Cohka’s Place

Basic Fire Prevention

According to the estimates of USFA in the year 2004 alone the number of fires that took place in the United States was 1.5 million. The estimated loss in dollars stood at staggering 9.8 billion dollars. More horrific figures reveal loss of death of about 3,900 approximately and about 18,000 injuries the same year. The USFA also said that during the same year the fatalities due to fires surpassed fatalities due to all sources combined. And the USFA also adds that even this number could be small in actuality as many small fires are not reported. The statistics also reveals that more than eighty three percent of all fatalities and eighty percent of the total injuries due to fires took place in homes. These figures come as a bitter surprise as most of the fires are pretty much preventable if adequate precautions are taken. Following certain basic fire safety guidelines could greatly reduce the chances of fires and protect the homes and people from this disaster from striking.

One of the best ways to prevent home fires is to install smoke detectors at every floor of the home and also fire alarms. But, installing the smoke detectors alone would not serve the purpose. Some people think that ?once installed forever installed? after installing smoke detectors. But, the fact is many a time the smoke detectors don?t work and do not detect smoke due to mere negligence on behalf of the house owner. The smoke detectors batteries should be tested and checked on a regular basis and in fact the smoke detector should also be tested in whole. Make it a point to replace the battery every year. Do not smoke at home. It is one of the biggest causes of home fires.

The next big cause is electrical short circuit. Use properly rated wires for house wiring and so does other components. Also when plugging in electrical gadgets check the voltage rating to avoid shot circuits. Also, keep cords at a distance from rugs and carpet. Disconnect any appliance when done using. Replace old appliances or fix them before they become an electrical fire hazard. Also, use circuit breakers in the house wiring and also for plugging outlets to prevent fires due to overloading.

In recent years a lot of fires have been experienced due to electrical heaters to supplement home heating. Care should be taken to keep portable heaters at a distance from combustible materials to prevent fires. Also, go for heaters that have auto shutoff in case of overloading or overheating.

Fire places are also one of the biggest fire hazards in houses with fireplaces. Use screens to prevent fire spark from flying off to the outside of the fireplace. Keep combustible material at a distance from the fireplace to prevent them from catching fire. Also, do not overload the fireplace with excessive wood, which may cause sudden outburst of fire within few seconds and unexpectedly. Clean the chimneys periodically to help smoke escape freely into the air and also to clean bird nests which can catch fire.

Have an escape plan ready for the home. It is a good idea to be also prepared for a fire. Practicing an escape from time to time also increases response during the times of actual fire. Have a plan for every room in the house.

Educating the house inmates especially children would make evacuation plan easier in the event of an emergency. Children are especially fascinated about fires and like to create fires, about a hundred thousand fires a year are started by children while playing.

People have a negligent attitude towards fire safety especially during the holidays. They relax every rule just for fun and end up paying huge price for that. Care should be taken even while selecting a Christmas tree, see that it?s not too big so as to make it difficult to manage and which can catch fire easily. Decorations which are non-flammable in nature should be used to decorate homes.

Precautions To Be Taken While Burning Candles

Candles are no longer just source of fragrance or illumination, but they have become more of home d?cor item. Candles are designed in order to elevate certain moods and trends. The designs and fragrance are meant to match the home d?cor. Candles are used to make an atmosphere special at times of special occasions. As the love of candles is increases so is the risk associated with it. Statistics states that candles are becoming the growing fire cause. Just because of carelessness while handling candles is leading to injury and even death of innumerous people every year. Candles are bringing fire inside the homes of people.

Therefore, it is very important to take extra precautions when handling burning candles. Not burning candles is not a precaution, although it might seem perfect but not practical. The best thing to do is to put the candle in a heat resistance environment. You need to be extra careful while handling tea lights and night lights because they prone to get very hot, hot enough to heat and melt plastic. Usually television is considered as the best candle stand. But the truth is that the material out of which television is made is not fire resistance. Therefore, it is important to have a proper candle holder.
The candle holder must be designed such that it doesn?t fall over and must be stable. It should hold the candle upright firmly.

Another point which people mostly miss out and which is the major reason of fire due to candles is presence of curtains or loose fabric of a furniture or clothing. Curtains and loose fabric fly around the place and have a high probability of catching fire. Also the candle shouldn?t be in a reachable distance so that if a person leans over he may tip the candle over. This could be dangerous as it could put the clothes or hair on fire. A very important point is to keep the burning candle out of the reach of pets and children. They could tip the candle over while playing.

