Common Causes Of Workplace Fires: How To Prevent Them

A wall-mounted fire extinguisher

Workplace fires can be one of the most damaging accidents for any business, destroying property and posing a threat to life. Fire prevention and control should be a top priority for any business.

General Fire Safety

A general understanding of fire safety is key to ensuring everyone’s safety at work. Employers are legally obliged to ensure that their building has a developed plan with a clear escape route in the event of a fire.

Fire alarms are a legal requirement in any premises, so to comply with regulations, ensure your alarms are regularly serviced. Being alerted to a fire as soon as possible is one of the biggest ways to reduce risk and damage. Risk assessments also proactively reduce fire risks. They highlight and rank potential risks and implement advice on how to prevent them.

Arson

Arson is the single largest cause of fires attended by emergency services. CCTV is a good investment to prevent criminal activity on your premises. It makes your building less likely to be a target if there’s a possibility of video evidence.

Human Error

Many causes of workplace fires can be pooled under human error. Leaving food in the oven too long or placing material over a vent causing it to overheat are simple causes of workplace fires.

Fire extinguishers being readily available minimises the risk. Staff should be trained to handle them and encouraged to pay full attention to what they’re doing, even when they’re on their break,

Faulty Electrics

Electrical faults are one of the biggest causes of workplace fires. Faulty wiring, old and malfunctioning equipment and overloaded sockets all pose a risk.

Annual PAT tests should be carried out on company equipment to identify hazards. Staff should also be trained in electrical safety to identify risks and correct errors before a fire can occur.

Fire prevention in the workplace is an unavoidable requirement. Employees should be trained on fire safety and implementation to reduce the risk. Contact Kiasu Workforce today and speak to one of our team about how we can help!