One of the more fun aspects of starting a business is the decorating and design of the office space. The aesthetic appeal of a business office or location cannot be underestimated, especially when it comes to first impressions for customers. Often, customers will give their business to a place that gives of a certain, unidentifiable vibe, and that usually comes from the decor. However, decorations can cause a major fire risk if the proper precautions aren’t taken, including flameproofing. In fact, upholstered furniture is often a significant fire hazard that most people don’t think about. Today’s post will discuss the upholstered furniture and fire incidents.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) did a study from 2010-2014 involving fires where upholstered furniture was the culprit. This study analyzed home fires, but the information gleaned from this study translates to office fires as well, as upholstered furniture is present in both locations.
During that time period, over 5300 fires occurred where upholstered furniture was the first thing to go up in flames. As a result of these fires, 440 individuals lost their lives and 700 people were injured. On top of that, there was $269 million in property damages. These fires involving upholstered furniture accounted for just 2% of the fires, yet were responsible for 18% of the home fire deaths.
Smoking materials was the main cause for the fires, resulting in 1 death for every 6.6 fires. Heaters were a significant cause for the fires as well, both portable and fixed, involved in 11% of the fires. Candles, lighters, and matches were involved in 20% of the fires while electrical issues - including appliances as well as electrical panels and lighting - were a factor in 12% of the fires.
So how do these statistics apply to business owners? Well, many of the factors in home fires where upholstered furniture was involved also are applicable to business spaces as well. The same catalyst that started these fires in the home could also start them in a workspace. This only emphasizes why flameproofing is so important. If those pieces of upholstered furniture had been treated with fire retardants, they would have been non-combustible and would not have contributed to the severity of the fire and loss of life.
At Certified Flameproofing, we recognized the life-saving measures of flameproofing. While it’s a legal requirement for all business locations to have certain items treated with flame repellents, it’s also an incredibly wise choice for offering maximum protection to both employees and customers. If you have need of flameproofing services, we’d love to provide that to you. Please call today to ask questions or set up a free, no-obligation quote: 800-590-5530.