What Is Fire Safety?
Fire safety refers to the precautions and measures taken in order to prevent injury, property damage, and death. Without the proper measures put into place by firefighters, there could be a lot more casualties and destruction.
It also refers to the steps taken, by firefighters and those in the fire safety awareness sector, to teach people about the potential fires and fire hazards, while also giving them information on the right steps to take when a fire breaks out or is found.
Fire safety is an important part of building safety, where an initiative needs to be taken in order for there to be measures, planned during the construction of a building, which will provide the necessary pathway out of the building and into a safe where it is less likely to get hurt by the fire and debris.
Inspections of the internal and external parts of the building should also be done regularly in order to ensure all fire safety precautions are met.
Different Causes For Home Fires:
Cooking Equipment
Cooking, in general, can be quite a risky thing, especially if you don’t know what it is you’re doing. A lot of fires have broken out because of this very reason, with there being more damage done to an entire home through simple negligence.
Having said this, there is a much more common reason as to why fires start in kitchens. Pots and pans are a major reason, why they can overheat, and with oil present, there can be a fire that erupts and spreads to nearby areas, which causes damage very quickly.
The fire protective information here would be to have someone, most importantly an individual who is capable of realising there is danger, watching the cooking at all times.
Heaters
Heaters are a common feature in South African homes, especially and most typically in the wintertime, where people bundle up together in a room with blankets.
An issue with this is that heaters are almost continuously running, and with children running in and out of the room, and blankets being thrown onto the floor, there is a higher chance of an item catching alight and spreading.
Something which you should look at is ensuring that the heater is as far away as possible from furniture and of course, blankets, which will help in limiting the chance of risk of fires.
Smoking In Bedrooms
A lot of people smoke in their bedrooms and more often than not, everything happens without any danger of a fire breaking out.
However, there is a possibility that if you smoke cigarettes in your room and decide to leave and your smoke falls onto the duvet, or for some reason or another you fall asleep with your smoke in your hand, there is a high chance that a fire could start up.
As much as it may seem like something which really won’t happen, taking that chance could result in you losing your home, and unfortunately some casualties along the way.
Electrical Appliances
Dealing with electrical appliances such as televisions, laptops, and desktops, as well as kitchen appliances such as toasters and microwaves, we all know that there could be a risk of a spark causing a lot of damage.
Now, appliances today have been kitted with internal components which limit the chances of a spark or flame bursting out, however, this is not to say that it is completely out of the question.
Invuyani Safety recommends that you ensure that wires are not exposed and that you replace these appliances within the recommended timeframe.
Be sure to check your appliances every couple of months, just to see if they are still in good condition. If they are not, then you should look to replace them as soon as possible.
Candles
In South Africa, we experience load-shedding, which is when an entire grid goes down and you are left without lights for a couple of hours, or days, depending on where it is you live.
Candles are always a useful way of solving this dilemma, where you will be able to put candles around the house to have some light when you are working, or simply walking around the house.
The issue here is that they can have a mind of their own almost, either falling or being knocked over by a child or animal, or even by themselves, lighting up a flammable object and causing a fire.
They might have their benefits but be aware that they can also cause damage that can change your life forever.
Children
Yes, unfortunately, a reason why fires start in homes is down to the fact that children can get curious and can sometimes, well, “play with fire”.
Now, this can mean physically playing with fire by lighting things on fire, such as fireworks in the home, papers, or in some cases getting a lighter and spraying deodorant.
This curiosity almost always happens with every child, and it can even start with things such as putting kitchen utensils in power sockets.
The child might not be fully aware of the severity of the situation, however, be sure to check up on what your kid is doing.
Wiring
Faulty wiring is an issue in all homes and something which people don’t generally take into consideration. We can live in a home for years and not do checks on the wires and everything can be fine.
But the truth is that if there is a fault in the wires, there is a risk of sparking and when this occurs in the roof you might not be aware of the situation for a while, and if you’re sleeping, this could be even worse as smoke inhalation can be even more detrimental.
The best course of action is to just do the necessary checks on the wires, where good indicators are if ports do not work all the time and lights flicker regularly.
Braais
Yes, we all love a good braai, no matter where we are in South Africa, and no matter our culture, they bring us together and they hold so much weight in terms of memories made.
