How To Spot Potential Fire Hazards In The Workplace  

From an office space to a kitchen, fire safety is one of the most important elements to understand in any workplace setting. Fortunately, most fires can be avoided, but it all starts with education, and an online fire safety course can be a great resource to get your team informed about how to prevent fire hazards in the workplace.   

Firstly, it is essential to know how a fire actually starts. In every case, three things are needed:  

A source of ignition  

Fuel  

Oxygen  

Taking measures to avoid this trifecta coming together is paramount in preventing a fire. The first step, therefore, is to identify potential sources of ignition, which can include anything that produces heat, such as naked flames, sparks, matches, electrical outlets and equipment, obstructed ventilators, and hot surfaces.   

Once you’ve identified the heat-producing sources in your workplace, the next step is keeping any source of fuel away from them. Keep areas free from obvious things such as rubbish, paper, wood, plastic, rubber, packing material and furniture. Other, less obvious things might include grease, flammable chemicals, flammable gas and even everyday food items such as flour and sugar.   

Oxygen is everywhere, naturally, so this is an element you can’t actually control. The other two, however, are both easily identifiable and controlled, therefore you must ensure that your staff are all well-informed about the potential sources of ignition and fuel in your workplace. Getting staff involved in an online fire safety course is a great way to get everyone clued-up and on the same page when it comes to fire safety. But it doesn’t stop there; you need to make staff aware of any changes in the workplace, too, such as rearranged equipment, breakages, new furniture or other sources of fuel. Carrying out regular fire safety risk assessments is another important element. Ensure your staff members are ready to react with thorough training on the fire drill procedures specific to your workplace and make sure that everybody is aware of the fire exits.   

Preventing fires is a simple, effective way to keep your staff and workplace safe, so it is worth considering getting your team enrolled in an online fire safety course. The course we offer at CLS follows the RSPH Level 2 Health and Safety in the Workplace, which covers the different fire extinguishers you should use in case of a fire, and how to spot hazards by identifying the ways that fires can start. Check it out here, and empower your team to be fire safe today!