Offices and industries typically operate 24/7 with all utilities working. Due to this, these kinds of establishments have a higher risk of property damage including catching fire. When this happens, not only will the business lose a huge value of assets, but most importantly it can cause harm, worse death, to the employees and other people utilizing the office or the building.
As cliché as this may sound yet extremely important, prevention is better than cure. So, within this article are brief examples of some of the possible causes of fire in an office or a commercial building. Being aware of such things can help you prevent or at least reduce the impact of terrible accidents like fire damages.
WHAT CAUSES OFFICE FIRE?
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM/ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
This one always goes on top of the list especially because offices today use computers and other electronic gadgets in their daily operations and some of the common causes of fire-related to this are:
- Overloaded outlets or extension cords
- Defective plugged-in electronic devices
- Unfixed faulty wirings
To add, did you know that 25% of fires in both residential and commercial establishments are caused by neglected and malfunctioning electrical systems. Fire damage restoration is not quite a process so if you don’t want to go through all that make sure to check all your office wires and electronic equipment.
COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS
Clutters easily catch fire particularly because they lay everywhere making them prone to accidental flames. Cigarettes can also ignite fire when not properly dumped and for some industries that regularly use chemicals in daily operation, fire damage is truly a risk they face every single day.
We understand that you cannot simply get rid of these combustible materials because they make up your business. So, to prevent any fire and smoke damage, make sure to organize your office, securing that lightweight and flammable materials are properly placed to avoid such an accident.
HUMAN ERROR
Of course, human intervention is a key component of why offices and other commercial establishments catch fire. Although unintentional, the combination of negligence and ignorance can result in a terrible accident as huge as an office fire. Some of the most common mistakes people do that cause fire are:
- Misusing of office equipment particularly the electronic ones
- Leaving plugged in devices unattended and overly charged
- Unsupervised space heater and similar heat-producing objects
- Misplaced or not properly dumped cigarette butts
As part of fire control and prevention practices, all offices must have readily available fire extinguishers and all employees must learn how to properly use them.
DID YOU JUST RECENTLY EXPERIENCE OFFICE FIRE?
Fire damage restoration and smoke damage restoration must be immediately employed in order to save some, if not most of your office spaces and equipment. In this case, our qualified and knowledgeable licensed contractor will be happy to assist you in restoring what was once a productive working space for you and your beloved employees.