Commercial Fire Damage | SERVPRO of Southeast El Paso

2/12/2021 (Permalink)

Offices across the United States suffer from fires more often than you think. A fire in the workplace is devastating to not only employees but also the business owner. Depending on how large the fire is if you are not prepared the likelihood of recovering can lower. Educating employees on common fire risks and ensuring they follow protocol can help minimize fires.

Damaged Power Cords

Because offices are jampacked with computers, phones, printers, kitchen appliances, and more, over time the electrical system can become overwhelmed. This can cause electrical shock which can result in a spark or fire starting. To avoid this from happening, check on your electrical panels regularly and make sure no wires are corroded. 

Dust

If your office is not regularly being cleaned, dust is accumulating. When dust builds up on wood, metal, and plastic it can become a fire hazard. Items that heat up such as computers, microwaves, and wires should always be kept dust-free.

Combustible Materials

Offices often have many papers, boxes, furnishing, and packaging lying around. All of these items can cause a fire to spread quicker than normal. Although many items are important to the daily functions of the office, try to keep it as tidy and minimal as possible. Fireproof furniture and desks should also be considered for the purposes of limiting what gets damaged and how fast the fire spreads.

Computers

Most offices have one computer per employee. Depending on how many employees you have, those can all be fire hazards. Employees should ensure they are not letting their computers overheat, or leaving laptops on materials that can catch fire if the laptop heats up too much. All employees should shut down their computers daily, and especially on the weekend.

After learning of all the fire hazards present in offices, it is important to have a plan. SERVPRO of Southeast El Paso offers an Emergency Ready Profile which allows for us to start mitigation sooner to get you back into your building quicker. Call us today to get one up!