Commercial Fire Hazards

3/15/2023 (Permalink)

Many things can cause commercial fires. Know the risks and who to call.

This article outlines the safety precautions you must take to ensure a safe working environment at your Richardson office. Below are the 5 most common risks to be aware of.

1. Cooking Equipment

The combination of high temperatures, oils and grease, and possible open flames make cooking equipment the most common cause of business fires in the US. For example, figures show that 61 percent of fires in restaurants are caused by cooking equipment. In healthcare facilities, fires cause over $50 billion in property damage a year.

2. Heating Equipment

From November through to March, most Richardson businesses need some form of heating. Without proper maintenance, boilers, furnaces, and radiators could overheat and cause a fire. Unfortunately, 14 percent of fires caused by heating equipment are in industrial or manufacturing properties, with 11 percent being in office properties.

3. Electrical Equipment

Office properties experience the most fires caused by electrical and lighting equipment. If your commercial space is older, then so are your circuits and wiring. These along with faulty fuses, imbalanced electrical loads could start a fire. 

4. Smoking Materials

Despite bans on smoking indoors, this is still one of the most common causes of fires in the workplace. Cigars and cigarettes that are not put out properly can light other materials nearby. Again, offices experience more fires caused by smoking materials than any other business property type.

5. Intentional Fires

There is little a business owner can do about intentional fires such as arson, one of the top five fire hazards for businesses. Office properties, healthcare facilities, and restaurants make up 20 percent of intentional fires. But this still isn’t close to the 36 percent of intentional fires set in educational facilities.

Be sure to have your fire equipment regularly checked and keep compliant with Dallas safety codes.

If your commercial property in Richardson has been damaged in a fire, SERVPRO's Fire Damage Restoration Services can restore your property so that it seems as though it never happened. Call us at (972) 690-1414 24/7.