Be Aware of ELECTRICAL FIRE HAZARDS

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The Safety Print - Safety Rise

Be Aware of ELECTRICAL FIRE HAZARDS

Many electrical problems can be detected before they cause a fire or harm someone. To better ensure electrical fire safety, learn to be alert and pay attention to any irregular electrical function. Most electrical fires are caused by faulty electrical outlets and old, outdated appliances. Other fires are started by faults in appliance cord, receptacles and switches. Never use an appliance with a worn or frayed cord which can send heat onto combustible surfaces like floors, materials stored and other parts of building / machineries that can start a fire.

Common Electrical Fire Hazards:- 

1. Accessibility - Always ensure accessibility to electrical control panels. Material or equipment stored in front of the panels would hinder the shutdown of power in an emergency Also, never block sprinklers, firefighting equipment or emergency exits and observe clearances when stacking materials.
2. Good housekeeping - Clutter not only provides fuel for fires, but also prevents access to exits and emergency equipment. Keep your workplace clutter-free.
3. Proper waste disposal - Discard fire hazards like oily rags by placing them in a covered metal container and emptying it on a regular basis.
4. Maintenance - Make sure the machines in your workplace are properly maintained to prevent overheating and friction sparks.
5. Report electrical hazards - Unless you are qualified and authorized, you should never attempt electrical repairs. Faulty wiring and malfunctioning electrical equipment are key contributors to workplace fires.
6. Safe chemical use & storage - Always read the label and the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) to assess flammability and other fire hazards of a substance. When using and storing chemical materials, always do so in an area with adequate ventilation.
7. Precautions in explosive atmospheres - Follow all recommended and required precautions to prevent ignition in potentially explosive atmospheres, such as those containing flammable liquid vapors or fine particles. These precautions include nonsparking tools and proper static electricity control.
8. Emergency numbers - Emergency phone numbers should be displayed in different conspicuous places.
9. Fire Hazards - Adherence to fire safety guidelines is crucial for fire prevention. Understand the requirements of electrical safety and make sure workplace is in compliance.

Electrical Safety Tips:

• Replace or repair damaged or loose electrical cords.
• Avoid running extension cords across doorways or under carpets.
• Consider having additional circuits or outlets added by a qualified electrician so you do not have to use extension cords.
• Follow the manufacturer's instructions for plugging an appliance into a receptacle outlet.
• Avoid overloading outlets. Plug only one high-wattage appliance into each receptacle outlet at a time.
• If outlets or switches feel warm, frequent problems with lowing fuses or tripping circuits, or flickering or dimming light, call a qualified electrician