Office fire safety is one of the most often over-looked aspects of fire safety. Not paying attention to these issues can lead to negative consequences. Earlier this week, I was dispatched to an office where a desk lamp was left on and unattended. The lamp’s bulb was sitting directly on top of some newspaper and the paper was beginning to burn. It was not apparent when I entered the office where the burning smell was coming from and took a few minutes to discover the exact location of the issue. Had someone not noticed the smell and had I not been close to the area when I was dispatched, a fire may well have ensued in the office. Luckily, disaster was averted, but greater care is needed by all of us to keep this situation from repeating itself. As a result of that incident I have compiled some tips to help us avoid any other potential situations like this one. Please be aware of the following tips and take these preventative measures so that our office areas in the library can be as safe as possible.

• Be prepared. Know the locations of fire extinguishers, fire alarm pull stations and building exit routes.
• Keep your work area neat and tidy and keep combustibles such as paper and trash to a minimum.
• Do not place or store items in hallways, stairwells or exit ways. Keep these areas clear for quick and safe egress.
• Do not wedge/prop open stair or fire rated doors. These doors are there to help protect you and the building from smoke and fire in an emergency.
• Shut off electrical equipment that is not in use. Electrical cord should be visually inspected on a periodic basis to identify frayed and worn cords.
• Maintain electrical cords in areas out of walkways and passageways.
• Avoid extension cords in office areas.
• Surge protectors should not be overloaded and should not be used as an “extension cord” for other office equipment.
• Be careful to not overload outlets and surge protectors.
• Combustible material, such as paper, should not be stored on or in close proximity to electrical outlets and connections.
• Do not leave desk lamps unattended.

Following these tips and applying a good dose of awareness of our office areas should go a long way towards keeping our office areas as safe as possible.

Jason Touchatt,
Ellis Library Security