It would help if you never challenged the power of fire. It can burn you down to ashes. And it never discriminates. While even an average home is prone to fire damage, the risk factor increases by multiple folds in industrial applications and premises. This makes preventive measures for fire damage an important and integral part of any industry.
It takes proper planning and strategizing to develop a fire prevention plan. But the process can be eased up a bit by understanding what causes these fires. By keeping the causes at the top of the list, you can develop a plan to prevent the loss of business, time, or resources due to fire accidents. So here are some five causes of industrial fires that you should be aware of-
Combustible Dust
HPR defines it as a “mixture or substance that is in the form of finely divided solid particles that, upon ignition, is liable to catch fire or explode when dispersed in the air.” It is dangerous because of the surface area the dust covers once ignited.
This is a common fire hazard in almost every industry. For example, metals such as aluminum, bronze, magnesium, or zinc, chemical dust such as coal or sulfur, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, rubber, wood, textiles, plastics, etc., can become combustible under specific situations.
Therefore, if you are dealing with any such industry, you should be extra careful.
Electrical Faults
Electrical problems are still the leading cause of fires and explosions in industries worldwide. Fire and explosion investigators have revealed time and time again that most industrial fires are due to a lack of proper electrical connections and wiring.
Even a small spark from a naked wire is enough to cause a fire show in coordination with other materials and machinery. And when you consider that industries usually pull a ton of power, the situation gets even darker. Grounding, fuses, high-gauge wires, and electricity switchers should all be placed according to the guidelines.
Flammable and Combustible Materials
It does not take many chemicals to build a live bomb. Industries dealing with stuff like rocket fuel (which produces a flammable gas), acrylic acid, and crude oil are always in danger of these fires. Even static electricity can ignite them.
The best way to prevent such fire accidents is to know the hazards. Even before handling the materials, a proper fire prevention setup should be implemented in place.
Negligence and Human Factors
Accidents happen. Even the best ones can fall prey to it. Mishandling, slippages, and negligence are common, especially with novice workers. Training and knowledge are the only protection that prevents human errors.
Safety awareness training should be compulsory for everyone in your facility. They should be taught what risks to watch out for and what to do if they find one.
Hot Work
Hot work is defined as cutting and welding operations for construction/demolition activities that involve using portable gas, arc welding equipment, or other similar activities producing a spark, flame, or heat.
The heat produced by these sources becomes a major constituent of industrial fires. This is especially common in mechanical-based industries like the automobile, shipbuilding, and repair industries.