If you own a business, you have a lot to do to keep it running smoothly. One disaster to avoid is a fire, but many factors can increase the risk of fire in commercial and industrial buildings. If you would like to know more, check out
these three biggest fire risks in your business so you can better protect your bottom line.
1. Flammable or Combustible Materials
One of the most obvious flammable materials is paper, such as documents, books, instruction manuals, and blank printing paper. Other similar risks include cardboard boxes or furniture.
Some businesses may store combustible or flammable liquids. These are more common in industrial settings, but even cleaning solutions or oxygen tanks can explode when exposed to fire. For this reason, every business should store
items properly, especially potentially hazardous or flammable materials like chemicals.
Even if you store everything properly, however, you may make one grave error: forgetting to tidy up. A business that has a lot of clutter, dust, or debris has a lot more tinder to burn. In some cases, dust can even explode when
exposed to fire. Luckily, you can fix this problem by keeping everything clean and keeping clutter to a minimum.
2. Electrical Equipment
Just about every business relies on electrical equipment. An industrial building may have bigger pieces of machinery that can generate massive amounts of heat, but even the computers, printers, and servers in office buildings let off a lot
of heat.
Some mistakes are due to how the system was designed, so an overhaul may be necessary. The building may not have appropriate safety features or some of the materials may be outdated. For this reason, have regular electrical
checks to ensure nothing is wrong inside the walls.
In addition, even if electrical equipment works great, it should not be near flammable or combustible materials. The generated heat could be enough to set off an explosion or fire. Other mistakes that can increase the risk of fire
including plugging too many things into one socket, using too many surge protectors, or using extension cords for permanent use.
3. Untrained Employees
Untrained employees can cause problems in many ways. They may not have proper training on specific tasks or how to safely use certain equipment or products, which increases the risk of a fire.
In addition, employees should have proper training on what to do in the event of a fire. They should know the emergency steps necessary to properly secure the fire or warn others of the fire. Plus, all employees should have proper
training on the fire escape plan, such as how to get out and where to go after exiting the building.
Ideally, companies should list fire plans and fire exits within the building so employees can easily spot them. You may also want to appoint someone as a fire officer or warden to help assist in the event of a fire. Make sure anyone you
hire has the proper training and certification, if necessary.
Fires can wreak havoc on your business, but you can take many steps to reduce the risk of fire. Keeping your business clean and training your employees can go a long way in protecting your bottom line.
If you would like to know more, or if you need fire-safety services for your business, contact us at Zari Consulting Group today. We look forward to helping you with all your fire safety needs. Please let us know if you have any
specific questions or concerns, and we will be happy to answer them. Please let us know how we can help your business.