The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has reported that, on average, over 370,000 residential fires are reported a year, causing over 2,700 deaths and over 11,500 injuries.
PHLY has identified three major causes of these types of fires - cooking, electrical equipment issues, and smoking. To address these three major causes as well as laundry dryer fires, barbeques, and flammable liquids, PHLY recommends the following tips and resources to help businesses and organizations reduce the chances of a fire:
Electrical Fire Safety
- Do not overload your system by using "daisy chains" of power strips or extension cords
- Have the entire electrical system inspected by a qualified electrician prior to building purchase or occupancy
- Have your electrical system inspected at least every 10 years by a qualified electrician
- Have an infrared scan of your electrical system with a thermographic camera every three to seven years to identify hot spots
- Tighten or replace components where hot spots exist to help prevent electrical fires and for possible savings in electrical consumption
- Visually inspect key electrical components, like breakers and switches, on an ongoing basis, making sure they are clean, dry, and tight
- If your facility has aluminum wiring or Federal Pacific Stab-Lok breakers, these are known fire hazards; contact PHLY Risk Management Services for guidance
Smoking Fire Safety
- Make your facility smoke-free
- If you cannot have a non-smoking building, create a safe smoking area at least 20 feet away from the building with a non-combustible, non-tipping receptacle for ash and butts
Cooking Fire Safety
- Implement cooking fire preventative devices, such as stovetops that sense unattended cooking or limit the temperature of the cooking surface
- Implement Auto-Out fire reactive devices that expel an extinguishing agent in the event of a fire
- If fire extinguishers or other extinguishing devices are provided, be sure to have them checked and tested as recommended by the manufacturer
Laundry Dryer Fire Safety
- Verify that dryer lint traps are in good condition and being cleaned often to prevent buildup
- Ducting from the dryers should be smooth aluminum, and should also be on a cleaning schedule
Flammable Liquid Fire Safety
- Do not store more flammable liquids or aerosols than necessary on a property. Discard all not being used and store the remainder in a UL listed flammable liquids cabinet
Barbecue Fire Safety
- Consider a policy of "no personal" barbecues on site. Provide a community barbecue located away from any building
- Do not allow any charcoal barbecues to be used onsite
- If personal barbecues are allowed, they should be used a minimum of 10 feet from any structure and not allowed on any combustible deck
Finally, make sure smoke detectors are present and operational. In-home fires resulting in deaths, 57% of the time a smoke alarm was not present or was not operational, according to the NFPA. Other fire detection or extinguishing equipment, such as fire sprinklers, should also be regularly checked and properly maintained.
Ultimately, the goal is to prevent fires, which requires a joint effort by building owners, building managers, and residents. A reasonable investment of time and resources by all three parties can help keep people safe and protect real estate investments. For more information, check out the resources below.
Resources for Residents
For Property Owners and Managers
IMPORTANT NOTICE - The information and suggestions presented by Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance Company in this E-Brochure is for your consideration in your loss prevention efforts. They are not intended to be complete or definitive in identifying all hazards associated with your business, preventing workplace accidents, or complying with any safety related, or other, laws or regulations. You are encouraged to alter them to fit the specific hazards of your business and to have your legal counsel review all of your plans and company policies.
