The Number and Causes of Office Fires

11/1/2018 (Permalink)

The Number and Causes of Office Fires

Every year, office fires cause over a hundred million dollars in property damage and several deaths. As much as the idea of wasted money and destroyed capital, we mourn the loss of even one person’s life infinitely more. Evacusafe US is dedicated to the mission of keeping everyone safe, especially those who are mobility impaired. As we work to provide every office in America with the safety equipment they need to keep their staff safe, we also want to help everyone reduce their need to actually use it. The more we all know about what causes office fires, the more we can do to prevent them. Strive for the best; prepare for the worst.

Number of Fires

From 2007-2017, there were an average of 3,340 fires in office buildings each year. That’s almost 10 every day. And it represents tens if not hundreds of thousands of employees. Any fire is a dangerous event so every fire should be taken very seriously. That means no matter the size of the fire, everyone needs to get out of the building safely and quickly. For those with mobility issues, this can be a moment of panic and danger. It’s very easy to head straight for the exit, forgetting that the person in the office next to you is in a wheelchair. And even if you do remember, do you have the equipment you need to get them out of the building without the help of an elevator?

According to the 2010 US Census, 30.6 million Americans have a disability that makes it difficult for them to walk or climb stairs. That’s just shy of 10%, which means that if the average office building has just 50 employees, 16,700 Americans needed assistance getting out of harm’s way. We would love to see every building outfitted with the proper safety equipment to ensure that every single one of them got out safely and efficiently.

Leading Causes of Fires in Offices

Most fires are caused by just a few different factors. In fact, according to the National Fire Protection Association, three out of four office fires were caused by just one of six things:

• Cooking Equipment: 29%
• Electrical Distribution & Lighting Equipment: 12%
• Heating Equipment: 11%
• Arson: 10%
• Smoking Materials: 9%
• Exposure: 4%
• Electronic, Office, or Entertainment Equipment: 3%

Armed with this information, we hope you will have greater insight into your office risk factors and can take some necessary precautions to lower the risk of fire, thereby lowering the risk of injury or death in the event of a fire. Let’s take a look at these causes individually and review what can be done to make them safer.

SERVPRO of North Arlington is here 24/7 365, for all of your restoration needs