{"id":549,"date":"2020-10-14T09:00:20","date_gmt":"2020-10-14T09:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cpfp.co.uk\/?p=549"},"modified":"2020-11-30T16:04:05","modified_gmt":"2020-11-30T16:04:05","slug":"what-are-the-common-causes-of-workplace-fires","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cpfp.co.uk\/what-are-the-common-causes-of-workplace-fires\/","title":{"rendered":"What are the Common Causes of Workplace Fires?"},"content":{"rendered":"

What are the Common Causes of Workplace Fires?<\/h1>\n

The impact a fire can have on businesses can be disastrous. From lost productivity and financial losses to injuries and fatalities, fire can cause serious damage to businesses of all sizes and some never fully recover from its effects.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re looking to improve the fire safety and prevention measures implemented at your business, this guide is sure to help. Here we\u2019ve collated the most common causes of workplace fires and provided some tips for how you can reduce the risk of fire.<\/p>\n

So, what are the most common causes of workplace fires?<\/p>\n

Defective Electrical Equipment<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Defective electrical equipment can present significant danger to your staff and your business. Imperfect\/loose wiring, faulty\/old equipment and overloaded sockets are just a few examples that can cause sparks or overheating and thus fire.<\/p>\n

All electrical equipment in your workplace should be well maintained and regularly tested to ensure it functions properly and isn\u2019t a safety hazard.<\/p>\n

Flammable\/Combustible Materials<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Any premises that holds flammable materials like paper, wood and cardboard needs to make sure that they are managed appropriately. If these combustible materials are allowed to build up, they can act as fuel and help any small fire outbreak to escalate.<\/p>\n

Appropriate storage, disposal and handling processes of these materials is essential. Ideally they would be stored off-site and disposed of on a regular basis.<\/p>\n

Smoking<\/strong><\/h2>\n

You should have a dedicated smoking area at least a few metres away from your building for employees to use. Cigarettes can easily set light to nearby flammable materials like leaves, papers and other items found in rubbish bins, so it\u2019s vital that you provide your staff with a safe place to dispose of their smoking materials.<\/p>\n

Negligence & Human Error<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Negligence and human error are other major causes of fire in the workplace. This includes improper use of machinery, failing to follow health and safety guidelines, spilling flammable liquids and overusing equipment.<\/p>\n

The risk of this can be reduced by making sure staff are fully aware of the workplace guidelines to follow. Regular refresher training should also be provided to staff to remind them of fire risks and how to mitigate them.<\/p>\n

Faulty Fire Detection Alarms<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Although fire detection alarms and systems are not a direct cause of fire, failure to frequently inspect, maintain and service them can lead to large, uncontrollable fires. By making sure your alarms are working as they should be, you can rest assured that they\u2019ll notify you in the early stages of a fire, enabling you to tackle and suppress it before it develops into something more serious.<\/p>\n

Cooking Equipment<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Another common place for workplace fires to start is in the staff kitchen. Burning food, leaving cooking equipment unsupervised and the use of combustible materials all present risks, so it\u2019s important the correct procedures are implemented and followed.<\/p>\n

Untidy & Dirty Workplace<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Workplaces that are untidy and clustered are much more susceptible to fires. Overloaded rubbish bins and poorly ventilated areas, for example, can assist fires to grow. Similarly, forgetting to clean equipment and letting dust build up can cause machinery to overheat. It\u2019s also important that you don\u2019t block or cover machinery as this too can cause overheating.<\/p>\n

Arson<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Last on our list of common causes of workplace fires is arson. Industrial and commercial businesses in particular can be targeted by vandals if the building is often left unattended for long periods of time. Installing CCTV cameras and motion sensor lights around the property can act as a deterrent to any lurking criminals.<\/p>\n

How to Reduce the Risk of Fire in the Workplace<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Here are some of our top tips for how you can reduce the risk of fire in the workplace –<\/p>\n