Main sources of destructive fires and associated preventive measures - Essay Example

Main Sources of Destructive Fires and Associated Preventive Measures Introduction Since ancient times, fire has been looked upon as a vital source ofenergy and natural resource. With the accelerated development in recent scenario, the use of fire has also changed and augmented in the diversified areas of modern lifestyle. It has been ascertained that there are various sources that are responsible for the cause of destructive fire. Accident and carelessness of people are amid the vital reasons for the cause of fire.

Apart from these, electrical wiring, faulty wiring, appliances and heating among others are also responsible for the cause of destructive fire (Nyamadzawo et al., 2013; DeTech, 2011). In order to prevent the destructive fire, various methods have been developed in recent times. Correspondingly, the response essay intends to explore the major sources of destructive fire with a particular focus on the hazards recognized in the workplace. Besides, it will also discuss the various measures associated with it.

Discussion Major causes of hazardous fire breakout in the workplace Workplace hazards have been a common scenario since ages. As compared to other workplace hazards, the most frequent one is fire. It has been ascertained that every year due to fire breakout, hazardous scenario often emerge that take into its clasp a lot of destructions in terms of loss of life and property. With regard to major causes of workplace fire, storage of wastes along with combustible materials is greatly responsible for fire breakouts.

As noted, the accumulated materials within the workplace such as paper and combustible resources among others must be disposed of on a regular basis. If the wastes are not disposed of on a continuous basis, it might lead to an accidental fire breakout (Goetsch, 2009). Another source of destructive fire within workplace is determined as flammable liquids along with other allied materials. This type of fire risk is primarily associated with industrial warehouses and factories, as the flammable goods or raw-materials are kept in here.

In case of flammable goods, they usually ignite very instantly and are also associated with the risk pertaining to explosion. Besides, it has also been determined that dust particles, plastics and metal operations among others are greatly responsible for the cause of fire breakout. The other form of sources is the objects used in factories and workplace, which generate heat and get warmed up after the use. Eventually, heat is considered as the major source of fire generation. It must be taken into account that the combustible resources must not be kept near the heated machineries.

Apart from this, the faulty electrical tools are also responsible for causing destructive fire. Considering all the factors, the major source that greatly amounts to fire breakouts is human errors and their negligence. Negligence can be a reason for fire breakout within the workplace. Correspondingly, negligence can be regarded as improper handling of dangerous equipment and carelessness among others (Eurofire Protection, 2012). Measures Been Undertaken To Prevent Fire Breakouts Owing to the fact that fire breakouts within the workplace have become a common factor in recent times, various fire safety management programs are being developed.

The standards and the regulations mentioned in these fire safety programs are being practiced in the modern day workplaces such as factories to prevent any further fire breakouts. In the modern industrial plants, housekeeping along with safety inspections are undertaken to minimize the tendency of fire ignition. Furthermore, advanced training sessions are provided to the employees with regard to preventive measures against fire breakouts. Provision for security along with arson prevention frames a part of prevention programs.

In case of equipment within the factories that generate heat, it is the responsibility of the housekeeping department to keep a strict check on the accumulation of combustible material (Goetsch, 2009). Application of ovens and the furnaces within the industrial purview can be responsible for fire breakout associated with the use of flammable materials. Apart from this, kilns, dehydrators and quench tanks among others must be handled by technical specialists to avoid any destructive fire breakout.

Electrical equipment’s are also responsible for fire breakouts within the workplace. Oxy-fuel gas process is greatly being used within the workplace to melt the metals. This particular process uses electricity to produce intense heat as well as for the completion of the work. Similarly, lighting protection also frames a part of the preventive measures that are being undertaken within the workplace. Lighting is also considered to be a frequent cause for fire breakouts within the workplace. In this regard, proper wires and advanced techniques must be implemented to avoid any hazardous circumstances.

Proper warning boards must be fitted within the workplace for the employees to avoid mishaps. Furthermore, proper maintenance is necessary to circumvent any kind of hazardous fire breakouts (Johnson, 2011). From further research it has been ascertained that it is necessary for any workplace building to implement any of the fire and life safety systems. For example, few of the systems include manual pull alarms, fire door, voice alarm and smoke detectors among others. In addition, enduring a fire emergency plan is necessary within the workplace.

The basic emergency workouts during a fire breakout involve calling the emergency number 911 along with avoidance of elevators during fire breakout. All these factors are vital in order to implement and maintain preventive measures, when there is a destructive fire breakout within the workplace (Goetsch, 2009). Conclusion The study has primarily reflected the major sources of destructive fire within the workplace. In accordance with the study, it can be concluded that electrical equipment, flammable liquid, heated machineries, combustible resources along with mishandling of machineries and carelessness with flammable materials among others have been regarded as the major sources of fire breakout.

In the era of modernization, the usage of fire for advanced equipment has ultimately resulted in frequent fire breakouts. Correspondingly, a number of pertinent preventive measures have emerged to minimize the risk regarding hazardous fire mishaps. A few examples of the preventions measures that have been determined include proper storage of the chemical materials along with keeping the workplace free of combustible materials among others. References DeTech. (2011). Major causes of fires. Retrieved from http://www.detech.com/fire-safety/major-causes-of-fire/ Eurofire Protection. (2012). Common fire hazards in the workplace.

Retrieved from http://www.eurofireprotection.com/blog/common-fire-hazards-in-the-workplace/ Goetsch, D. L. (2009). Basics of occupational safety. United States: Prentice Hall. Johnson, P. F. (2011). Fire Prevention Measures. ILO. Nyamadzawo, G., Gwenzi, W., Kanda, A., Kundhlande, A., & Masona1, C. (2013). Understanding the causes, socio-economic and environmental impacts, and management of veld fires in tropical Zimbabwe. Fire Science Reviews, 2(2), 1-13.