Fighting Fires in Farms

'Generic Risk Assessment 3.5 - Fighting Fires in Farms' is part of a series of Generic Risk Assessments (GRAs) that is the product of a ten year consultation period.

The GRAs have been designed to safeguard Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) personnel and members of the public.

This assessment examines the hazards, risks and control measures relating to Fire and Rescue Service personnel, the personnel of other agencies and members of the public when fighting fires in farms.

This assessment considers the full range from smallholdings to large farms that undertake a wide variety of activities.

There are significant hazards which face Fire and Rescue Service personnel at farm fires.

Chapters within this GRA include: access; the nature, construction and condition of farm buildings and farms; hazardous substances and materials stored or used on the farm; electrical power supplies; machinery, workshops, silos, barns and stores; water pits, slurry pits and lagoons; work at height; animals and insects; biological hazards including animal waste (solid, liquid) and bio-aerosols; stacked materials; non-Fire and Rescue Service personnel. Depending on the nature and scale of the operational incident a variety of significant hazards may be present.

Therefore contents of other specific Generic Risk Assessments may also need to be considered.