Fire prevention and control on pig farms

While there is always a risk of fire, it is much greater during periods of prolonged high temperatures and dry conditions. Below are some useful tips for fire prevention and what to do if a fire breaks out.

• Call 999 immediately; do not try to put the fire out on your own
• Ensure all members of staff are on one side of the fire and know where the assembly point is
• Do not re-enter a burning building; it will be much more dangerous the second time
• In the event of a fire on a neighbouring farm or field, you may wish to temporarily move your hay and straw stacks and create a firebreak on the edge of the field
• Ensure the fire engine and firefighting machinery are not in the path of the fire
• Turn the electricity off, if safe to do so
• Be aware that opening doors may encourage fire to spread
• Ensure nothing is blocking the entrance for the fire service
• If pigs are in the building, they will be reluctant to move

• Ensure that at least one member of staff can take action and coordinate other staff in the event of a fire
• Employees must be informed of where all the fire extinguishers are kept
• Keep the grid references for your fields somewhere handy to give to the fire service in the event of a fire
• Find out who your local fire officer is; they may be able to visit to check access and water supply
• You may wish to provide out-of-hours contact details on the farm gate
• Create an animal evacuation plan, if you don’t already have one

• Store hay and straw in buildings as far away from livestock as possible
• Regularly cut grass verges and vegetation growing around farm buildings
• Be aware of prevailing wind; ensure machinery is not parked in the path of a potential fire

• Have a tractor and cultivating equipment on standby should you need to create a firebreak around the field or perimeter of your unit (this might involve a neighbour)
• Ensure there are no fuel or oil leaks on equipment
• Ensure all electrical equipment is maintained
• Ensure heat lamps cannot be dislodged by sows; a metal cage around the shade can prevent a hot bulb dropping onto flammable materials

• Keep a full water bowser or tank next to buildings and in fields, if harvesting, and provide extra tanks on outdoor pig units in case of fire (you could also use a slurry tanker)
• Regularly check and maintain open-water supplies that could be used for firefighting
• Ensure fire extinguishers are:
  • Fit for purpose
  • Kept in vehicles that will be used during the hot weather (this could be the farm truck or gator used to check stock if machinery isn’t used)
  • In easily accessible locations

More information on fire control can be found via the National Animal Disease Information Service (NADIS) and the NFU.