors are available for livestock facilities. The detectors should be professionally installed to guarantee that they are in the most effective location within the barn. Sirens or bells should be loud enough to be heard from a distance, in case no one is in the immediate vicinity of the barn. The alarm should go directly to the fire department alerting them that there is a barn fire and live animals and/or humans might be involved.

What not to do!

Never fight a fire if it is already large and spreading.
Never fight a fire that could spread to block your escape route.
Never fight a fire if you have not been trained to properly use a fire extinguisher.

References:

1. Basic Horse Safety Manual. American Youth Horse Council in Cooperation with American Horse Council. 1989.
2. “Extinguishing Fire Hazards.” Equus Magazine, 162. April 1991.
3. Fire Safety in Agricultural Buildings. Reinsurance Association of Minnesota. 1983.
4. “How to Fireproof your Horse Barn.” Equisearch. Accessed June 2006 at http://www.equisearch.com/advice/how_to/eqfire688/index.html.
5. Lightning Protection Institute. www.lightning.org
6. Making your Horse Barn Fire Safe. The American Humane Society of the United States. 2005.
7. The National Equine Safety Association (NESA).
8. U.S. Fires in Selected Occupancies. National Fire Protection Association. Marty Ahrens. March 2006.

Hamilton, George C. “Storage of Pesticides and Their Containers.” 1988. Rutgers Fact Sheet FS 320.

Ponessa, Joseph T. “Ground Fault Circuit Interrrupters Offer Improved Electrical Safety.” 1986. Rutgers Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet FS162.

This publication was made possible in part by a grant from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Program on Agricultural Health Promotion Systems for New Jersey.

© 2007 by Rutgers Cooperative Extension, NJAES, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.

Desktop publishing by Rutgers Department of Communications. Revised: July 2007