Preventing Kitchen Fires at Work | SERVPRO® of East Mecklenburg/Matthews

8/30/2021 (Permalink)

If a fire should get out of hand and cause damage to your business, SERVPRO of East Mecklenburg/Matthews is here to help

Offices in Matthews and Mint Hill are full of hungry people, just like anywhere else. When lunch or break time comes, the office kitchen gets busy—food gets reheated or cooked, leftovers and Lunchables are served and somebody always pretends they didn’t know you’re not supposed to microwave fish.

But kitchens in the workplace are a leading cause of commercial fires. In fact, the average number of office, hotel and restaurant fires started in the kitchen is a whopping 47%.

So aside from educating your team on workplace kitchen fire safety by showing them that one episode of The Office, what can you do and encourage to keep your workplace kitchen from becoming part of that unfortunate statistic?

Know your risks. This can vary from one workplace to another, but you should always be aware of environmental factors or specific things about your building that could come into play. Older buildings almost always have things like older wiring or less reliable sprinkler systems, which may need updating or regulation.

Check appliance cords. Faulty power cables are an easy cause of kitchen fires. Cables can fray or break down over time, exposing wire that can instantly cause a fire if an electrical short occurs. Don’t bother with electrical tape—if wire is exposed or cables are bent at sharp angles, replace them and prevent disaster.

Pay attention in the kitchen. Food should never be left alone while it’s cooking. Stovetops, microwaves and even toasters carry inherent fire risks and should always be used with caution in the workplace. And with any sign at all of burning, enact emergency measures.

Ensure proper cleaning. This isn’t fun by anyone’s definition, but it’s vital in keeping fires under control. Bits of food left behind in the microwave or grease on the stove can start blazes that can quickly grow into something devastating. So put regular cleanings on the calendar, and make sure any spillovers in ovens, stovetops or microwaves are dealt with in between.

Have regular fire extinguisher training. They seem simple, but many people may not know how to properly use handheld fire extinguishers. Teach employees the PASS method: Pull the pin; Aim low, at the base of the fire; Squeeze the lever firmly; and Sweep the nozzle from side to side.

Kitchen fires don’t have to be a danger. The old saying holds true: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So make sure you’re following the recommended guidelines to minimize fire accidents in your building’s kitchen.

If a fire should get out of hand and cause damage to your business, SERVPRO of East Mecklenburg/Matthews is here to help. Call or click today to get in touch with your local technicians.