A Fire Risk Assessment Can Identify Electrical Hazards in the Office

It's devastating to think that fires can destroy millions worth of properties, cause hundreds of injuries and steal dozens of innocent lives all in one instant. It's even more depressing to think that a conflagration could have been caused by something as foolishly simple as someone leaving a cigarette butt that caught fire. Every day, people practice mindless actions that they remain unaware of it so that they perpetuate a kind of dangerous negligence that could lead to something as treacherous as an accidental fire.




One of the common causes of workplace fires is faulty electrical wiring. Offices and workplaces are hosts to several kinds of equipment and machines that consume a great amount of electricity daily, making workplaces a hotbed of electrical fire hazards. If you're not wary of these potential deathtraps, you might fail to take note of the common causes of electrical fire when you attempt a thorough fire safety risk assessment on your own:

Old and Faulty Electrical Appliances

Some old, outdated appliances may have frayed or faulty wiring. Defective cords lying on or placed under fabrics may cause cloth surfaces such as carpets, rugs, or curtains to catch fire.

Light Bulbs with an Extremely High Wattage

Always check if the light bulb wattage is suitable for the light fixture; if the bulb wattage goes beyond the amount recommended in the fixture, the overheating that could result is a fire risk.

Overloaded Electrical Outlets

Hair dryers, space heaters, and other products that release a lot of heat and use a huge amount of power can overload an electrical outlet. While circuit breakers are there to regulate amps and prevent the potential catastrophes caused by an electrical overload, it might not do the job well if the circuit is faulty and unreliable.

Safety should always be the number one priority, and this enormous responsibility of preventing accidental fires falls upon the shoulders of home and building owners. A fire can cause untold damages for anyone to take the risks lightly, and it's always a good idea to turn to more experienced authorities for guidance. Professionals such as Help and Safety at Work, Ltd., can assist in identifying fire hazards by properly completing a fire risk assessment for your workplace.

(Source: 5 common causes of electrical fires, FireRecruit.com, December 21, 2011)