Nothing is worse than the unsuspecting killer that lurks in every horse barn and stable during the winter: the space heater, heat tape, portable hot water heater, faulty electrical box or other electrical appliance, which, if not properly maintained, can result a barn fire creating destruction and misery for horses and owners.
Be alert to electrical problems
Winter barn and stable fires cause injury, death, property damage and untold misery, and the fact is that more barn and stable fires occur during the months of January, February and March than any other time of the year.
The Equine Risk Management Group (ERMG), a safety-risk management education organization located in Lexington, Kentucky, has created a valuable educational checklist and information resource for barn and farm managers to aid in the prevention of barn and stable fires.
Introduction to Fire Safety
The last words you want to hear hollered at your horse farm are, âFire! Fire! Fire!â followed by âWhat do we do? What do we do?â.
Horse farm fire safety is about prevention and learning what not to do in and around barns and stables. So much of the information is common sense however, it takes time to learn where some of the risks are and how they will impact on the safety of your animals, structures and well being of humans.
Fire prevention is not instinctive, you must learn the types of risks and methods of prevention when working in barns and stables.
Do not delay in organizing a fire prevention program for your farm. After reading the following information, put a plan into action. It could save lives for both horses and humans.
Think about these comments from an expert on fire prevention:
Such a terrible, unforgettable sight in the blink of an eye, fire can destroy a barn structure and all its occupants while humans stand back and watch helplessly. It follows that the largest fire and most spectacular incident that many small community and rural fire departments face is the common barn fire.
Yet, in the mindset of owners of these structures they cannot believe it would happen to them, so any means of fire detection/prevention is often overlooked, and they leave fire protection entirely to chance.
However, the fact remains that annually there are more than 1,200 barn fires most of them preventable, occurring each year in the United States and result in nearly $33 million dollars in property damage.
Based on a study conducted by the National Fire Prevention Association, defective or improperly used heating equipment is the number one cause of barn and stable fires. The same report indicated that 46% of barn and stable fires occur between the hours of 7pm and 7 am, during the night and outside of the watchful eye of stable management.
When this data is linked to the fact more barn and stable fires occur during the months of January, February and March, it speaks volumes about the extra care horsemen need to use during the winter months.
Note: These common causes of fires are not ranked in order of importance.
The Most Common Causes of Barn and Stable Fires
- Spontaneous composition of improperly cured hay and forage type bedding
- Lightning strikes to buildings
- Careless smoking in barns and stables
- Overheating of plumbing related heater devices to prevent frozen pipes
- Overheating of electric supplemental portable heater appliances during winter
- Faulty electrical wiring and circuit boxes
- Defective electrical appliances [i.e. coffee pots, microwave ovens, toasters, etc]
- Overheating of electrical or gas hot water heating elements
- Defective electric fence chargers
- Defective and/or excessively dusty electric fan motors
- Sparks from machinery operating in areas close to barns and stables.
- Sparks from a forge being operated in and near barns and stables.
- Overheating of portable lighting and heat lamps
- Careless burning of waste materials and rubbish
- Overloaded, improper use of extension cords
- Presence of accelerants [i.e. aerosols, gas, kerosene, diesel, propane, etc]
- Arson
The Equine Risk Management Group suggests a pro-active program of fire prevention including weekly self-inspections of all electrical equipment used in the barn. And yes, donât forget to have a fire escape - emergency evacuation plan.
Such plans make a difference if all staff and personnel know what to do in case of an emergency. Barn fires can happen to all barns and stables when it is least expected. So, the solution is very simple, be prepared.