Garage and warehouse fires can quickly turn catastrophic – especially if you store a couple of flammable things in that same building. Building and laying out the garage or warehouse with fireproofing in mind will either do away with the risk of fire under normal operating conditions or make it easier to contain the fire. In this peace, we are going to look at the tiny details that can go a long way into safeguarding your establishment from fires.
Get the Right Storage
The right heavy duty industrial storage cabinets will not only keep your valuables and documents safe but also be a great way to isolate them from any small or raging fire. Storage containers and bins isolate items from the open making your working space more organised. This, in itself, will reduce the chances of accidental covers.
You can go a step further by investing in metallic cabinets with thin layers of paint. These are less flammable and will buy you or the firefighting department those extra minutes needed to bring the fire under control before it gets too big.
Come Up With Safe Standard Operating Procedures
Oily rags or cans of paint, solvents or other oil-based products are more flammable when exposed that when sealed and stored away. Come up with a standard operating procedure that demands proper storage or disposal of such material immediately after use.
Oil rags left lying around in the welding area could easily catch fire. Things will get worse if the oil, paint or flammable solvents are still lying around rather than being in their specific storage areas.
Manage Your Sources of Heat Well
A fire will only ignite if it gets fuel, oxygen and heat in the right proportions. Since it is expensive to expel oxygen from any storage unit, your best chance of fighting fires would be by keeping the fuel away from the heat. You can do this by:
- Storing any combustible materials a distance from sources of heat like furnaces, boilers, electrical wiring or water heaters
- Get dedicated storage cabinets or rooms for more flammable products like oil, fuel, paint. This should be an isolated metal cabinet or a storage room that isn’t attached to your main garage
- Avoid storing too much flammable fuel or natural gas on your premises. If you have no option but to, invest in an up-to-standards storage solution
While these easily ignored operational changes might minimise the chances of a fire gutting your warehouse, you still have to invest in proper safety equipment that will either handle or warn you of a fire early enough. A couple of strategically placed fire extinguishers, a smoke detector and perhaps a sprinkler system will make your garage or warehouse a safer place to be.
Most fires are due to negligence or substandard systems. Ensure that your crew understands all the safety drills and why they have to follow this. You should also regularly service all your equipment and regularly check on your electrical wiring to avoid any nasty surprises that could lead to fires.
