Although fires occur more frequently in residential and industrial settings, they do also occur in serviced office buildings. The potential risks of loss of life can often be greater in a serviced office setting. Fortunately, office buildings usually provide extra fire safety systems, such as sprinklers and exit signs. Amongst many other things, the facts about fires in office buildings reveal how often they occur and what causes them.
Roughly 2,000 fires occur in UK office buildings each year, according to the National Fire Service. This means that an average of 8 conflagrations break out at offices every single day. The Fire Department also indicates that other developed nations have lower rates of workplace fires than the UK. These figures suggest that commercial property owners and employees could do more to limit the fire risk, although it remains impossible to prevent every blaze.
Fires start in office buildings for many different reasons, but cigarettes, arson and faulty wiring spark many office fires, according to the Fire Department. Security measures can help prevent arson or at least help the police apprehend those responsible for such crimes. Cooking appliances such as electric coffee pots in the office canteen are a major cause of office fires, accounting for 25 percent of fires, but only 3 percent of property damage from 2004 to 2008, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
To understand the full effect of fires in office buildings, it’s helpful to know the overall human and monetary cost. The National Fire Protection Association reports that fires in offices from 2004 through 2008 killed an average of 2 people and injured 17 each year. The fires also caused about £50 million in damage per annum.
Every office should have a fire emergency plan that is kept accessible to all employees. If a fire alarm sounds, treat it as a real emergency. Call emergency services and exit the building, using the stairs rather than the elevator, which can quickly fill with smoke. Close the doors as you leave to help prevent the spread of fire and smoke through the office building.
