Machinery fires can be devastating on farms. The risk of fires is heightened during the harvest due to a combination of the generation of dry combustible chaff and straw and high machinery operating hours.

During the harvest, it is good practice to clean and blow down machinery on a daily basis. This includes combine harvesters, balers, trailers and in particular, grain dryers.

Grain dryers are of particular fire risk due to the use of heat and generation of dust and chaff. Insurance company ICS (Insurance Claim Solutions) deals with a number of these type of agricultural fires every year.

This year it put together a few simple tips that can help reduce the risk of fire to your grain dryer:

  • All surfaces on which dust, grain or other materials can collect should be cleaned out regularly. Records should be maintained, and checklists should be followed.
  • Keep the area around the dryer clear of grain and other combustible material.
  • Get your drying equipment regularly serviced by a competent engineer/supplier.
  • Check thermostats, temperature settings and automatic shut-off devices, and always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
  • Keep the airflow to the furnace free from dust, chaff and straw.
  • Don’t leave the plant running unattended for extended periods.
  • ‘No smoking’ rules must be strictly enforced
  • Allow the dried grain to cool to ambient temperature prior to any further processing or storage. This will reduce the chance of self-heating.
  • Make sure that staff know how to isolate equipment and what to do in the event of a fire.
  • Suitable fire extinguishers should be available to fight any fire (Class B rated for oil-fired furnaces and CO2 for electrical equipment).
  • Have the address, postcode and grid reference of the grain dryer location to hand, in case you need to call emergency services.
  • Make a farm emergency plan to assist the emergency services by listing the hazards, water supplies and access details.