Fire is widely recognised as one of humanity’s most important discoveries, playing a vital role in the development of civilisation over thousands of years. However, while fire has many benefits, it has no place in the modern workplace when it is uncontrolled.

Workplace fires can have devastating consequences. Most importantly, they put the lives of employees, visitors and the wider public at risk. They can also cause severe disruption to business operations, resulting in damaged premises, lost data and significant financial losses.

The good news is that most workplace fires are preventable. By putting the right fire safety measures and practices in place, businesses can significantly reduce the risk.

To support this, we have created a short guide outlining practical steps you and your team can take to help reduce the risk of fire in your workplace.
So, what are the most common fire safety issues in office buildings? 

Overloaded extension leads

• Be mindful when using extension leads. Overloading extension leads can cause overheating, causing the wires to heat up significantly, melting the cables and igniting nearby flammable materials. Overloading sockets can also damage devices and increase risk of electric shocks.
• Useful tips to overcome this risk 
• Extension leads should only be used to charge low-powered devices like laptops, phones etc.
• Don’t overload sockets or plug-in high-powered devices such as kettles, heaters, toasters. 
• High-wattage items need their own dedicated outlets.
• Before use check cords for damage, if they are damaged don’t use them.
• Never join more than one extension lead together
• Ensure the cord doesn’t get tangled up
• Make sure all extension leads are regularly tested and maintained

Obstruction of escape routes  
When reviewing the escape routes available, it’s important they are kept clear of obstructions. Escape routes should be available for everyone at all times. Not everyone has the same physical capabilities, so it is important that individuals who plan and review the evacuation routes fully consider everyone’s circumstances and ensure alternative routes are in place.

 Useful tips to overcome this risk: 

• Ensure your premises has more than one escape route. There should be enough exits and routes for all people to escape.
• Evacuation routes and exit routes need to always remain clear of obstacles.
• Special arrangements need to be made for people with mobility needs.
• Evacuation by these routes should be practiced regularly, so if a fire breaks out you and your colleagues are ready to evacuate promptly and calmly.  
• Informing new team members of all the escape routes should be done as part of their induction and health & safety overview. 
• Escape routes need to be clearly identifiable. Use signs to help colleagues identify them and show them where to go. Evacuation routes must have sufficient emergency lighting which activates when the normal lighting fails.  
• Premises need a safe meeting point for staff to go to when an alarm goes off. 

Electrical equipment
Electrical faults often arise from operational failures within electrical equipment. These failures can occur for a variety of reasons, including wear and tear, poor maintenance, incorrect installation, or damage to components. The electrical installation in your premises should be subject to inspection and tested by a competent person at least every five years. Any work on the electrical installation should be carried out only by a competent person.
Portable electrical appliances should be subject to periodic in-house inspection and testing (previously known as portable appliance testing or PAT) in accordance with the IET Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment.

Useful tips to overcome this risk:

• Never use damaged/counterfeit chargers, sockets or cables.  
• Avoid overloading sockets
• Never leave an electronic device charging unattended, particularly if it is powered by a lithium-ion battery, these can ignite and burst into serious fires that can reignite minutes, hours and even days after. Lithium-ion batteries also emit toxic gas, a risk to public health.  
• Turn devices off at the switch when not in use. 
• Make sure your electrical items are tested and maintained periodically. 
• Don’t leave combustible materials such as paper and cardboard by heat-producing devices, store them in a cool, dry place or use recycling bins to dispose of them. 
• Electronic equipment shouldn’t be left on overnight if it doesn’t need to be such as monitors and printers. 

Fire doors 
The purpose of fire doors is to contain and prevent a fire spreading from 30 minutes up to 120 minutes however this can only be done when doors are closed and not left open or ajar. 

Useful tips to overcome this risk: 

• Ensure that all your fire doors are properly installed by a competent professional. 
• Schedule an annual inspection and maintenance of all fire doors by a competent specialist. 
• Inform and remind all colleagues and visitors that fire doors must remain closed. 
• In your fire safety training, remind your colleagues not to leave fire doors propped open.

Smoking 
Smoking in non-domestic premises is prohibited by law. You should therefore ensure that employees, visitors and anyone working in the premises are aware of this. Smoking accounts for 11% of all fires in the workplace, therefore it is important that managers and team members enforce that people who smoke, take the appropriate steps to help reduce this.  

Useful tips to overcome this risk: 

• Use clear signage to remind people that staff should only smoke in designated areas, that smoking materials must be disposed of properly, and that cigarettes should be fully extinguished. 
• Create designated smoking areas and ensure that people who smoke use them when they smoke. 
• Encourage everyone to take responsibility for maintaining a safe workplace by following smoking policies and being mindful of how their actions may affect others. 

Other general tips 

• Carry out fire safety training and drills regularly, ensuring this is also included as part of the induction process for new staff. 
• Install and maintain appropriate fire detection and fire alarm along with any suppression systems, such as sprinklers, and ensure they are tested regularly by a competent person. 
• Complete a comprehensive fire risk assessment and review it regularly, addressing any identified risks promptly. 
• Store waste materials, such as paper and cardboard packaging, away from heat-producing equipment, as these can ignite when exposed to high temperatures. 
• Ensure walkways, fire escapes and evacuation routes are kept clear and free from obstructions at all times. 
• Position fire extinguishers so they are easily accessible, and make sure staff know where they are located and how to use them safely. 
• Avoid unnecessary fire loading by limiting the storage of combustible materials, such as excess paper and cardboard packaging. 

 
By following this guidance and implementing the suggestions above you and your team will be able to significantly reduce the risk of fires caused in your premises. If you need any more support or guidance, feel free to view our technical guidance on our website or get in contact with our technical team here at [email protected].