How to prevent fire hazards in the workplace
08/03/2021
Although workplaces have largely been vacant for the past 18 months due to Covid-19 and employees working from home, we’re slowly beginning to see workers returning to workplaces albeit with some flexibility. Whilst we have covered fire risks at home and how to reduce them, here we look at how to prevent fire hazards in the workplace and the steps that can be taken to reduce them.
Firstly, we want to cover the difference between a fire hazard and a fire risk. A hazard is something that could potentially start a fire and is usually physical such as dust, equipment and wires, whereas a risk is the likelihood that an object will cause a fire, which can be increased or decreased depending on the safeguards put in place. A hazard will always be a hazard unless it’s taken away completely.
What are three potential fire hazards?
Dust
Though it might seem odd to consider dust as a fire hazard, it certainly is. Specifically, build up of dust can ignite in spaces that haven’t been properly ventilated and the coating it sits on gets hot.
Electrical equipment
Many fires stem from faulty or overheated electrical equipment such as wires, extension cables and machines. Overloading extension cables can cause overheating, broken or damaged wiring can short circuit or cause sparks to begin a fire, and machines can overheat if not kept clean and allowed to cool down.
Combustible/Flammable materials
Whilst dust is a flammable material and one we’ve already mentioned, others include paper and cleaning liquids. Stacks of paper is a common site in many workplaces, however they act as one of the best ways for a fire to spread. Cleaning liquids are also commonly highly flammable and will be used throughout every workplace every day.
How to reduce the risk of fire in the workplace
Keep a clean environment
As mentioned above, build up of dust and nests of cables are significant fire hazards, and the way to reduce their risk is to keep a clean environment. Ensuring clear ventilation and reducing build up of dust can significantly reduce the risk of a fire starting.
Avoid overloading power sockets
Whilst the temptation might be there to get full value out of power sockets and extension cables by using every socket, this will increase the chances of overheating and therefore increase the chance of fire. Reducing the number of cables plugged in at any one time and not overloading extension cables will reduce the risk of a fire starting.
Regularly test electrical equipment
Faulty and broken cables or machines can still spark and cause a fire, so leaving them in a workplace is increasing a risk with no reward. Regularly testing equipment will both save time and money, but will also reduce the risks of having broken equipment around the workplace.
Store combustible materials correctly
As mentioned previously, items such as paper and cleaning supplies are flammable and can quickly spread a fire in an office or workplace. Storing them in a secure location away from any sources of heat will reduce the chances that they start a fire and ensuring regular rubbish collections to reduce waste on-site will also help.
Identify hot work
Hot work is a well known fire hazard, but there are ways in which that hazard can be reduced. Frequently used during construction, renovation and maintenance, the hot work programme should be tailored to each specific location and should always be authorised, monitored and documented.
No-smoking zones
Although smoking inside has long been banned, many workplaces still have dedicated smoking areas. It is important to consider where these are, and in doing so ensuring that any area that contains flammable materials is well away from these zones. Waste storage should always been a no-smoking zone.
Test fire alarms
Early warning of a fire starting can be crucial in reducing the damage caused, which can span from localised damage to the complete destruction of a workplace as well as the threat to life. Testing fire alarms regularly won’t prevent fires from starting, but can help to reduce the impact they have and the response time taken to put them out.
Clearly label fire exits
Similarly to testing fire alarms, clearly labelling fire exits won’t have an impact on the chances of a fire occurring. What it will do however, is significantly reduce the risk of injury or loss of life, the most important thing in any fire. Making sure employees know where the nearest exits are, and ensuring the path to them isn’t blocked could make the difference and should therefore be a key part of any fire safety awareness staff undertake.
As more people return to the workplace in line with restrictions easing, it is essential that employers are aware of the fire hazards and the associated risks of them, as well as how to reduce them and increase employee safety.
For information on home insurance, click here, or for more articles on fire risk, click here.
