OSHA requires businesses to provide a safe work environment for their employees. Having a fire prevention training and system in place ensures that you are saving everyone time, money, and well-being as a business entity.

How To Prevent A Fire Hazard In The Workplace

Having a solid foundation in the knowledge of preventing fire hazards in the workplace is important for all businesses and employees. OSHA requires businesses to provide a safe work environment for their employees. Having a fire prevention training and system in place ensures that you are saving everyone time, money, and well-being as a business entity.

Where do you start in your fire hazard safety as a business? There are certain precautions you may already have in place as required by state and OSHA requirements, but there’s more to preventing fire hazards in the workplace and homes. Precautions on all ends of the system should be taken to prevent even the smallest of hazard occurrences.

Today we’re going to lay out the steps businesses should take, all that is required and recommended, to prevent fire dangers. Whether an electrical circuit short or someone accidentally cooks their food too long… you never know what can happen. Preventing all measures with even the smallest of fire prevention details matters.

Three Key Factors On How To Prevent Workplace Fires

Available Access To Fire Safety Equipment

All workplace members should be aware of where fire safety equipment is located. Whether someone is directed to be the user of all fire equipment, everyone should be able to access the necessities. Such as a fire extinguisher, fire alarm, or fire blanket kit. All employees need to be able to alarm everyone in the workplace that there is a fire. Fire detectors and sprinters also do a good job of alerting all members if there is a fire. All tangible fire safety tools should be available for employee use, with prior training.

Workplace Fire Safety Training

Workplace training is great to inform all members where fire equipment is and how to use it. You can have all of the fire safety equipment, like fire extinguishers and their covers, in place. However, if no one knows how to use it then it has no benefit. Protect your business and the people that work so hard in it by having onboard client fire safety training for new employees. A delegate of who's in charge of what equipment. Having a fire safety team is a great option to consider in a workplace.

Proper Hazard Material Disposal 

Proper disposal of specific fire-prone materials in a delegated fire safety bin is a great option to implement. This doesn’t have to be super fancy, just a metal bin with a lid is great. Think of the classic “old-timey” metal garbage bin. Using something like this can direct heat more than open trash or plastic bin. Having a fire safety sign above the bin for flammable or combustible products/equipment is the best way to prevent fire hazards in the disposal process.

Major Causes Of Fire Hazards In The Workplace

It is good to be aware of major causes of fire hazards when looking to implement training for fire precautions in a workplace.  There are a lot of unexpected ways fires can start to end any building. Everyone needs to know the cause of fire hazards when putting together a fire safety team or even equipping new employees in fire safety training. According to NFPA, there are five major reasons for fires in buildings. You’ll see the great reward in focusing your time and energy on preventing these five major causes!

1. Cooking

It is pretty common for workplaces to have a rest area nowadays. A break room can be filled with a microwave for heating lunches or even a stove. Both can cause sparks or flames when contacted with flammable items. Be sure to have safety guidelines or instructions around these machines for caution.

2. Heating

This cause of fire hazards is a major one to be cautious of.  During the winter workplaces and homes like to crank up the heater. Homes are susceptible to fire dangers just as much as workplaces. This is a great thing but make sure to have regular maintenance checkups. Using any personal heaters should be with caution as well.

3. Smoking

Most places have no-smoking policies in today’s age. However, some restaurants still have smoking areas. If your workplace or home has a smoking area, please be sure to discard buds properly. As most have seen, Smokey the bear is a good advocate that smoking causes forest fires and much more!

4. Candles

This cause of fires is more of a niche cause. Example candles may be allowed in psychology/therapy offices or at homes. A lot of candles can combust and release the flame into their surroundings. Be sure to blow out a candle before leaving an area.

5. Electrical hazards

According to the NFPA, electrical hazards caused up to $1.4 million In property damage a year. Save your business and your employees by preventing electrical hazards. This can be through outlet plugs or even wiring. Make sure to invest your finances into maintenance that is reliable. Always shop with credible safety product companies, like Singer Safety!

Benefits Of Fire Safety In The Workplace

General Education

General training on how to use fire safety equipment and how to take precautionary steps is always a high reward. You are only benefiting yourself and the ones around you by general fire safety education. It is a great idea to have annual fire safety drills to keep prevention in check. 

Ethical Safety

Needless to say, it is ethical to keep yourself and the ones around you safe.  Safety should be the number one priority of a business over financials. Never take shortcuts in maintenance check-ups or electrical installations. Always take full precautions for fire safety prevention. Its ethical end should be the foremost expectation of any business.

Financial Protection

We put Financial Protection as the last but not least!  Financial protection against a business is directly related to fire safety. So many businesses burn down annually and lose thousands,  if not millions, of dollars. Insurance against fire hazards in a business is a great option, but always take precautions! Singer Safety Co is a great place to start your fire safety journey for your business!