Fire Safety Tips for Your Warehouse

If you operate a warehouse, compliance with the latest fire safety standards - both local and OSHA - is very essential. Fires occurring in a warehouse can pose a serious risk for your employees and damage your premises and equipment, resulting in huge financial losses. However, merely complying with fire safety standards is not enough to ensure your warehouse is well protected. By taking measures to improve fire safety in your warehouse not only can you prevent fires, but also increase overall warehouse safety. Here are some fire safety tips you should try for your warehouse:

1. Ensure you have a properly installed fire sprinkler system in your warehouse.
2. Storage levels must be a minimum of 18 inches below the sprinkler head deflectors, so as not to block water flow and it effectiveness.
3. Smoking must be prohibited completely in the warehouse. Place “No Smoking” signs throughout the warehouse to ensure workers are aware of this rule.
4. Dead end aisles in the warehouse must not exceed 50 feet in length.
5. Solid piled floor storage aisles must be located after at least every 100 feet. However, if the storage is alongside the wall, aisles must be located at least 50 feet off the wall.
6. Place fire extinguishers throughout the warehouse to help stop fires immediately after they occur.
7. While having fire extinguishers is important, you must also train your employees what to do in case a fire emergency occurs. Therefore, make sure to provide your staff with effective training so they can understand the different types of fires, and how to handle them.
8. Liquid propane fuel cylinders used in gas forklifts must be stored at least 20 feet away from the fire exits in your warehouse, and should be limited to 300 pounds per warehouse.
9. You must keep an eye on trash accumulation – an area that is cluttered with trash, is going to be at a much higher risk for fires than those that are kept neat and clean. Provide adequate trashcans throughout the warehouse and assign a worker with the task to empty them as they fill.

Following these tips will help protect your warehouse from potential fire damage. You should also consider contacting your local material handling dealer, as they provide a wide variety of equipment and tools to increase fire safety in a warehouse!