Regardless of the size of the business, having a sound and practical fire safety plan is a must. Business fire eruptions are a bitter reality and cost business in terms of finances and reputation. So if you are thinking about starting a business in Albuquerque, you need to submit an office fire prevention emergency plan to ensure the best for employees’ health and safety.
Office Fire Facts
- Most fires occur between 12 pm to 2 pm during weekdays.
- Out-of-hour fires makeup 31% and usually occur between 7 pm to 7 am.
- There are fewer fire incidents recorded during weekends, which concluded that decreasing people reduces the risk.
- More than 1/3rd of the fatalities caused in the commercial buildings in fire incidents are caused by smoking.
Common Factors Leading to Fire Incidents and Top Office Fire Prevention Tips
Are you looking for what causes the fire in the business premises? Here we have sorted few reasons responsible.
Defective/Faulty Electronics
Defective or faulty electrics are one of the leading reasons behind most fire incidents. If you have damaged wiring, defective equipment, or overloaded sockets, it might lead to fire sparking or electrocution.
Tip:
It is prudent to check the sockets for overloading issues, wires for damages, and equipment for possible faults to mitigate the fire risks and ensure office fire prevention.
Cooking Appliances
Kitchen appliances are one of the leading reasons behind various fire incidents without commercial and household setup. Equipment including kettle, toaster, microwave, and oven are always prone to damage, short circuit, and ultimate fire.
Tip:
All the staff members should be held responsible for the care of kitchen equipment to mitigate the risk. Do not leave your food unattended during heating or cooking. Take the plug out once you are done. Regularly check your fire alarm system to ensure its functionality and efficiency.
Smoking
Even if you stubbed a cigarette out properly, there are still chances of getting on fire. So, if you allow your staff to smoke in the business premises, it can lead to a significant fire hazard. Cigarettes can catch fire under certain conditions and thus need not be allowed within the business premises.
Tip:
Ensure the employees constantly stub out the cigarette properly to avoid the fire hazard. You can also use water or sand buckets to ease the disposal. Also, make sure to empty the bins to avoid any ignition incident regularly.
Heating System
Heating systems in the office are also prone to fire hazards and should be kept under regular check. As compared to central heating systems, small heaters are more capable of causing the fire. In addition, if these small heaters are left unattended, they can cause some severe fire damage.
Tip:
So if you are planning on starting a new business, it is always viable to opt for a central heating system instead of small heaters. But if you still want to save money by investing in small heaters, then keep them away from all kinds of flammable objects. Also, make sure you turned them off properly before leaving the office.
Human Error
One of the most common and leading reasons to fire hazards in offices is human negligence or error. These kinds of negligence could be anything, starting from misuse or abuse of equipment to not abiding by the rules and general carelessness.
Tip:
It is advisable to train all your employees regarding the use of equipment properly to mitigate the error. Also, every business needs to maintain a fire safety program to train its employees on the possible vent of the fire accident. You can use signboards for the sake of persistent training.
Fire hazards are a significant risk to property and lives, but this jeopardy can be mitigated through proper safety procedures and precautions. What office fire prevention precautions do you follow to avoid a fire hazard? Do let us know!