Stopping Fires before They Begin: Fire Safety Tips

Fire safety should be everyone’s responsibility, especially with the troubling fact that there were 192,600 fires around the U.K. from 2012 to 2013. The Fire Safety Order states that everyone who owns or occupies a non-domestic property should, among other things, conduct their own inspections for potential fire hazards, inform their colleagues of any such hazards identified within the premises, and participate in emergency planning. For common or shared areas, however, the responsibility falls entirely upon landlords.

Know Your Fire Extinguishers

Most fires can be safely doused with water. Why just "most?"

Fires take on the characteristics of the fuel, resulting in fires worse than simply burning paper. If you try dousing a petrol fire with water, for instance, the petrol—being lighter than water—will simply spread over a wide area, igniting more flammable materials nearby. You'll need something that chemically bonds with oil to put out the flame; i.e. foam or carbon dioxide.

Fire risk assessment takes into account possible scenarios for a fire, which includes the kinds of fuel that can cause one. Factories are at a greater risk of fire than homes since they normally house different kinds of fuel and fire hazards. They may have a gas line running throughout the entire facility or may be working with high-voltage electrical currents.

Dry powder is the most versatile fire extinguisher available. Also known as dry chemical, this fire extinguisher is either classified as ABC (containing ammonium phosphate) or BC (containing sodium or potassium phosphate). These chemicals works by absorbing fuel molecules, thereby interrupting the burning process by smothering the flames.

While dry powder is effective for all types of fire, safety experts warn against using the wrong extinguisher due to the risk of re-ignition. In gas fires, without separating the fire from the source of fuel, efforts to bring the blaze under control will be futile. That's why it's best to have the right type(s) of fire extinguisher(s) for your home or facility.

Fight Against Fire – Office Safety Tips

A fire is the last thing a business owner wants to happen in his office or commercial establishment. An office fire can easily convert years (even decades) of hard work to ashes, leaving the owner and his employees at a loss of what to do in the midst of the rubble.

Business owners should keep their offices clear of any fire hazard so as to protect their assets from absolute destruction. Hence, here are some tips that will help business owners ensure the safety of their employees and businesses:

First of all, the office must meet their fire safety requirements, which could be determined during a fire risk assessment. For instance, keeping combustible items like carpets and upholstered furniture to a minimum will prevent a big fire from happening. If the business already have such items, then it is important to keep these materials away from flammable solutions or substances, which must be properly stored and secured.

Other than keeping fire risks or hazards at a minimum or completely eliminating them, it is also important for the office and its employees to be prepared in case a blaze does occur. Keeping exits clear of combustibles and any other obstructions is important. An emergency action plan must also be put in place to avoid confusion during an evacuation.