Common Causes of Commercial real Estate Fires

By: Bob Wilson, Director of Security, Continental Towers, GlenStar Asset Management, LLC

According to the National Fire Protection Association, there are more than 90,000 fires in non-residential structures every year. Those statistics explain why commercial and institutional buildings are governed by strict codes and equipped with sophisticated fire and life safety systems. However, significant fire risks still remain. Understanding the nature and scope of those risks is the key to prevention!

Statistics show the most common cause of commercial real estate fires are electrical. However, experts agree that a second factor in most of these fires are “human beings.” Properly installed and maintained electrical work is rarely the root cause of the fire. Human intervention can circumvent any fire prevention theory or device.

Let’s look at the everyday hazards notorious for fires:

Small appliances can spark a fire in your lunch room. Never leave the area when cooking with a microwave or toaster oven. Be sure to have them cleaned on a regular basis. Always make sure they are turned off at the end of the work day.

Office equipment: Frayed wires and overloaded electrical outlets are all too common. Too many devices drawing excessive power through a power strip or extension cord can easily make them fail. Make sure they are rated for the type of equipment you’re using. Check the wires regularly to make sure they are in good condition. Rolling chairs, carts, and cabinets can often destroy the protective coatings on wiring. Consider cord covers when wires are exposed to heavy traffic. Want to go “green” and cut costs? Plug non-essential desktop items into their own power strip. At the end of the day your computer can remain on for network maintenance, but all other equipment, including your monitor, can be shut off with a click of a button.

Space heaters: It’s best not to allow space heaters at all; they can be forgotten and left on, posing a major fire hazard. If portable space heaters are allowed, be sure to only allow those that are approved for commercial use by a recognized safety certifying laboratory, such as UL®. Never place a space heater near combustible materials, and be sure it has a tip-over switch to ensure the heater will turn off automatically if knocked over. Never use space heaters with extension cords.

Damaged Equipment: Never use damaged equipment, or something that fails during use. It stopped for a reason! Immediately shut off any electrical appliance when it appears to fail, and unplug it from the power source; just turning it off is no guarantee it is safe! Make sure a qualified electrician inspects the equipment before turning it back on.

Each of these hazards can be overcome by educating your tenants on the proper use of electrical equipment and wiring. Make sure your cleaning crews and engineering staff conduct visual inspections during the course of the workday for these and other potential hazards. But don’t just “fix” the problem; make sure a follow-up is conducted with the tenant so they can prevent the circumstances from happening again!