When redecorating offices, businesses should not just think about filling the space with stylish interior design, but trying to make it as safe as possible for their employees.
One of the ways they could do this is by fire-proofing the building as much as possible, particularly as the number of fire-related incidents seems to be increasing.
Rising number of fires
According to government statistics, fire and rescue services (FRS) attended 621,552 callouts in the year leading to June 2023.
This was a 6.2 per cent rise in comparison with the previous 12-month period when there were 585,139 incidents. The figure is also 11 per cent higher than five years before, and 18 per cent greater than ten years ago.
What’s more, 173,872 of the calls FRS attended were fires, which represents a 12 per cent increase in comparison with the year before. It is also the largest number of fire incidents in a year since 2019.
Of these fires, 662,251 were primary ones, which is when a person or a property is affected by fire. Shockingly, these have increased by 3.8 per cent compared with the previous year.
How can offices protect against fires?
There are many ways managers can protect the building and staff against fires though, as well as reduce the risk of fire spreading.
Fire glass
Although businesses should make their electrical and lighting outlets as safe as possible to reduce the chance of a fire, if a flame does become ignited, it is essential to avoid it spreading from room to room.
This can be achieved by installing fireproof glass doors, as these provide a barrier that stops the flames in their tracks.
Although they still give the illusion of an open-plan office, as they allow the light to travel from one end of the building to the other, they offer the protection of partitioned spaces.
What’s more, as they are made from tempered glass, this means they are designed so they do not shatter or even crack under intense heat. Wooden partitions, on the other hand, would not resist the fire, and as a conductor of heat, they would encourage the flames to spread.
There are different types of fire glass to choose from with varying fire ratings and glass thicknesses. Therefore, companies can choose the right partition for their business, depending on their budget and how much they want to improve sound-proofing, as well as fire safety.
Regularly maintain electrical items
As 32 per cent of fires in offices are caused by poor electrical distribution, such as the overloading of plug sockets, it is essential that electrical items and the entire system is frequently tested.
Businesses should also remind staff not to overload sockets, as well as avoid using fake phone chargers, as these are more likely to set alight.
Keep fire doors closed
Fire doors are essential for keeping buildings safe, as they significantly help to slow down the spread of fire. However, many offices do not regularly maintain these heavy doors, which means they might not be useful when they need to be.
Additionally, lots of people tend to wedge them open to let fresh air flow through the building, but this could be lethal if there happens to be an open fire in the building that day.
Therefore, it is never worth the risk to keep a fire door open, even if it is extremely hot outside and staff want some extra air to cool them down.
