1. Dust
Ensuring your business site is properly ventilated is crucial in implementing fire safety amongst your work force. Dust can easily build up which can cause fire risks and even sometimes explosions as the particles have been locked into an enclosed space and have not had the space to disperse, causing machines covered in dust particles to heat up erratically.
Prevention Methods:
Install ventilation fans in your work space to ensure that dust particles are not given the chance to settle and cause damage. You should also have a thorough cleaning system in place, which can be provided by trained and experienced cleaning staff that understand the various threats that dirt and dust can cause in situations such as this, and are therefore fully aware of how to handle it.
2. Opened Fire Doors
Fire doors are installed to prevent a fire from spreading throughout a building if one were to ignite. It can be tempting to keep these open, especially during Summer when it can get quite warm, however you should always remember the importance of fire doors, and the cost it would cause in keeping them open if a fire were to start.
Prevention Methods:
Place signs on the fire doors of your business' premises stating that these doors are to be kept shut and not to be propped open due to the fire risks. To remedy the temperature issue that may occur in warmer weather, install fans or air conditioning units to control the temperature, making sure that all employees can operate in a comfortable environment.
3. Blocked Fire Exits
Fire exits would be the only thing to get your employees to safety in the event of a fire. Therefore, if they are blocked or made difficult to access, this can waste precious time in the evacuation process.
Prevention Methods:
Make sure your business site has an appropriate amount of storage space for all products, equipment and tools to avoid items being placed in the way of anything important, and leaving no excuse for this to occur.
4. Negligence
One of the most common causes of fire is simply pure negligence within the workplace. Being unaware of what fire risks could be a threat to your business and being careless with machinery and exits can cause fires to spark.
Prevention Methods:
Make sure your workforce is properly educated on the fire risks that your business is vulnerable to. Have regular checks on your fire alarms and extinguisher units, as well as ensuring the other faults mentioned in this blog are monitored.
5. Faulty Machinery
It is crucial for the equipment and machinery used within your business to be checked regularly to maintain safe running. Machinery that has become prone to overheating, or has faulty wiring can serve a great risk to the wellbeing of staff and the business site, especially if they are running over night when there may not be many staff on the premises to check in on the machines.
Prevention Methods:
Situations such as this can be avoided by implementing a planned and preventative maintenance service within your business' operations. This will involve hiring a company with expertise within the area to carry out regular checks on your machines to ensure that there are no faults or hazards, and if there are, they will be fixed accordingly. WINNS specialises in planned and preventative maintenance, tailoring specific services to fit our client's needs.
WINNS Services has been established for over two decades providing cleaning and security services to clients. We pride ourselves on exceeding expectations and working with clients to offer the best solution to their queries. If you have any questions regarding the services offered at WINNS, or would like a quote, don't hesitate to call us on 01702 719100 or email us at info@winnsservices.co.uk.
