What Are The Potential Fire Hazards Around You?

Fire hazards around us

A place that we commonly stay or visit could have many potential fire hazards that we may not even notice in our routine. Residences, workplace, public places, schools, libraries, etc could be the places that fall under this.

Residential fires are much common and it is the major contributor for the all the fire accidents in our country. Let us explore the fire hazards in our homes…

What are the potential fire hazards in your home?

Kitchen Fires

Kitchen fires are responsible for 50% of residential fire accidents. These are the common causes of kitchen fires in residences,

• LPG – Almost all the Indian homes use LPG. It is imperative to know the general precautions while using LPG and what to do in case of a gas leak. LPG burst and inhalation of LPG are the main causes of death. Check out the precautions that need to be observed while using LPG and educate your family members about LPG safety.
• Dangerous liquids – Storing dangerous liquids like kerosene, alcohol near cooking areas are another potential fire hazard for your home. Avoid storing dangerous liquids or store it away from the heat source to prevent accidental fires.
• Electrical appliances – electrical appliances like ovens, microwave, kettle or electrical cookers, are also a potential fire hazard. Know the safe use of electrical equipment and use only ISI approved equipment and wiring to prevent fire accidents. Never use an equipment with frayed or damaged wires.
• Combustible materials – combustible materials like newspapers, wooden objects, curtains, etc should be away from the heat source. If these are on a close contact with heat sources like cooking area, electrical ducts or vents, it can catch fire and spread quickly.

Electrical Fires

• Poor wiring – If your house is more than 20 years old, there may not be enough provisions to handle modern equipment. In such a case, it is better to have a qualified electrician check the wiring of your house.
• Electrical short-circuit – another common cause of electrical fires is short-circuit. Never overload a single electrical phase and use circuit breakers to prevent electrical fires.
• Illegal tapping of electricity – Illegal tapping of electricity is common in rural areas. This is not just a fire risk but also a risk of electrical shock.
• Substandard appliances – Use only ISI approved appliances. Appliances that do not have ISI certification may not have the necessary safety standards. Never use such appliances.
• Octopus connections and extension cords – Do not use a single socket for multiple types of equipment. And use extension cords only temporarily to prevent fires.

Bedrooms and careless smoking

• Smoking indoors and smoking on the bed can also be a potential fire hazard for your home.

If you smoke, smoke outdoors and dispose of the cigarette mindfully after smoking.

Home fire safety is very important to prevent residential fire accidents. Refer the home fire safety checklist to prevent fire accidents in your home. 

Fire hazards at the workplace or office

The workplace or office is a place that you would be visiting every day.

Combustible materials and waste pile up – combustible materials catch fire soon it comes in contact with a heat source. The fire could rage to uncontrollable heights in a matter of minutes. Proper waste management and well-planned stocking of combustible materials play a vital role in preventing workplace fire accidents.

Dangerous liquids – inflammable liquids catching fire accidentally is yet another common cause of fire accidents in Indian industries. Improper storage mechanisms and illegal storage of dangerous liquids could be observed as the reason in many of the past fire accidents. Even in the recent Ludhiana fire accident in October 2017, stocking up of dangerous liquids made the fire spread uncontrollably resulting in the building collapse.

Poor maintenance of machinery  & heating – Heating of machinery and poor maintenance could also be a potential fire hazard in your workplace.

Electrical fires –  An electrical short-circuit is the major cause of fire accidents in commercial establishments. A working fire safety system with working fire sprinklers, fire alarms, fire extinguishers, etc could help in curbing fire and prevents it from spreading.

Fire safety awareness plays a crucial role in preventing it. When you get to see a potential fire hazard in the places you visit, try to remove it or inform the concerned authorities to take necessary actions. You could save a life! #FirekillsPreventit

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