Fire Hazards
Warehouses can be vulnerable to fire or explosion hazards due to various factors.
Warehouse fires are often caused by poor housekeeping and electrical hazards.
Key hazards that could lead to a fire or explosion in a warehouse include:
- Flammable and Combustible Materials: Improper storage and handling of flammable liquids, gases, or combustible materials like paper, wood, or certain chemicals can significantly increase the risk of fire or explosion.
- Electrical Hazards: Faulty wiring, overloaded circuits, and malfunctioning electrical equipment can cause sparks that may ignite flammable materials. Lack of regular electrical maintenance can exacerbate these risks.
- Static Electricity: In areas where flammable gases, liquids, or powders are stored or handled, static electricity can serve as an ignition source.
- Improper Waste Management: Accumulation of combustible waste materials, like cardboard and packing materials, can easily catch fire if not regularly disposed of.
- Heating Equipment: Improperly installed or malfunctioning heating equipment, such as space heaters, can be a source of ignition, especially if placed near flammable materials.
- Smoking Areas: Smoking in non-designated areas, especially near storage of flammable materials, can lead to fires.
- Chemical Reactions: Certain chemicals can react violently under specific conditions or when improperly stored alongside incompatible substances, leading to fires or explosions.
- Dust Explosions: In warehouses storing fine particulate matter, such as grain dust or chemical powders, dust explosions can occur. These explosions happen when a cloud of dust in the right concentration ignites in an enclosed space.
Real-life Accident
Employee Dies of Severe Burns After Explosion
At 12:00 a.m. on June 15, 2023, an employee was using a sprayer to apply an alcohol-based primer to the walls as part of a residential remodeling due to a previous fire. An explosion occurred in the area where the employee was working, resulting in severe burns and the employee being taken to the hospital. The employee died while hospitalized on June 16, 2023.Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
1-8. What can happen in warehouses storing fine particulate matter, such as grain dust or chemical powders?
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