Need-to-Know Fire Safety Tips for Your Business | SERVPRO® of South Nashville

3/20/2019 (Permalink)

Business owners have many things to think about during the day-to-day tasks of running a business. One of those things is the safety of staff and visitors, which means planning for and preventing fires.

<h4causes-of-commercial-structure-fires">Top Causes of Commercial Structure Fires

It has been reported by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) that the leading causes of structure fires in office properties from 2007–2011 were (in order):

1. Cooking equipment, 29% of fires
2. Electrical distribution and lighting equipment, 12% of fires
3. Heating equipment, 11% of fires
4. Intentional, 10% of fires
5. Smoking materials, 9% of fires
6. Exposure, 4% of fires
7. Electronic, office or entertainment equipment, 3% of fires

Three of those causes—intentional, exposure, and electrical distribution and lighting equipment—were responsible for the most property damage with 20%, 18% and 15% respectively.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that in 2007, alone, fires and explosions accounted for 3% of all workplace fatalities.

When you look at more recent numbers, the NFPA estimates that for the period covering 2007–2011, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 3,340 fires in office properties per year. Those fires resulted in an annual average of four deaths, 44 injuries and $112 million in direct property damage.

<h4your-business">Protecting Your Business

There are many steps you can take to protect your business from the risk of fires. By focusing on fire risk assessment, fire prevention and staff education, you will possibly reduce the chance of a fire breaking out.

The first thing to do is assess your risk from fire hazards. Local governments in some areas may offer the services of a fire marshal to help you identify these risks and provide advice on creating your fire prevention plan.

Make sure that you have the right fire protection equipment in place. This would include an automatic sprinkler system, smoke detectors and fire extinguishers on each floor.

Finally, work with your employees. By creating a fire plan and reviewing it with your staff, you’ll be making sure everyone, including visitors, knows what to do in the event of a fire. At a minimum, conduct fire drills at least once a year to keep the fire safety protocol fresh, and take time to review evacuation routes and the locations of first-aid kits.

Despite best efforts with fire prevention and safety tips, the worst could always happen at your business. If a fire has damaged your business, SERVPRO® of South Nashville is available to help make it "Like it never even happened."