4 Essential Fire Safety Steps for Commercial Electrical Systems

Explore our quick guide to keeping people and premises safe from preventable electrical fires.

Key takeaways:

Electrical malfunctions and lack of education put electrical systems and people at risk
Surge protectors and fire suppression measures can be key to controlling electrical fires
Working with experienced electrical professionals can keep your site and systems compliant and safe

The more electrical equipment and components present at your business, the more likely you are to experience a fire.

The latest Federal Emergency Management Association data (reviewed March 2024) reveals an estimated 129,500 non-residential building fires occurred in 2022. Electrical causes and carelessness accounted for a combined 19 percent of them.

This makes electrical fire prevention a crucial skill for anyone working in a commercial setting. Often, it also means professional consultation is necessary to ensure commercial electrical systems are performing as required.

We’ve picked the four fastest ways to create a powerful fireproofing plan that will help protect your staff and site from the many dangers of electrical fires.

1. Create a safety culture

Every commercial space has its rules. Businesses must ensure that electrical and fire safety are foremost among them. Here’s how to instill these core values in your workplace:

Improve risk awareness
Instilling vigilance in your staff goes a long way in guarding against electrical fire risks. Coach employees to look out for things like frayed wires, overloaded power strips, and signs of leaks near electrical equipment. Our earlier workplace safety guide details how to avoid these and recognize and react to other potentially flammable situations.
Make electrical education visible
A meeting here or there with verbal reminders won’t be recalled half as well as physical resources to which staff can refer. Distribute electrical fire safety rules as printed matter like brochures and posters that can be kept at workstations and easily seen around the premises.
Draft and regularly drill an evacuation plan
Everyone needs to be able to get out safely should a fire get out of hand. This comprehensive Occupational Safety and Health Administration guide is an excellent resource for crafting effective and compliant evacuation plans in as few as 10-15 minutes.

Making these best practices part of your business will lay the groundwork for a safer electrical environment. They may even be enough to prevent fires from starting altogether.

2. Install surge protection devices

Commercial electrical systems are extremely sensitive. They can be overloaded easily by power surges, which may cause overheating and, consequently, fires at electrical outputs and/or in the equipment itself. Common power surge causes are electrical storms, faulty wiring, and power grid fluctuations.

Surge protection devices regulate the incoming voltage to limit the flammable potential of these excessive bursts. Surge protectors come in three types:

Type 1, which offers external protection only.
Type 2 protectors are particularly effective against both external and internal power surges.
Type 3, which provides purely internal protection.

When in doubt, go with a Type 2 surge protector because of its versatility.

Want to be super surge-prepared? Combine all three in sufficient numbers and make sure they match the joule ratings for your unique commercial electrical system. If you need assistance, an experienced contractor can handle these steps for you.

3. Be prepared to tackle electrical fires

Trouble can start even in the safest workplaces. Smoke alarms, extinguishers, and engineered suppression systems can help staff stay alert and contain electrical system fires. Not just any design will do, however. Businesses must know the right models for fighting electrical fires.

Fire blankets can be ideal to cover small commercial electrical fires because they’re non-conductive; just remember they should only be used once. Extinguishers are different – Class C is the right choice to douse electrical equipment because they don’t use foam or water (which only makes these particular fires worse). Class Cs use dry chemicals or CO2 instead, and have the added benefit of repeated use.

Headline: Recommended equipment

Type 2 surge protectors
Class C fire extinguishers
CO2 or clean agent halon alternative fire suppression system

The best-engineered fire suppression systems also avoid spraying water jets by using CO2 or clean agent halon alternatives. These are dispersed as gaseous vapor, which won’t leave any liquid residue behind to put commercial electrical systems at further risk.

Avoiding water-based suppression can also save electrical equipment from being taken out of commission as is often the case when it’s smothered in water or foam. However, water-mist systems can sometimes be an efficient fire suppression measure because the droplets are so fine they minimize any potential equipment damage.

Ideally, the electrical supply would be shut off before tackling an electrical fire, but this isn’t always possible. Never put yourself at risk; always evacuate safely and call 911 as soon as possible when containing a fire.

4. Have your worksite professionally assessed

Potential electrical dangers aren’t always as obvious as gnarly wires or smoking outlets. It can take a professional eye to spot all the risks and give your business the help and guidance it needs. An experienced electrical contractor can assess your site and offer advice, repairs, or replacements to better fireproof commercial electrical systems.

Combine this with a full-scale electrical inspection, and you can rest assured that every potential electrical fire hazard at your site has been found. A commercial electrical inspection is a top-to-bottom safety check that scrutinizes bonding, grounding, and power outlets and other key factors.

Professional assessment also ensures your commercial site follows the required national and regional standards, such as the latest National Electrical Code and National Fire Protection Association 70E. These resources will be familiar to diligent electrical contractors and inspectors and contain the latest updates, advice, and regulations to help safeguard commercial personnel and electrical systems.

Starting your safety journey

While it’s impossible to prevent all commercial electrical fires, creating a culture of safety, taking preventive measures, and being prepared in case of an emergency can mitigate your company’s risk.

So can bringing in a qualified electrical expert who can assess your site and identify any electrical fire hazards so your team can enjoy a safer working environment. United Electrical Services is one that’s licensed throughout the state of Florida and serves a wide array of business types and industries.