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According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, otherwise known as OSHA, over 200 fires occur in the United States workplace everyday and each year, workplace fires and explosions killed 200 people and injured more than 5000. Do you know the best way to keep from getting injured in a workplace fire? It's easy. Don't have one. And obviously, preventing a fire is the best way to stay safe. An employer must inform employees upon initial assignment to a job of the fire hazards to which they're exposed. And in addition to that, employees should receive training in basic fire safety and what to do to prevent and escape a fire. In this Workplace Fire Safety Training, we'll give you the knowledge to protect yourself and others from potential fire hazards. There are so many ways for workplace fires to start. There's electricity, there's chemicals, flammable liquids, combustible materials, compressed gases, smoking, and even poor housekeeping. Let's talk about electrical hazards for a minute. They're the leading cause of workplace fires. The following guidelines can help you prevent a dangerous situation. Make sure the cords and plugs are in good condition before using electrical equipment. Cords with worn out wires need to be replaced. Make sure you avoid running cords or wires under rugs and carpets, or near a heat source, and be sure to keep the cords out of doorways, where they can become worn. Don't overload electrical circuits. Now imagine you only have one outlet with four plugs at your office desk. In that one outlet, you need to plug in your computer, a monitor, a printer, and a phone charger. Maybe even a light, or a tablet charger, a second monitor, a fan, etc. Simply adding plug extenders or multiple outlet extension cords is dangerous. And the best way to prevent electrical overloading, and fires, because of that overloading, is to use a surge protector or a multiple outlet power strip that's really actually designed for that kind of load. Chemicals compose a variety of risks. Read the labels and the NSDSs or Safety Data Sheets for the fire hazards related to the chemicals you use. Specific handling requirements and training must be provided by your employer for hazardous chemicals. Now remember, it's vital to store chemicals properly and in tightly closed containers. Keep flammable and combustible materials away from ignition sources. Flammable liquids are those that can produce vapors at low temperatures. The vapors can ignite quickly, causing fires or explosions. Liquids labeled as combustible can produce vapors at higher temperatures. Combustible materials are items that can burn and act as a fuel in a fire. These include items such as paper, wood, or plastic. An example of a common, dangerous workplace situation is storing paint thinner or fuel cans near a gas water heater or a furnace. This can be easily corrected by moving the items. Be sure to obey your smoking rules and No Smoking signs. Extinguish cigarettes and matches completely in special designated containers. Now keep your workplace area free of clutter and combustible scrap materials, and other debris. Clutter contributes to fires by providing that fuel we talked about and by preventing access to exits and emergency equipment that may be needed in case of a fire. Arson is another common cause of workplace fires. And it's important to help maintain building security to prevent these arson fires. Lock up as instructed, report suspicious persons, and don't leave combustible rubbish where it can be set fire outside the building. In general, if you see a dangerous situation, correct it. Supervisors are not the only ones responsible for preventing workplace fires. Preventing fires is everybody's responsibility. And if you see a fire hazard that you can't correct yourself, report it to a supervisor immediately. No matter what type of workplace you're in, potentially unsafe conditions can be anticipated, however, unsafe conditions can be corrected or properly controlled, and accidents can be prevented.
There are so many ways for workplace fires to start— electricity, chemicals, flammable liquids, combustible materials, compressed gases, smoking, and even poor housekeeping. It is every employee's responsibility to be aware of fire hazards and to take the steps necessary to prevent workplace fires. No matter what type of workplace, potentially unsafe conditions can be anticipated. However, unsafe conditions can be corrected or properly controlled, and accidents can be prevented.