There are many electrical fire safety tips that can help your business stay safe. An electrical fire could happen anywhere, anytime if people aren’t careful. That’s why building occupants should know how to respond to and prevent electrical fires. In this blog, we will help you understand how electrical fires start, what signs to look for and how to respond appropriately.
What is an Electrical Fire?
An electrical fire can start due to many issues that have to due with lighting, outlets, appliances or other electrical devices.
How Electrical Fires Start
- Outdated appliances / wiring
- Faulty electrical outlets
- Overused extension cords
- Space heaters used near combustible objects
- Light bulbs with too high of a wattage
- Cloth, paper or material left on top of a lamp
Signs of Electrical Issues
- Old, worn down electrical cables
- Flickering lights
- Damaged outlets
- Fuses stop working
- Breaker keeps tripping
- Outlets or light switches are smoking
Electrical Fire Safety Tips
How to Respond to an Electrical Fire
If there’s an electrical fire in your office or building, the last thing you should do is throw water on it. Water on an electrical fire could lead to electrocution or further complications. Instead of using water, you should use a fire extinguisher that’s designed for class C fires. This includes a clean agent, carbon dioxide or multipurpose dry chemical fire extinguisher.
However, if you’re able to unplug the electrical device or appliance that’s on fire, then you can treat it as a class A fire. If you can’t unplug the device, then you should try to turn off the electricity to the entire building through the circuit box. Then you should make sure everyone knows to evacuate the building and call the fire department.
How to Avoid Electrical Fires
The best way to ensure an electrical fire doesn’t occur in your building is to schedule regular fire protection inspections with a certified company. It’s also a good idea to have a professional electrician come take a look at your building if you notice any issues. Regular inspections will help you ensure your equipment is up to date and equipped to fight any type of fire.
Contact Frontier Fire
If you’re looking for the best fire protection inspector in the Rocky Mountain Region, then give Frontier Fire a call. All of our inspectors use BuildingReports, which is the world leader in inspection reporting. That’s why we can guarantee the most reliable inspection solution across the globe. Don’t wait until it’s too late to protect your building and keep your employees safe.
