Managing electrical hazards in the workplace

Electrical fire hazards exist in almost every workplace and unfortunately, fires resulting from electrical hazards can lead to injury, fatality and damage to property. To ensure safety in the workplace, businesses should implement correct maintenance and servicing procedures for the electrical equipment as well as fire protection equipment and systems, and provide fire safety training to all staff.

Common causes of electrical fires are overloaded equipment, electrical short circuiting of worn or damaged cables or heat generated by electrical equipment. To minimise the risk of an electrical fire occurring, business owners and managers should identify and assess the electrical fire hazards in their workplaces and understand the level of risk associated with these hazards. This will help identify what action needs to be taken and what is the most appropriate fire protection equipment or system to install.

Electrical fire hazards in the workplace

It is important to identify all electrical fire hazards in the workplace and understand the possible harm that these hazards may cause. “Hazard assessments should be carried out as part of regular workplace inspections whether it is by the business owner or manager, or by an assigned employee. The responsible person should be provided with appropriate training on how to identify and assess electrical fire hazards. They should also be advised to record any safety infringements or incidents,” said Garry Kwok, National Technical Manager, Wormald.

“There are several types of electrical hazards which can be found in the workplace. Almost all electrical equipment is potentially hazardous and can cause serious injury or damage if improperly used or maintained. Electrical fires can be attributed to malfunctions in electrical equipment due to overworking, inappropriate use, inadequate ventilation or overheating, ageing or lack of maintenance or neglect.”

The following outlines some of the common electrical fire hazards found in workplaces:

• Overloading electrical circuits and extension cords can result in a fire and should be avoided. Extension cords are often required in the workplace due to the high number of devices and machines operating at a time. This is something that should be carefully considered when designing a new workspace to ensure an adequate number of outlets are installed.
• Many workplaces will have a number of electrical appliances on site. The use of unsafe, poorly maintained and poor quality electrical appliances should be avoided as they can develop electrical shorts which can create fire. Careful attention should be given to equipment and cords, and regular maintenance and servicing should be carried out by a qualified individual. Appliances should be turned off at the end of the day.
• Electrically operated office equipment such as computers, printers, scanners and shredders should also be checked regularly to ensure their power cords are not defective, frayed or improperly installed.
• Working with ‘live equipment’ can be a fire hazard. Electrical machines should be disconnected before cleaning, adjusting or applying flammable solutions.
• Combustible material such as cardboard boxes and paper should not be allowed to build up in inappropriate storage locations near sources of ignition.
• The use of portable fan heaters, which are often placed under desks or in enclosed spaces, should be avoided. The heat from these units can catch paper on fire or melt the insulation around electrical appliances.

What is required?

Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZ 3760: ‘In-service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment’ recommends in-service inspection and testing to ensure the safety of those using electrical equipment in the workplace. When planning for fire protection in a workplace, Kwok emphasises the importance of having the most suitable fire protection equipment or systems in place to deal with the potential fire risks.

“Carrying out a comprehensive assessment of the workplace and identifying the hazards will help determine the correct fire protection equipment required. For example, a water fire extinguisher should never be used on an electrical switchboard or any electrically powered equipment or machine. Electrical fires are best treated with powder or carbon dioxide extinguishers. When dealing with a facility housing high-tech equipment, the fire extinguishing agent has to be carefully selected so that it does not result in further damage to that equipment. A fire protection specialist can advise on the best type of fire protection systems to install.”

Wormald offers the Inergen system, which is suitable for facilities housing sensitive electronic instruments or high-value electrical equipment such as data centres. It is an inert gas fire suppressant consisting of natural gases. The system is designed to suppress fire while allowing people to breathe easily as they evacuate the area.

Training

In addition to having the correct fire protection equipment in place, businesses should train and brief staff members, particularly those who are part of a company’s fire safety team, about what to do in the event of a fire. Fire wardens have a considerable amount of responsibility for the wellbeing of a building’s occupants but without proper training they would be unaware of the full extent of their duties, according to Kwok. “It is important that staff members are aware of the various classes of fire and the appropriate fire equipment to be used for each. Fire safety training can help achieve this and should be provided to all staff at regular intervals. Fire wardens should be fully trained on their responsibilities, operation of fire equipment, and emergency warning and communication systems in their premises and evacuation procedures.”