Reducing barn fire risk is one of the most important things you can do on your homestead. Barns may seem as though they could never fall, but it only takes one small fire to burn them to the ground. You may not even realize that you have fire risks in the barn that pose a clear and present danger to your business, but they are there.
Use these tips to make sure that you can reduce barn fire risk and protect your operation.
Clean the Barn Regularly
The best thing you can do for your barn is clean it. This may sound simplistic, but cleaning the barn removes many of the items that could cause a fire. Just think of when you last cleaned the barn. Now imagine all the fuzz, dust, dirt, and grime that’s in that barn. It doesn’t take much to spark a fire in an electrical outlet, and you can avoid these hazards just by cleaning.
Remove Electrical Equipment
Removing electrical equipment from the barn is one of the smartest things you can do. You can move those items outside so that they are not running and posing a fire risk all the time. Most people don’t realize how dangerous these electrical devices can be, especially when they are plugged into standard outlets.
At the very least, you should plug electrical devices into GFI outlets that can trip the circuit and prevent a fire in the event of a short.
Ventilate or Move Heat Sources
Try to create more ventilation in the space and make sure that you move heat sources away from the walls or stored items. Yes, you may need a heat source in the barn while you’re working, but you should turn it off and take it out when you’re done working. Plus, you may need to wait for the barn to cool down before walking away and locking up.
Contact Buren Insurance Group for More Information on Barn Fire Risks
Contact our team at Buren Insurance Group when you need more information on farm safety and reducing barn fire risks. We have decades of experience insuring the farmlands of Ohio, and we’re happy to help you do the best for your family, team, and operation.