Having said this, if you are braaing in a space where there are flammable objects, even the grass, you run the risk of things catching on fire.
The best thing to do is to braai in a space a good distance away from the home and ensure that the grass itself is not dry as this will allow it to light up faster.
On top of this, be sure to move oil and towels away from the braai when cooking.
Flammable Liquids
As mentioned above oils, and other types of flammable liquids such as paraffin, are big contributors to fires breaking out.
This can be simply because things were left unattended or that something went wrong during the filling of lamps and other devices and overheating or a lack of concentration occurs, which then lights up an entire space in the home, destroying everything.
The right thing to do is to always ensure that the proper steps are being taken in order to allow for the safe lighting of a lamp, as well as safe cooking.
Who Needs Fire Safety?
Everybody. Absolutely everybody, whether it be in your workplace or in the comfort of your home, being prepared for a potentially fatal fire accident is extremely important.
You wouldn’t want your beautiful home to be burnt down because you didn’t have the right equipment or knowledge of how to deal with a fire.
At the same time, you wouldn’t want your office building with all your employees to be in danger due to a fire hazard.
Therefore everybody needs fire safety measures. To protect lives and assets.
Invuyni Safety offers the necessary equipment in order to put the right fire safety measures.
Fire Safety In The Workplace
Saving lives as a firefighter is part of the job, so it is important to have the right equipment in order to save lives and protect their own.
As a business, you must make sure your employees are working in a safe environment, thereby reducing the risks of dangerous working environments.
The correct firefighting equipment helps reduce this risk greatly. Having the necessary equipment available to your employees at your workplace is necessary.
A few items, in particular, come to mind when speaking about fire safety in the workplace.
The first item is a Gas Monitor, a gas monitor is a device that monitors and detects hazardous chemicals within a certain range, it too has an alarm for loud workplaces.
This device is an important device to have in the workplace to keep employees aware of the chemicals in the air. You can prevent harm or loss by having a Gas Monitor in the workplace.
In harsher working conditions a physioderm barrier cream will keep employees’ hands in the right condition to continue working consistently. A physioderm cream helps moisturise the skin and builds the skin’s acid protection.
Benefits Of Having The Right Fire Safety Equipment.
The right fire safety equipment can prevent death
Having quality fire safety equipment or products can prevent death. Being aware of fire and being able to call the fire department can help save people and assets for your business.
Invuyani Safety offers a Gas Monitor to achieve this, this device can monitor levels of toxic gases and make people aware of a potential fire.
Firefighters Have Improved Morale By Using The Right Equipment
Firefighters are trained to be put in life-threatening situations involving fire every day in order to stop fires and do so on a daily basis.
For them to do their job properly and efficiently, having the right equipment helps them do so.
It is a huge concern and makes their jobs a lot more dangerous when firefighters do not have the right fire safety equipment.
These are the professionals when it comes to dealing with fires so them having the right equipment such as the right hoses, helmets, and clothing allows them to get the job done the right way.
Employees Have Improved Morale Using The Right PPE
Employees on-site need the right equipment in order to work efficiently. Your business can benefit from having the right equipment for employees which will reduce the risk of injury on site.
Reduced injury means more working time for your employees. Having hard hats and steel-toe cap boots can prevent injuries and accidental fires caused by injuries that could take place.
Invuyani Safety has all the right equipment for fire safety.
Firefighters need to be safe too
Firefighters have a tough job as it is so making sure they are fully equipped for the job is important for them to be better heroes.
Firefighters know the risks they take when putting their uniform on so having the right protective uniform ensures their safety even more.
With Flameproofing in their uniforms, Invuyani Safety is glad to provide firefighters with the correct uniforms to ensure their safety.
Be sure to visit Invuyani Safety to find out more about their uniforms.
Wildfires differ from other fires and that’s why Invuyani Safety offers gloves for wildfires as well as other fires.
Their Wildfire gloves offer maximum cut and puncture resistance while still retaining dexterity and flexibility.
Their wildfire gloves are manufactured from hard-wearing and environmentally sourced kangaroo leather. This leather retains eight times its normal strength.
Contact Invuyani Safety For More Information
If you’re looking for the best safety equipment from a business that is as passionate about fire safety as they are about fire fighting equipment, be sure to contact Invuyani Safety for more information.