To keep your company safe from fires all year long, it’s advisable to take precautions. According to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), there is an increased risk of fires during the winter due to heating, holiday decorations, winter storms, and candles. Although this data may apply to commercial fires, it is still important to be proactive about fire safety during the winter season. Here are some helpful commercial fire safety tips for the winter.
Holiday Lights Should Comply With Safety Standards
During the holiday season, it’s common to want to decorate the office or employee break room with festive lights and decorations. However, ensuring all electrical decorations meet fire safety codes and comply with your company’s safety standards is crucial. Overloading extension cords is not recommended as they can overheat and consume more power than they can handle. So, be careful while decorating and prioritize safety measures.
Limit Space Heaters
Every workplace has individuals who feel cold during winter and use a space heater to stay warm. However, older models of space heaters may need more safety features and pose a danger. Additionally, plugging a space heater into an extension cord is unsafe and should be avoided. It’s also important to remember that too many heaters running at once can overload your electrical system. Therefore, it’s best to prohibit using extension cords to power space heaters and monitor their usage by considering the number of units, safety features, and age.
Pay Attention To Humidity Levels
It’s important to know that static electricity can be dangerous, especially during dry winter months. If the air in your building lacks humidity, it can generate sparks that might damage equipment and even cause fires or explosions, especially in facilities with flammable fumes. To avoid potential hazards, we recommend regularly monitoring the safety levels of your building and keeping the air moist enough to prevent static electricity from building up.
Keep Riser Rooms Heated
Sprinkler riser rooms are usually situated on exterior walls and may not have a heating system. A space heater may supply heat to these rooms to keep the fire sprinkler system from freezing. However, this arrangement can pose a potential hazard. Therefore, we strongly recommend heating the riser room and checking it daily to ensure enough heat to prevent the fire sprinkler system from freezing. We hope these winter commercial fire safety tips have helped educate you. If you want to ensure that your building is safe and your fire protection systems are well-equipped throughout the year, please do not hesitate to contact Chesapeake Sprinkler.
Contact Chesapeake Sprinkler Company Today!
Chesapeake Sprinkler Company is a leading fire sprinkler contractor in the region, which is now a 100% employee-owned (ESOP) company. As a full-service fire protection company, we offer design, fabrication, installation, testing, maintenance, and inspection of fire protection systems—everything you need from your fire suppression specialist.
For more information, please email or call our Odenton location at 410-674-7041, our Ashburn location at 703-729-5150, or for service/maintenance Chesapeake Protection Services at 410-674-7577. For emergencies, call 800-298-3473 (FIRE). Feel free to keep in touch through Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn!