Dec 9, 2016

By: Chelsea Haley, DKI Ventures, LLC

Heating sources are a leading cause of fire deaths. Share these with your team to ensure you are taking certain safety precautions before attempting to turn up the heat.

As the weather cools, our employees may want to turn up the heat in the office, including burning candles, using space heaters, turning up the thermostat, etc. However, with each of these modes of heat, there are dangers associated. In fact, heating sources are a leading cause of fire deaths. Share the below with your team to ensure you are taking certain safety precautions before attempting to turn up the heat.

Emergency Shut Off:

When purchasing portable heaters, ensure they have emergency shut off switches designed to automatically switch off the unit if it tips over.

Inspect:

Thoroughly inspect all heating equipment each year to ensure it’s in proper working condition.

Clean up the area around the heat source and keep any combustibles at least three feet away.

One at a Time:

Plug in only one heat source per electrical outlet at a time. Do not use power strips for heating appliances.

Never Leave Unattended:

Always remember to turn off your portable heaters when leaving the room.

Never leave candles unattended (candle safety)

Reminder:

Test each of your smoke alarms monthly, and change the batteries twice a year.