FIRE SAFETY TIPS THROUGH THE EYES OF A FIREFIGHTER BY CHRIS PANKOW SAFETY CONSULTANT
Do you look around your office and wonder….Do I have a safe work zone? If we had a fire would I be able to get out? Would I be able to help others? Do I have a headcount on how many people are in my office? What if my only exit is blocked, how am I getting out? Or something as simple as asking myself what have I thrown away in my trash that could be dangerous or flammable? Do not let your trash and litter accumulate. A lot of people don’t think about what they are throwing away or putting in their trash. Some people freak out about recycling. What we should realize is that you can pose a fire hazard by not throwing your trash away properly. The batteries you throw away contain heavy metals. Now, let’s say you throw your favorite candy bar wrapper away that was wrapped in aluminum foil. Well, guess what you just did! If the foil in the wrapper contacts the positive and negative ends of a 9V or AA battery, it will create a circuit and flames could start. When throwing away boxes, paper, clothing, and other extremely flammable material, what was once a small fire is now an even bigger one! Everyone knows at least one person or more that has papers all over their desk and floor. In the right conditions, this will give the fire more fuel and will increase the odds of it spreading faster, and don't forget the clutter in the nearby exits and hallways will obstruct an escape from the fire. NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) states candles may be pretty to look at but they are a cause of an annual average of 90 deaths, 670 injuries, and $291 million in direct property damage. Another piece of information to think about is, on average, 3,340 office fires per year with 4 deaths, 44 injuries, and $112 million in property damage due to fires starting from holiday decorations. Keep your decorations away from lamps or any sources of heat. Always read the labels of those Christmas lights and look for the UL mark. Review manufacturer instructions to check if they are meant for inside or outside use only. When reusing lights from last year, carefully inspect the strands of lights. Check to make sure there are no missing or broken bulbs or frayed wires. Always run extension cords along the wall and never in a place that would cause a trip hazard. Do not run cords or cables under rugs or furniture or over metal studs. Avoid attaching multiple extension cords. Use a GFI outlet when applicable. When overloading plugs and sockets, with all the office electronics and extension cords added on, it can be the highest risk of fires in the office. Sometimes, in older buildings that are not wired for today’s electronics, people will run extension cords under desks and over metal, causing a pinch point. 22
