Plumb Safety: Fire Extinguishers – Why Attention to Detail is Essential

Lumber businesses today face a number of threats to their operations, but one that may not come to top of mind may be a simple thing like proper training on fire extinguishers. A failure to abide by fire codes or implement the right fire extinguisher training can lead to serious damages.

In fact, we saw two significant fire extinguisher related incidents in 2022 that led to millions in property losses that could have been avoided with proper fire extinguisher training and use. The first case stemmed from fine chips catching fire in low flammability oil. Staff responded by throwing a five-gallon bucket of water on the fire, which led to a flare up similar to what you may see when throwing water on a grease fire. That flare then caused much of the building and insulation to catch fire, which led to a $3.5 million property claim.

In the second case, an employee ignited a fire by smoking on the premises. That employee then went and got water to extinguish the fire and returned to work without informing other staff members. The fire was not fully extinguished. It smoldered and then reignited, catching nearby dust on fire. This fire continued to rapidly expand across the property, leading to a $8.5 million property claim.

To avoid such major losses, lumber business owners should make sure they are following OSHA regulations. OSHA guidelines require companies to have fire extinguishers of adequate size and quantity based on the size of their business. In fact, OSHA requires one fire extinguisher for each 3,000 square feet or less depending on surrounding hazards of the protected building area. Additionally, the travel distance from any point of that protected area to the nearest extinguisher cannot exceed 75 feet.

In addition to OSHA guidelines, proper fire extinguisher training is essential. However, companies can instruct employees not to attempt to extinguish fires. In these cases, staff should use their emergency response program and gather at designated locations outside the facility in the event of a fire. If a business owner does want their staff to attempt to extinguish fires, they must provide comprehensive fire extinguisher training at least once per year.

With proper fire extinguisher training and attention to OSHA requirements, lumber businesses can reduce their fire risk and protect their businesses for avoidable losses.

To help protect your business, we have added a new fire extinguisher sign to our Loss Control Center at www.plmins.com/loss-control/safety-materials/. This sign can be downloaded and printed for you use, or you can fill out the form on the page to request a free supply of signs be shipped to your business.