Safeguarding your worksite against electrical fires

Improper electrical installations and faulty equipment are just two of the common causes of electrical fires in the workplace. In this article, Simply Energy provides some guidelines on how to safeguard your worksite against electrical fires.

Remove the source — heat, fuel and oxygen

There are three factors that are needed to start an electrical fire in the first place — heat, fuel and oxygen. By knowing these components, it’s not only possible to stop a fire, but more importantly, prevent a fire from occurring in the first place. The following three components can start an electrical fire, so by eliminating one of these components, an electrical fire cannot continue.

Heat — Electrical fires cannot start or continue without a sufficient amount of heat. To eliminate this factor during an electrical fire, firefighters will use a substance to reduce the heat and prevent the electrical fire from spreading. If an electrical fire should occur in the workplace, it is essential to remove the ignition source and turn off the electricity if it is safe for you to do so.

Fuel — Every fire is always fed by fuel, whether the fire is of an electrical nature or not. When the flames have consumed all burnable fuels, the electrical fire cannot continue. In some cases, firefighters will mechanically or chemically remove any fuel that may feed the fire.

Oxygen — Even though oxygen cannot be eliminated from a big electrical fire, it is an important denominator if a person in the workplace gets caught by the flames. The safest and quickest manner to save them is by depriving the flames of oxygen; this can be done by telling the person in question to roll on the floor and by covering them in a fireproof blanket, subsequently depriving the flames of oxygen.

Ensure proper electrical installations

Before we elaborate on reducing the electric fire hazards in the workplace, it is essential to ensure that all electrical installations in the workplace are of good quality. Exposed wiring and malfunctioning electrics are all signs that the electricals in your workplace are in desperate need of replacement. In order to eliminate the risk from electric fire hazards, it is essential to hire an expert who can ensure the proper installation of electric wiring and electrical equipment in the workplace. Obtaining such an installation does not have to be expensive for the business in question, as many energy suppliers offer attractive rates to their business clients.

Eliminate common hazards that start electrical fires

To reduce the risk of an electrical fire at work, it is important to eliminate some common hazards that occur in the workplace.

Faulty or inadequate wiring

One of the main causes of electrical fires is inadequate wiring; this occurs when a wire is unsuitable for the amount of current it needs to carry or transmit. The circuit breaker is also only suitable for a specific wire size. This is particularly important to consider with older buildings with older wiring, as the electrical wiring almost never matches the requirements.

To illustrate this problem, let us take the example of changing a light fixture. If an employee replaces one of the light fixtures with another fixture that needs a lot more current, the capacity of the branch wire could be exceeded. The wiring may have been suitable for the old fixture, but that does not necessarily mean it is also suitable for the new fixture. If the wire cannot carry the current for the new device, the wire will start to heat up and automatically becomes a fire hazard.

Bad grounding

Improper grounding of electrical equipment and circuitry is often a common problem in the workplace and one of the main causes of electrical fires. To ensure the safety of electrical equipment and circuitry, the metal parts of electrical systems should always be grounded and not emit any current.

If electrical equipment and circuitry is not properly grounded, it not only poses a fire hazard but could also cause electric shocks. If something is not grounded according to the safety regulations, excess current cannot be eliminated. Exposed metal parts and damaged equipment can become energised and become a big danger to anyone in the workplace.

There are many electrical systems that are grounded to metal water pipes, because metal water pipes provide a constant connection with the ground and are able to guide excess current away. However, to ensure safe grounding, these pipes must be made from good conductive material.

Grounding problems usually do not arise when a new electrical system is installed, but becomes a problem when parts of the plumbing in the workplace are replaced. In some cases, employees will forget about the conducting capabilities of metal water pipes and replace them with a plastic pipes. Plastic is not able to conduct the electricity, so grounding will be interrupted by this non-conductive material and increase the chances of an electrical fire.

System overload

An overloaded electrical system is probably one of the most dangerous hazards, because these hazards may cause an electrical fire that can spread quickly.

System overloading happens when too many devices have been connected to the same circuit. In order to feed all these devices with current, the electrical wiring becomes overloaded, which causes the wiring to heat up to a very high temperature. In these cases, the temperature of the wires may reach such a high point it actually starts a fire.

How to detect potential hazards in the workplace?

Inadequate wiring, bad grounding and a system overload are problems that are not immediately noticeable with the naked eye. However, there are some indicators that can give you a clear warning that an electrical fire is imminent, or that your electrical system needs updating to prevent problems in the future.

The first thing to look out for is tripped circuit breakers and blown fuses. Even though these signs are the very basic signs of a problem, they are often the clearest as well. A tripped circuit breaker or a blown fuse is a sign that there is too much current running through the system or that there are some faulty electricals somewhere in the workplace. Unfortunately, many businesses tend to ignore a tripped circuit breaker or blown fuse.

Electrical equipment or connections that feel too warm can also be an indicator of a serious problem with your electrical system. As mentioned before, it’s often an indicator of too much current running through the system, or that the system cannot meet the high demands. In these cases, it is essential to contact electrical professionals to upgrade your system.

Another clear indicator of problems with the electrical systems is a burning odour. Burning odours usually do not come from the electrical wiring, but from the insulation encapsulating the wiring. When the wiring gets to warm, it will burn or damage the insulation, causing a lingering odour that is hard to pinpoint. If you suspect that there may be a problem with the electrical wiring or the circuits in your business because of a burning odour, it’s essential to contact someone as quickly as possible; since a burning odour means that you could be quite close to getting an electrical fire.

For further information, please contact Simply Energy.