No matter your business model or size, the risk of workplace fires is always present. Today’s offices and business premises are filled with electrical appliances and devices, and all those cables, plugs, and connections are fire hazards with extremely dangerous consequences. This article discusses six proactive measures to have in place to help you protect your business property and employees from fires.
1. Install a temperature detection fire alarm
Installing automatic temperature detection and alarm systems can help you perceive fires and prevent them from spreading. You will need temperature gauges, a digital alarm system, and a program to unify the two. What are temperature sensors used for, and how effective is this system? Well, thermistors detect exponential temperature changes, and the fact that they do not need smoke to set off an alarm means they can detect a fire relatively early. The positioning of the sensors in your premises will have a sway on the system’s efficiency and effectiveness.
2. Avoid overloading power sockets
When there are multiple computers, internet cables, TV screens, adaptors, and other electronic devices, you will need several plug sockets and extension leads. However, if your power sockets are overloaded, they will likely overheat and, in a worst-case scenario, result in a fire. This happens to be a prevalent cause of electrical fires but also one of the most avoidable ones. You can curb this by ensuring each electrical socket holds no more than one plug. It would also help if you kept the socket load lower than 3,000 watts or 13 amps.
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3. Train your employees
Employee errors cause a good deal of workplace fires. For this reason, you need to have your workforce trained in handling different appliances and detecting fire hazards. The channel for reporting cases of fire should also be communicated clearly to employees in all divisions.
4. Create designated smoking zones
Creating a designated smoking area away from buildings and flammable materials eliminates the risk of cigarette ends setting your premises on fire. This should be accompanied by a rulebook displaying smoking rules and requiring everyone to smoke only at the designated area.
5. Adopt a safe chemical storage strategy
Most workplaces house flammable chemicals, although not many people can tell what’s dangerous from what’s not. Hazardous chemicals could be such simple things as cleaning solutions and paint or more obvious ones like engine oil and gas. When storing chemical containers, ensure incompatible groups are kept apart. Hazard labels and safety data sheets can help you separate them.
6. Test your fire alarms on occasion
Since workplace fires are rare, companies often forget about this risk and overlook the maintenance of their alarm systems. Contemporary alarm systems are made of multiple hardware and digital parts and can easily fail if not maintained properly. Consider developing a maintenance and testing schedule for your alarm and alarm management systems to ensure they are in perfect shape at all times.
Endnote
Fire emergencies occur without warning, and there is no way to reduce their risk to zero. However, with the above tips, you can minimise the prospect and reduce the impact of the fires in case they break out.
