U.S. fire departments receive an estimated 42,800 reports of fires from industrial and manufacturing facilities each year, according to the NFPA. Fire prevention and emergency action plans are two tools to ensure employees know what to do before and after a fire alarm sounds.
Fire hazards aren’t limited to open flames and vapors from flammable liquids. They also include hot surfaces, welding sparks, processes that create friction and many others. A leading cause of workplace fire risk, according to OSHA, is electrical hazards, which include things like improper ground connections, frayed wire insulation, misuse of extension cords and overloaded circuits.