How to Prevent a Commercial Fire at Your Business

Fires at your business property can be devastating to you, employees, and the company’s bottom line. The good news is that most fires are preventable. Knowing the most common causes workplace fires will allow you to educate your employees. This will keep your building secure and safe from workplace fires.

3 Types of Workplace Fire to Prevent

There are three causes of fires on commercial properties that you should be aware of. Use this list to learn about how to reducing injuries and incidents by preventing workplace fires

• Accidental Fire

  Accidents happen and simple human error can lead to workplace fires. On average, about 10% of fires are unintentional, caused by a lit cigarette, lit candles, electrical devices that are improperly wired, daisy-chained extension cords, or heating equipment placed too close to the wall. These fires are easily avoidable by simply educating your employees on fire safety. Have regular meetings to discuss fire rules and regulations, post fire safety rules on every floor, as well as an emergency fire escape plan. Assign a fire safety captain to each floor or department. Schedule regular fire drills to allow employees the time to practice the fire escape plan.

• Appliance or Electrical Malfunction.

  Workplace kitchens are considered the most high-risk zone. About 30% of workplace fires start in the kitchen, either because of human error (like sticking a metallic-based item in the microwave) or from a faulty appliance. When onboarding a new employee, conduct fire safety education and training. Give them a tour of the kitchen and make sure they know how to use all of the appliances. Post proper safety signs to remind employees what can and cannot be used in the oven, stove, and microwave. Also, make sure your kitchen has working smoke detectors, sprinklers, and fire extinguishers.

  Older buildings tend to have more fires than newer ones. Faulty wiring and electrical malfunctions account for about 7% of business fires because of old wiring in a building. As a business owner, you should have your wiring regularly inspected by a professional to make sure it is up to code and working properly. Replace and repair wiring as necessary and you won’t ever have to face a devastating fire from a bad wire. Old HVAC systems can also be to blame for about 9% of annual fires. The HVAC system includes heating systems, cooling systems, water heaters, space heaters, and other heating and cooling appliances. Have these regularly inspected, especially right before a season change, to ensure they are in good form to avoid hassles later.

• Arson Fire.

  Unfortunately, this type results in the highest number of fire-related deaths, because they are intentionally set. Trash cans, dumpsters, and parking garages are the top spots, making up 10% of intentional workplace fires. These types of fires are unpredictable, and can be difficult to protect your building from them. However, you can be proactive by emptying trash cans daily, keeping dumpsters far away from your building and locked up away from public access, and keep your landscaping trimmed often so trees and shrubs do not touch the building. Most arson fires occur between 3 pm and midnight, so installing motion detector flood lights and cameras can deter arsonists, or at the very least, give your security an eye to those areas so fires can be caught and put out faster.

Being proactive with your employees, building maintenance, and security is important. Conducting fire safety inspections are key to preventing fires from occurring in your business. If your business does have fire damage, it’s important to hire a fire restoration company as quickly as possible to help prevent further damage.

Has Your Business Suffered Fire Damage?

Contact Alpha-Omega Disaster Restoration. The most important thing during a rental property fire is your tenants’ safety. The second most important thing is to mitigate the damage from the fire, smoke, soot, and water used to put the fire out. At Alpha Omega, we have a trained, certified, and licensed emergency response team available 24/7 to assess the damage, make a plan, and work directly with your insurance company. We want to restore your rental property quickly and safely to get your tenants back into their home.

Alpha-Omega Pros is a fully certified professional restoration company serving Billings, MT and the surrounding areas.