Schouten is committed to a firm approach to barn fires

Outgoing minister Carola Schouten is proposing more mandatory regulations to limit barn fires, such as mandatory compartmentalization and electrical inspections. These measures hit the larger livestock farms the hardest. This is shown by a letter to the House of Representatives

The minister wants a maximum to be set for the number of animals per fire compartment. In addition to compartments for animals, there must also be compartments for technical areas. They must be provided with at least sixty minutes of fire-resistant material. She is also investigating the obligation of a preventive fire detection system for larger stables.

electrical inspection
The minister also proposes mandatory electrical inspections of indoor electricity and solar power installations according to the best available standard. Improper installation of solar power installations must be prevented, because the consequences are often wrongly placed with livestock farmers, according to Schouten.

The electrical inspection includes a mandatory annual visual inspection for
all livestock farms, including the maintenance of electricity. It is stated that this provides insight into the greatest risks and contributes to awareness. Large livestock farms must undergo an extensive electrical inspection every three years, the other livestock farms every five years. By 2028 at the latest, all livestock farms must have been inspected at least once.

air scrubbers
Another measure is to make air scrubbers no longer eligible for subsidy from 1 January 2022. The reason is that they often play a major negative role in fires that have started.

In an initial reaction, the Wakker Dier Foundation is very pleased with the proposals. LTO Nederland has contributed to the drafting of the new (proposed) regulations.
 

© DCA Market Intelligence. This market information is subject to copyright. It is not permitted to reproduce, distribute, disseminate or make the content available to third parties for compensation, in any form, without the express written permission of DCA Market Intelligence.