The best method for preventing fires in office facilities is to prevent them from starting in the first place. Fires in office facilities kill 5000 people every year. Don't let your office be one of the casualties.
Every year fires in business facilities kill 5000 people, injure 80,000 and cost business over 11 billion dollars. Unfortunately, most fires are caused by lack of adequate training or carelessness. The best way to fight fires is to prevent them from starting in the first place. Following proper safety procedures in the office will help your facility avoid the tragic circumstances of a fire. You can help to prevent fires by learning to recognize potential fire hazards and correct problems before they can start.
Smoking is the leading cause of fires both at work and in the home. Smoking should only be done in designated areas with receptacles or metal pails filled with sand. Make sure that cigarettes are completely out before you toss them a way. Never just throw cigarettes on the ground. This is littering and also a potential fire hazard.
Keep your work area clean is another great way to prevent fires. Piles of paper or boxes lying around are a fire waiting to happen. Keeping potential fuel sources for a fire put away is a huge first step.
In many office fires, electricity is at least partly to blame. Particular attention should be paid to electrical equipment and outlets. Overheated equipment and or overloaded circuits are the primary electrical hazards in the office. If an outlet is overloaded, the equipment draws too much power for the circuit that it is on. This heats up the wiring and eventually causes it to burn.
To avoid these overloads make sure that you never use adapters to plug multiple power cords into the same outlet and never use extension cords for devices that require a lot of current such as a copier. Extension cords are not a permanent solution. They tend to crack and deteriorate over time and become dangerous fire hazards.
Overheating occurs when office equipment gets old and electronic components break down. If you see smoke or smell burning in equipment, unplug it immediately and get it checked out by a professional.
Appliances such as coffeemakers, espresso machines and toaster ovens should be confined to break rooms or kitchens, which are usually constructed specifically to prevent fires. Avoid hot plates and the like in your office - papers, debris or cords can bury them and if you forget to turn them off they can overheat easily.
At the end of the day, a safety check should be performed. All office equipment that is not in use should be shut off and toasters, coffeemakers and other appliances should be unplugged. In addition, tidy up all parts of you office.
Preventing fires in the first place is the best way to fight them. Don't be part of one of the thousands of tragic fires that occur every year. Follow safety prevention guidelines and keep you and your coworkers safe.
A Discussion of Suspended Scaffolding Safety
Suspended scaffolds are usually suspended quite high off the ground. Safety under these conditions is imperative. Make sure your employees are fully trained in every area of this dangerous job.
Asbestos Awareness Can Save Your Health
Working in a structure built before the 1980s means there is a good chance that you are working in an environment that contains asbestos. Understanding how to safely work in this dangerous environment is imperative.
What a Course in Electrical Safety in the Lab Entails
The use of electicity in a lab is of course unavoidable. Giving your employees a complete training program on electrical safety as it pertains to the laboratory is imperative.
