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FIRE PROTECTION INSIDE YOUR BARN(page 2)
A broom and rake are the two best fire prevention
tools a horse owner can have. Maintaining a clean barn is excellent
fire protection and requires minimal daily effort. Get rid of cobwebs
hanging from the rafters. Sure,
after a few days they'll all magically reappear, but keep after them. Cobwebs
provide excellent pathways along which flame can travel--so quickly that
in seconds fire will have spread from one end of the barn to the other. In
addition, flaming pieces of cobwebs falling into stalls will start new fires.
Many fires are caused by grass, leaves, or weeds caught on tractor and truck exhaust manifolds and pipes. These fires may start after the equipment is parked either temporarily or for the day and the operators are out of sight of the equipment. It's a good idea to make a quick visual inspection when you park, and if you see clumps of grass or other debris stuck in the undercarriage, take a minute to knock it off.
Refueling
should be done as far distant from the barn as possible, because gasoline vapors
are heavier than air. As gasoline is poured from one container to another,
for example, from gas can to tractor fuel tank, the escaping vapors fall to the
lowest spots. Vapors settle into depressions in the ground, beneath nearby
buildings if there are openings in the foundation, into floor drains, and any other
low areas. Gasoline vapors will readily ignite, so a lit match in the vicinity,
or even at some distance if topography and ventilation are right, could start a
fire.
If a tractor
is used in the barn for pulling a manure spreader or wagon during stall cleaning,
it must never be parked blocking an occupied stall, nor should it be left running
unless it's being driven. Regardless of whether your vehicles or other internal-combustion
powered tools are gasoline- or diesel-fueled, be aware of carbon
monoxide. [Additional reading - THE DANGER OF SMOKE]
When vehicles
are operating, carbon monoxide is given off in the exhaust. Even if your
barn is "wide-open," there may be alcoves or recesses—or stalls—where carbon
monoxide can accumulate, causing an unexpected medical or veterinary emergency. That's
why the use of vehicles in your barn should be kept to a minimum. Of course,
it would be foolish and inefficient to return to the use of wheelbarrows and muscle
power to clean large barns, but being aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide will
help lessen your chances of becoming a victim.
Farm tractors
and other gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles should be parked away from the
barn, but if it is necessary to keep them close by, they should be parked a minimum
of fifteen feet away from any structures housing animals. Equipment must be properly maintained to avoid problems with the fuel or exhaust systems. Parking other
farm equipment and trailers some distance from the barn is also a good way to keep
debris from collecting around equipment. It's amazing how many items can
be "stored" under or behind seldom-used farm equipment—those items provide
excellent fuel. Also, in case of a fire, keeping equipment away from the
barn allows firefighters space in which to work.