There are always risks in daily life, from crossing the road to simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time – most activities that we do come with risk. However, being able to reduce the risks to us, especially more serious and life-threatening ones is important, and one of the biggest risks is of course fire.
When we go to work there are many things that are in the workplace that pose a fire risk, these do of course vary depending on the job that you do, but all workplaces will have something that could cause a fire.
All workplaces should understand the risk of fire and what may cause a fire – a company like this fire risk assessment Bristol keloscape.co.uk/areas-we-cover/fire-safety-consultancy-bristol/ will be able to help companies with this.
Here are some of the things that may cause a fire in the workplace…
Dust – This is probably not the first thing that springs to mind when you think of what might be a fire hazard, but dust is a real fire hazard if there is poor ventilation where you work, and if it is a very dusty area.
If dust gathers around machinery or electronic equipment, a spark can be all that is required to start a fire, and in very dusty working environments, an extractor fan is essential to reduce the risk of a dust fire.
Paper and Packaging – Packaging materials and paper are commonplace in many work environments but are also a big cause of fires in the workplace as they are so combustible. Make sure that paperwork is stored correctly and isn’t left to build up, as this could in effect be like producing a huge bonfire which would not take long to have a devastating effect.
If you are storing rubbish and recycling whilst awaiting a collection, try to keep it in a separate area that is locked away.
Faulty Electronics – Most of us use electronic equipment at work, from large machines to computers and laptops. However, these need to be regularly checked and looked after to reduce the risk of them starting an electrical fire.
A qualified electrician should check equipment regularly in order to ensure that there is no unnecessary risk from faulty electronic equipment.