Fire Hazards in the Workplace

The National Safety Council estimated that 327 fire-related deaths occurred in 1991. The increasing amount of fires that have taken place led OSHA to conduct fire hazard inspections and set certain standards for the workplace. OSHA requires employers to implement exit procedures, a means of fighting flames, and employee training in order to prevent fires, injuries, and deaths in the workplace.

Potential Fire Hazards

Some of the most potentially dangerous fire hazards in a typical workplace include:

• Flammable Liquids or Gases – Some of the more commonly used flammable liquids include oil, gasoline, diesel, ethanol, turpentine, and lacquer thinner. Gases are harder to contain and can be more combustible in nature. Some of the more widely used flammable gases include acetylene, ammonia, butane, carbon monoxide, ethylene, hydrogen, methane, and propane.
• Solid combustibles – These include any solids that can start or feed a fire. Things like paper products, wood, cloth, and any other materials that will retain a flame are considered part of this category. If solid combustibles are not disposed of correctly or if they are stored in massive quantities, a fire hazard is posed.
• Electrical Appliances – A fire hazard can occur from exposed wiring, electric shock, appliances placed on an unstable surface or near flammables, utilizing multiple extension cords as a single source of electricity, unattended electric heaters, and exposing water or moisture to an appliance.

Employees who deal with hot items or combustible materials run the highest risk of dealing with a fire hazard. Some jobs that pose a significant fire risk are:

• Firefighters
• Welders
• Cooks
• Dry-cleaning Workers
• Brazers
• Gas Station Workers
• Chemical Planet Workers
• Oil Refinery Workers
• Appliance Manufacturer Workers

Contact Us

If you feel you have been the victim of a fire hazard or believe your place of work is negligently unsafe, contact the Las Vegas personal injury lawyers of William Palmer & Associates, P.C. at 702-888-2222 today.