In February of this year, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) released a report entitled “The Total Cost of Fire in the United States.” One of the findings reported that the U.S. spent an estimated $331 billion on fire in 2009. This total includes human and economic losses, costs of the fire service, and costs associated with the insurance industry.
A few months later, June, Industrial Safety and Hygiene News published an article under the headline “Every 2 Minutes a Fire Strikes.” Upon reading further, we learn that these are structural fires. The article goes on to say that the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in 2010, 187 workers died from fire or explosion. Workplace fire can and does occur at anytime.