Fire Safety Tips for Your Business | SERVPRO® of Alamo Heights

3/7/2019 (Permalink)

As a business owner, there are plenty of safety factors to take into consideration regarding risks to your business, staff and visitors.

Fires are one of those risks you need to spend a little extra time planning for and working toward preventing.

Leading Causes of Commercial Structure Fires

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 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

Of those causes, intentional, exposure, and electrical distribution and lighting equipment accounted for the most property damage.

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

Looking to more recent numbers, the NFPA estimates that from 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.

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 can help reduce the chance of a fire breaking out.

First, you must assess the risk of fire hazards. In some areas, the local government may even offer a visit from a fire marshal to help identify these risks and provide guidance on your fire prevention plan.

You’ll want to make sure that the right fire protection equipment is in place. This includes an automatic sprinkler system, smoke detectors and fire extinguishers on each floor.

Finally, consider your people, aka the employees. By creating a fire plan and reviewing it with your staff, you’ll be making sure everyone knows what to do in the case of a fire.

Conduct fire drills at least once a year to keep the fire safety protocol fresh, and take time to review evacuation plans and where the first-aid kits are.

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