Warehouses are known for more than just the hazards that come with handling heavy equipment and inventory. In fact, warehouses are filled with fire risks that could prove to be far more dangerous to both the inventory and the workers than other common accidents might be. But what are these fire risks, and what do you need to do to keep your warehouse workers safe? Let’s take a look at some of the most common fire risks for warehouses and how you can prevent them.
What Are Some of the Most Common Fire Risks Found in Warehouses?
As stated above, there are ample opportunities for fires to break out in a warehouse, especially if you don’t know where you should be looking or what you should be wary of in your environment. Here are a few of the most common risks that you should know about if you run a warehouse.
- Electrical and Lighting Issues: One of the main causes for concern should be how your building is wired and what other potential electrical issues might be present. These include a host of extension cords that are being used to power equipment, equipment that’s plugged in at all times, and failing lamps that could cause things below them to combust.
- Trash: A buildup of trash is always a fire risk, regardless of whether it’s indoors or outdoors. Trash piles in a warehouse can be easily ignited by cigarettes or if they’re in close proximity to outlets or other sources of heat.
- Improperly Used Chemicals and More: Worker safety is essential, but that doesn’t mean that every warehouse adheres to it. Whether chemicals are being used improperly or workers are using certain tools in ways that they shouldn’t be, it can easily escalate to a warehouse fire in no time.
- Exposure Fires: You wouldn’t think that fires would come in from an outside source, but exposure fires are a very common cause behind warehouse fires. Exposure fires include everything from trash fires to burning vehicles and beyond.
Now that you know just how susceptible warehouses are to fires, what can you do?
How Can You Prevent Fires From Breaking Out?
Warehouse owners or managers have much more power than they realize. Here are a few ways you can exercise yours to prevent warehouse fires from affecting your building, inventory, and employees.
- Make sure that employees have thorough training on how to navigate the warehouse and how to use everything within it safely. If they’re not properly trained to do their job or they’re unaware of the risks themselves, it’s very easy for an employee to start a warehouse fire accidentally.
- Enforce the same rules outside as you do inside. Since exposure to fires can be such a major risk, you don’t want your employees engaging in any behaviors that could cause a fire that grows beyond its starting point and reaches your building.
- Work with the city to make sure that your building is up to code and that there aren’t any areas of concern that you’re currently missing. The last thing you want to do is run your warehouse thinking everything’s fine until a fire breaks out due to faulty wiring.
Finally, and most importantly, always create a plan of action in the event of a fire. You can do everything to stop one, but you’ll still want your employees to know how to keep themselves safe and exit the building in a quick, orderly manner so that everyone is okay should a fire start.
Stay One Step Ahead With Keystone Fire and Security
Fire safety in the warehouse starts with you. While the above advice can be excellent in preventing fires, you’ll want more than knowledge or a plan of action. You need fire safety and suppression systems from Keystone Fire and Security. Whether you’re looking for fire suppression system installation in Montgomery County, PA, or fire suppression system repair in Philadelphia, contact us today to tell us more about your project.