Workplace Fire Hazards

While workplaces dealing with construction and manufacturing may seem the most likely to be plagued by risks to employee well being, any sort of work environment can contain serious hazards. One hazard that does not discriminate based on the nature of the workplace is the possibility of fire. Fires can be caused by anything from oil leaking from a machine on an assembly line to a short circuited wire in a fax machine. Employers are responsible for making sure that the places in which their employees work are free from serious fire hazards.

To help protect workers, all workplaces should have set regulations for limiting fire hazards, as well as set plans for the event that a fire does start. The OSHA small business handbook provides some important advice for avoiding a devastating fire in workplace environments. The tips are presented as a list of questions for business owners to ask themselves. Examples include, "If you have a fire alarm system, is it certified as required and tested annually?" and "Are automatic sprinkler system water control valves, air and water pressure checked periodically as required?" Evacuation maps and procedures should also be clearly posted near all entrances and exits.

Employees should help take fire safety into their own hands. Even between safety training sessions, they should take the time to go over evacuation routes, fire extinguisher use, and ways to keep the workplace safe for their coworkers. In workplaces where fire is a necessary factor, such as metal manufacturing plants or areas with exposed flame cooking surfaces, workers must be particularly careful and correctly utilize all required protective gear.

The consequences of a serious fire can truly be catastrophic. Just like a house fire, a fire in the work place creates risk for smoke inhalation, severe burns, roof collapses, and even death. A serious burn can land an individual in the hospital for days or weeks, and leave them unable to work while the recover. This can put extreme financial strain on a family, particularly if they were struggling to get by before the accident. The combination of missing work and steep medical bills can be crippling in many circumstances. If you have been injured in a workplace fire and feel that your employer's negligence is to blame, you may want to consider filing for workers' compensation.

For more information about workplace hazard and workers' compensation, visit the website of Philadelphia workers' compensation attorneys Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C.

Joseph Devine

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