Preventing Commercial Electrical Fires | Teems Electric

When you have a business to run, the last thing you want to worry about is something that could come along and derail your production. Whether it is a warehouse, office or other commercial space you are working in, you want to be able to walk in and get through your day, every day.

Commercial electrical fires can be completely devastating when they strike—and they can do more than just ruin a day; they could lead to a total business shut down.

Fortunately, there are plenty of safety measures you can take and lots of ways to look for signs of potential problems in order to stop them before they start. The more you understand about electrical fires in your commercial space, the less you will have to worry about them.

Know the Signs

One of the best ways to stay safe from electrical fires is to know the signs that your building could be headed for a potential disaster. Catching and correcting an issue fast can help you prevent fire and save money on costly repairs. Not to mention it could also mean you don’t have to shut-down, at least not for the long-term.

Common areas of concern in most commercial spaces include panel boards, switchboards and transformers. Corroded wiring in any of these locations could lead to hot spots that might eventually spark and catch flame.

Take a look at your cords regularly, and replace anything that is aged or fraying. Using a thermal scanner can help you identify hot spots, which could be particularly helpful in places that wiring may be more difficult to get to.

Aside from checking your electrical systems, you and your staff can also watch for everyday signs that something is going wrong. Blinking lights, hot light switches or outlets, or that one room where you just have to jiggle the lights a little to get them working are all signs of electrical issues that could end up in a fire.

Preventive Measures

Since wiring is really the name of the commercial fire prevention game here, updating the electrical systems in your building is the best way to prevent a disaster. While an entire rewiring of your commercial space can be pretty costly, keeping your breaker boxes current can be an easier way to stay ahead of aging issues.

Changing older outlets is another easy way to keep things safe, as is ensuring you have the correct wattage bulbs in all of your lights. Ensuring your crew isn’t overloading outlets is another easy way to avoid fires in your building. Three regular voltage items per outlet is a good rule of thumb, while devices that draw high amounts of energy should have their own dedicated outlet.

Make sure your fire safety equipment is up to date throughout your building as well. Depending on what kind of commercial space you are dealing with, sprinkler systems and fire extinguishers should be readily available, and exit paths should be clearly marked and lit. All spaces should have an ample amount of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to keep everyone in the building safe.

Be aware of your building and how everything is functioning in it so that you can prevent fires and keep work going. Don’t spend another day instructing your crew to jiggle the switch a little—get it fixed and rest easy knowing you are safe.

Want to make sure your commercial space is fire-safe? Contact us and we will keep your business running.