With the increased temperatures and the summer season upon us, now is a good time for farmers and land owners to review their fire prevention measures. Every precaution should be taken to minimise unnecessary risks in hot weather which could lead to agricultural buildings going up in flames.
The contents of farm buildings in the summer are liable to dry out rapidly and catch fire much more easily than at other times of year. This is particularly the case when it comes to the storage of straw and hay which dry out incredibly quickly in hot weather.
Simple precautions should be taken as part of the wider risk 
management procedures deployed across the business. Regular checks must be conducted on the fixed electrical infrastructure, there should be the appropriate number of fire extinguishers and their maintenance should be up to date. Further checks should be made to ensure that there are no naked bulbs hanging from the ceiling of a barn or that there are no damaged electrical cables which may lead to combustion in hot weather.
Also, farmers should be very wary of how any glass or mirrors are situated as they can concentrate sunlight onto combustible surfaces and it is a surprisingly common occurrence how often this results in 
fires.
The very real concern is that, once a building full of tinder-dry material goes up in flames, it is almost impossible to extinguish the fire before the damage is done.
Furthermore, it is extremely expensive to replace produce which is needed to feed livestock through the winter and farmers need to ensure they have adequate insurance cover in place for that eventuality.
For further information and advice, please contact William Barne on 0131 225 9119 or by email on william.barne@lycetts.co.uk.
