Workplace Fire Safety and Prevention Tips

From electrical malfunctions to improperly stored flammables, every workplace has the potential for fire hazards. While a fire can be devastating, taking proactive measures can significantly reduce the risk and ensure everyone's safety in the event of an emergency.

Below, we’ll delve into workplace fire statistics, the five leading causes of workplace fires, and top workplace fire safety tips.

How Common Are Workplace Fires?

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), a fire department in the U.S. responds to a fire every 24 seconds.

While most of these are residential fires, the U.S. Fire Administration estimates that there were 110,000 non-residential fires in 2023. Not all of those are workplaces, but on average, there are roughly 36,700 industrial and manufacturing fires, 16,500 office and store fires, and 1500 warehouse fires a year.

The Most Common Workplace Fire Hazards

What are the statistics on fire hazards in the workplace? It depends on where you work. According to the NFPA, cooking is actually the leading cause of non-residential fires, but most of these occur in commercial kitchens. That’s not your concern if you’re in an industrial setting, since those have their own most common fire causes. 

Electrical Equipment

According to the NFPA, in 2023, there were 7400 non-residential building fires caused by electrical malfunctions, resulting in $354.4 million in losses.

Electrical problems are a primary cause of workplace fires, including damaged wiring, faulty appliances, and overloaded circuits. Any of these issues can cause sparks or the buildup of excessive heat, triggering the ignition of any combustible materials nearby.

To mitigate this fire hazard, regularly inspect and maintain electrical systems and equipment. If you discover any damaged or outdated equipment, replace or repair it as soon as possible.

Clutter

Tidying up and cleaning aren’t just important because your mom said so. Clutter and dirt can actually be legitimate fire hazards in many workplaces.

Housekeeping is an important safety measure in any workplace, from construction sites to office buildings. Don’t let unused materials accumulate without a plan for orderly storage. First, clutter can block or slow down the evacuation of the building during an emergency, and many materials like paper and cardboard will help flames spread more quickly.

Failing to clean regularly can also increase the risk of a workplace fire, especially when dirt, dust, and grease are allowed to build up on mechanical or electrical equipment because these layers of gunk can cause overheating.

Improper Storage of Combustible Materials

If you keep fuel, chemicals, solvents, or other combustible materials on-site, it’s important to follow safe storage practices to reduce the chance that they’ll cause or exacerbate a workplace fire.

Follow proper chemical labeling practices, store chemicals in appropriate sealable containers, and keep chemical storage areas well-ventilated to prevent the buildup of dangerous fumes. Separate various types of combustibles to prevent dangerous chemical reactions, and dispose of combustible substances that are no longer of use.

Carelessness and Human Error

Mistakes and oversights are common factors in workplace fire causes. From leaving cooking unattended to sneaking a smoke break where they shouldn’t, employees can cause accidental fires when they’re not properly trained.

This is one of the reasons why workplace safety training for fire prevention is so important.

Arson

Unfortunately, intentional fire-setting makes up a large percentage of the fires that are caused on the premises of a building. It’s a good idea to have security deterrents like motion-sensor lighting to discourage trespassers and CCTV for documentation.

Top Workplace Fire Safety Tips

Most workplace fires may be prevented by being aware of the risks and adopting safety measures, and fires that can’t be prevented can have their impact mitigated by proper planning and training.

Assign a Fire Warden

To ensure fire safety, businesses should assign a fire warden to understand workplace fire hazards and organize fire response protocols.

Whether this is an individual or a team, their responsibilities should include maintaining accountability for fire prevention measures, ensuring evacuation routes are clear, assisting mobility-impaired staff, clearing affected areas, and collecting stragglers during evacuations and drills.

Identify Potential Risks

Every business has unique risks that could lead to or cause a fire. Some situations create more risk. The NFPA recommends that employers and fire wardens pay closer attention to some of the most common causes of workplace fires, which include:

• Cooking appliances
• Electrical equipment, including power strips and lighting
• Heaters
• Office/entertainment equipment
• Combustible materials

Always Be Aware of Higher Risk Areas

Don’t just focus on industrial equipment or dangerous chemicals. Even in unassuming settings like offices, kitchens, or break rooms, there are appliances that can cause fires, such as toasters or microwaves. Around 20% of workplace fires occur in this setting, making it vital to maintain this equipment and ensure that it is being used properly, as well as making fire prevention and response easier in this spot.

Understand Industry Needs

Some industries are much more regulated than others and require greater care or attention.

Businesses need to be aware of local, state, and federal regulations that direct proper fire safety, including maintaining proper equipment, such as specific types of fire extinguishers.

Familiarize Everyone With Fire Extinguishers & The PASS Method

If you’ve never used a fire extinguisher before, you probably don’t want your first time to be during an emergency. But if that happens, all you need to remember is PASS:

• Pull the safety pin.
• Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire.
• Squeeze the trigger.
• Sweep back and forth across the fire’s base. As the fire is extinguished, cautiously move closer while continuing to sweep.

Before using a fire extinguisher, be sure to assess the fire, then call 9-1-1 if it's too large or unmanageable. Only continue using the PASS fire extinguisher approach if the fire is controllable and small enough to be extinguished.

Protect Yourself and Your Staff Through Training

We spoke above about how fire safety training can help prevent fires by reducing sources of human error.

Still, things happen, which is why another important aspect of fire training is what to do when the worst occurs. Everyone wants to believe they’ll know exactly what to do in the event of an emergency, but training can help increase those odds.

Finally, fire safety training is an OSHA compliance requirement! Skipping safety topics or lacking documentation can come back to bite you when OSHA stops in for a visit.

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