About 80 farms were affected by fires in Kazakhstan

There are many risks in agriculture, that a wise farmer calculates ahead of time. However, in the pursuit of profit and sustainable development, some farmers forget about fire safety. The horror of fire is known to few, but you should always be prepared for it. A World of NAN journalist will tell you how to keep your business safe and what penalties await the violators of fire safety.

According to the official data of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan, since the beginning of 2021, the fire occurred in 79 agricultural facilities. The main causes of emergencies experts say use of open flame, smoking in inappropriate places, use of electrical and heat generating apparatus of handicraft production, violation of storage rules and use of combustible materials and substances. Just one spark or one cigarette butt caused irreparable damage to farms. Isn't that frightening?

Unfortunately, no! A man doesn't think about trouble until it comes knocking on his door. However, we want to remind farmers of the rules to follow. First of all, firefighters ask to pay attention to the agricultural equipment: it is necessary to remove and clean equipment from combustible dust and deposits in time, to control the technological process and the temperature regime. It is also important to properly store combustibles and materials.

Storage of feed occupies a separate place in the rules of fire safety. Firstly, a separate area must be allocated for it. Secondly, there must be fire breaks between individual stacks, sheds or skips, and the distance to power lines, buildings and structures must also be respected. If this is not possible, the storage sites must be equipped with an additional 500 liter water tank. Thirdly, tractors and cars without spark arresters should not be allowed to work in feed storage areas, and smoking should not be allowed in the places where they are stored.

The rules are simple and well-known to all, but as practice shows, farmers often ignore them. So, according to official data of Ministry of Emergencies, from the beginning of current year to inspection in sphere of fire safety 261 entities of AIC were subjected to, where 2396 violations of requirements of Fire Safety were revealed. The most common violations include violations of installation and operation of electrical equipment. Naturally, not all facilities were checked. According to the norms agricultural objects (livestock facilities and poultry farms) with more than 1500 square meters of buildings are subject to annual inspections.

The only lever of firemen pressure on businessmen is fines. For example, small businesses or non-profit organizations can be fined 15 MPI (monthly calculation index), medium businesses 25 MPI, and large businesses 50 MPI.

Such fines seem ridiculous, especially for large farmers. However, firefighters understand that by not complying with the rules, you punish and cheat yourself first of all. Fire is a ruthless element and will not spare your property. Plus, you are responsible for your employees, whose death in a fire will be on your conscience. Thus, comply with fire safety regulations and take care of your business.