How to: reduce the risk of fire in your commercial building

Fire safety and protection equipment is crucial in every building, however if you enforce certain practices to reduce the risk of fire hazards they should be rarely needed. Take action and follow these simple guidelines to reduce the risk of fire

PAT testing / Electrical outlets

We are all living and adapting to a very electronic age, with almost every business trying to go “paperless” we are seeing an even larger amount of electric devices in the workplace. From charging mobile phones, to computers, laptops, printers, fridges, phones and more, it is easy for the sockets to become overloaded, which can be a cause for electrical fires.

Best practice is to have all your appliances regularly PAT tested on time, to ensure they are all functioning as they should be, this will significantly decrease the chance of electrical fires caused by faulty appliances.

Office / Kitchen safety

As above looking after your office space and electrical equipment will massively decrease any chance of fire from faulty appliances. That being said, the majority of fires start in kitchens. Most buildings will have some sort of kitchen area and it’s vital that everyone practices safety.

If you have an oven or stove, ensure that anyone who uses it ties back hair or tucks in loose clothing to prevent flammable items coming into contact with the appliance. Similarly even smaller appliances such as toasters, coffee makers and such should be restricted to the kitchen area and always be checked by relevant PAT testing companies to continue safe use. On top of this it is crucial to have the appropriate fire extinguisher within reach of the kitchen, so if the worst should happen it can be easily handled in the first instance.

Smoking areas

In your workspace you may have smokers, who take smoking breaks throughout the day. It’s highly advisable to have a designated smoking area some distance away from the building with adequate disposal areas for the cigarettes.

Following the Smoke-Free Environment Act 2000, smoking in a public/work place is restricted to a minimum of 4 metres away from any pedestrian access point
Regrettably cigarettes can be cause of workplace fires when not disposed of properly, so adding this into your fire safety plan will help you and your team stay safe.

Support from Eurotech

Implementing fire safety best practices as above will significantly reduce your risk of fire in the workplace, however we are here to help with any of your fire safety needs.

From your initial consultation, to installation all the way to the end of product life we will be with you, with our expert knowledge and customer support. To have a look at our range of fire detection and safety systems have a look at our product page or contact us directly to discuss your needs for you and your business.