Understanding common fire hazards and taking preventive measures against them is essential, whether you’re protecting your home or your business. Here are some of the most common fire hazards and practical ways to stop them from happening:
Common Causes of Home Fires
In 2022, there were 382,500 fires in homes, apartments, and other residential structures. And here’s the surprising truth: common (everyday) activities are the leading causes of home fires. Fortunately, they are easy to prevent disaster by being cautious and attentive:
Cooking Fires
Risk factors for cooking fires include unattended stovetops, grease buildup, and leaving flammable materials near cooking areas. To prevent cooking fires, FEMA recommends:
- Stay in the kitchen while cooking, and turn the burner off if you leave the room.
- Watch your stovetop; turn off the burner if you see smoke or the grease boils over.
- Turn the cookware handles toward the back of the stove.
- Keep a pan lid or baking sheet nearby to smother the fire if needed.
Heaters
Heaters are the second most common cause of residential fires during the winter months. Here are some general heating fire safety tips:
- Keep anything that can burn at least three feet from heat sources.
- Keep space heaters on a solid, flat service and plug heaters into a wall outlet.
- Turn the heaters off when you leave the room or go to bed.
- Never use the oven to heat your home.
- Put a glass screen in front of the fireplace.
- Have the chimney inspected and professionally cleaned each year.
Electric Equipment
Half of home electrical fires involve home lighting equipment or faulty wiring. To keep your home safe, take these precautions:
- Don’t overload outlets.
- Use power strips with internal overload protection.
- Never use an extension cord with a heat-producing appliance.
- Always plug significant appliances directly into a wall outlet, never an extension cord.
- Replace old or damaged extension cords.
- Replace appliances that have frayed or damaged cords.
Candles
Candles add light and warmth to a table setting, but the open flame is a risk factor. Tall candlesticks can tip over, and candles can ignite flammable furnishings. Here are a few candle fire safety tips:
- Use battery-operated flameless candles.
- Place candles in stable holders that won’t fall over easily.
- Keep candles at least 12 inches away from flammable materials.
- Blow out candles if you leave the room.
Office Clutter
When a fire hits an office or store, the casualties extend beyond property or lives. It can cause the loss of jobs or the end of a business. Similar to home fires, cooking, and electrical issues are leading causes of fires in offices and stores. Carelessness and faulty appliances are other leading causes of commercial fires. Here are recommendations to prevent workplace fires:
- Use well-designed fire protection systems that are correctly installed and maintained.
- Make sure employees know how to use fire protection equipment and know exit locations and escape routes.
- Encourage staff to keep flammable materials away from electrical equipment.
- Remove obstacles from exit paths.
- Conduct regular fire drills.
Protect Your Property
If you want to protect your home or business from fire in Greenville South Carolina, A&A Fire Protection can help. We can design and install a fire sprinkler system, renovate an existing system, inspect or repair fire sprinkler equipment, and perform regular maintenance. Contact us today to learn how our fire protection experts can use their 40 years of expertise to protect your space.
