Fire Protection in Industrial Workplaces

Nobody wants to imagine a fire in the workplace, large or small. But if there’s a fire happening at your facility, you won’t have time to research what to do. You’ll need to act quickly and decisively in order to protect your facility, your equipment, and most importantly, your people.

No matter what industry you’re in, fire safety preparedness and baseline knowledge are critical for business owners, facility managers, and all employees.

If you’re in the industrial and manufacturing sectors, you’re facing even more serious risks due to working with hazardous materials, dangerous equipment and processes, and large scale operations, often with many employees.

You simply can’t afford to downplay the risk of fire in the workplace.

Here are some tips all business owners and facility managers should have in their back pocket to prevent and address fires in the industrial workplace environment, keep employees safe, and protect your business:

Focus on prevention above all else.

The majority of fires in the workplace — and therefore property damage and financial loss — are preventable. 

More than half of all fires and nearly three-fourths of property damage could be avoided through preventative maintenance and frequent inspection and testing.

An estimated 37,910 fires occurred in industrial and manufacturing properties between 2011 and 2015, totaling $1.2 billion in property damage per year. Effective prevention of that kind of catastrophe can have a real impact on your business’ success.

Before all else, the best thing business owners and facilities managers can do is focus on workplace fire prevention to avoid both minor issues and major catastrophes. This includes:

• Regular inspections and system maintenance to ensure your fire protection systems are compliant and functioning properly

• Expert-led walkthroughs and fire hazard assessments to identify and understand the unique needs, risks, and recommended strategies for your specific operation

• Empowering your employees with regular trainings and fostering a culture where everyone is responsible for fire prevention, protection, and safety

Understand the risks and stay alert

If you’re developing a fire protection plan, you need to understand the most common risk factors facing your business. Heated equipment, shop tools, and industrial equipment have been found to be the leading causes of structural fires in industrial or manufacturing facilities. 

Some of the most common industrial fire and explosion risks include:

• Hot work - Avoid hot work whenever possible; Otherwise, ensure all staff are properly trained, keep the area thoroughly cleaned, and supervise the work.

• Combustible dust - Follow regular and thorough housekeeping to minimize the accumulation of dust.

• Electrical Hazards - Avoid exposed wires and extension cords, prevent overloading electrical equipment or circuits, unplug all equipment when not in use, and use antistatic equipment where required by NFPA or OSHA.

• Flammable Liquids and Gas - Make sure you know the safety information for these materials, including proper storage and handling.

Make sure you’re keeping these common offenders top of mind, regularly cleaned, and properly maintained. 

Your Emergency Plan of Action

Minor events can develop into emergency scenarios quickly. 

Although OSHA’s safety requirements vary by industry, an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) is highly recommended (if not required) for nearly every business and industry. EAPs clearly define actions and protocols for employees to follow in emergency situations, including reporting incidents, evacuating facilities, and accounting for all employees after an evacuation.

A robust EAP should be informed by your facility's fire risk assessment, and tailored around the specific layout, hazards, and existing systems of each work site. Include your EAP when onboarding every new hire, revisit and update your EAP annually, and train all employees on emergency protocols regularly. 

How to respond to a fire

With fire prevention as a baseline, it’s vital to then know if and when to act to minimize harm if a fire does occur.

Here are the 3 most important things employees need to know about responding to fires in the workplace:

• If a fire starts at work, you are not required to attempt to put out the fire — even if there is a fire extinguisher nearby.

• If you see an early-stage fire at work, you should quickly make the decision to fight —discharge an extinguisher toward the fire — or flight — pull the building fire alarm and get out of the building. Whichever you choose, execute your plan quickly.

• Many employees' first reaction in a fire is to call for a boss or authority figure. Employees need to be trained to react quickly, not to wait for instruction. Quick action saves lives and property.

Industrial operations face particular risks when considering fire prevention and fire safety. All business owners and facility managers should have this baseline knowledge in order to prevent and respond to industrial workplace fires effectively.

But at First-Line Fire Extinguisher, we know that effective fire protection doesn’t happen by accident. You need a trusted guide that can support you every step of the way. Schedule a free visit from one of our technicians and let us help you take the first steps toward protecting your business.