Farmers urged to focus on fire safety as busiest time of the year approaches

As harvest time approaches, the risks increase significantly, with electrical problems known to be one of the biggest causes of devastating farm fires.

John Crockett, Health and Safety Manager at Northampton-based Acorn Safety Services urged farmers to get on top of their health and safety issues before the busiest time of the year gets underway.

He said: “Discarded cigarettes, hot fuel and broken bottles can all cause fires given the right conditions.

“With some statistics showing that as many as 40% of farms will never recover from the devastating effects of a fire, making sure a full fire risk assessment has been carried out on your farm is essential, particularly as the busy harvest season approaches.

“A risk assessment will identify any potential issues and ensure any safety measures which need to be introduced are communicated with all staff members.

“We will also work with you to produce an emergency plan to ensure everyone is fully informed about what to do should the worst happen.”

John also advised farmers to carry out a legionella risk assessment to check for the presence of legionella bacteria in water supplies.

He said: “Water supplies to livestock can stagnate if not used or flushed on a regular basis.

“Natural water courses where livestock feed are also a concern, wild animals may cause water supplies to become poor where faeces or rotting animals are not noticed.

“In order to keep water supplies clean, regular testing should take place.”

For further information about Acorn Safety Services visit www.acornhealthandsafety.co.uk or call 01604 930380.