It is a good idea to never put a burning candle under shelves. That is a very easy place to forget. Because of the high amount of heat generated it is very easy for the surface above it to catch fire. Putting the burning candle under any other surface is also not recommended. There should be a distance of at least one meter or three feet between the burning candle and the surface above it. If not a greater damage, close by surface can get deposited by candle smoke. Two burning candles should also be kept at apart at a distance of at least ten centimeters of four inches.

Scented and votive candles change their state to liquid in order to release the fragrance. Therefore, these scented and votive candles must be placed in a metal or glass holder cup so the melted liquid is captured in the cup. Also, care must be taken that nothing should fall into the hot wax such as a match stick. The candles shouldn?t be moved while they are burning. Before being moved the candles must be extinguished as there can be chance of the burning candle being dropped. Instead of blowing the candle out a spoon can be used to put the flame off. Because blowing can send hot wax and sparks flying, which can result in a fire.

Burning candles should never be left unattended. They should be extinguished before the room is left. Never sleep while the candles are still burning. And oil burner or burning candle should never be left in a kid?s bedroom. Double check candles whether they are extinguished or not. Sometimes the candle which have been put out can be smoldering which can also start a fire. So the candles should be put off completely.

Candles can make an occasion extra special but if proper care isn?t taken they can make the special event into a disaster.

Outdoor Fireplace Safety

Although not as popular as indoor fireplaces, outdoor fireplaces have their own audience and they come in various sizes, shapes and fashions. There are fireplaces that cater to different tastes of people like certain specific styles or designs or meeting certain budget criteria. Although quite particular about these criterion people often forget the underlying safety concerns related to outdoor fireplaces. However it is not to discourage people from buying them but to impress upon them the importance of safety specifications. It is not just about personal safety, but about the safety of the family and friends and also the property.

Some of the important points that should be kept in mind while selecting a fire place and how to use them are discussed in brief in this article. Many experts recommend people to buy outdoor fireplaces with chimneys compared to fireplaces with fire pits or elevated fire pits for reasons like comfort and safety. The fireplaces with chimneys maintain better airflow which ensures a smokeless experience compared to other types. Fireplaces with fire pits have an inbuilt risk of getting tipped over to either side. One more important thing to remember is to never be careless about the combustible material lying around. Try not to get carried away in the fun and completely forget the fireplace. Outdoor fireplaces can be dangerous during a windy day, so pay special attention during those days. It is noted that powerful gusts of wind can cause outdoor fireplace to tip over and make the fire even bigger which can also get out of control if not dealt with on time.

It is better to have a defensive approach as always dealing with fire related stuff. So, try not to blow it unnecessarily. Start with a small fire which is easily manageable and slowly increase the quantity of wood to make it bigger, but again within controllable proportions. Do not overload the fireplace with lot of wood which can cause a sudden big and uncontrollable blaze which is uncalled for. It is also advisable not to start a fire when the wind is even moderately strong, this may cause fire sparks onto you and also to the property and may cause damage.

Also, always be prepared for a fire outbreak and be ready to extinguish the fire. Generally fires go uncontrollable without a warning. So have a fire extinguisher handy in case of an emergency. Also make sure that everyone around knows how to use the extinguisher in the event that a fire outbreak occurs. Also do not leave the fire marooned at any time and do not forget to put out the fire completely after getting done. Also wear protective gloves while starting the fire or putting logs in the fireplace. One can also use fireplace screens specially made for outdoor fireplaces to protect oneself and others from sparks arising from the fire.

Make sure that the outdoor fireplace is kept in wide open space and clear from any other stuff like plants, trees, overhanging branches or vines in its vicinity to avoid them from catching fire. Also, for personal safety stay away at least three feet from the fire when operating. A very important thing to remember is to never to use the outdoor fireplaces inside the home which is only meant for use outdoors with respect to safety.

Fire Safety at Work

Everyday millions of people from all around the world go to offices in order to earn their bread and butter and for a better living. They work on long shifts under different circumstances in order to survive in the world and in order to make both ends meet. There are numerous offices that can be found near you. If you try to take a look around you, you will find numerous offices around you. There are certain issues related with every individual and these issues cannot be overlooked. There are things which need to be done in order to make sure that the person working at a specific place is safe. Safety is the main and the most foremost priority of every organization. Hen a number of people are working in an organization than it is the basic duty of that organization to provide maximum safety to the individuals and to comply with the international safety regulations and standards. There are many things related to this and one should be very clear about the different duties that an organization possesses to its working individuals, it is this duty, which makes them more liable to the persons working under them.

There are a lot of things, which need to be taken care of while working in an office, and these things should never be overlooked. These things should be taken care of when you are looking to start your job and career in a reputed organization. The organization needs to take care of the different responsibilities and of the different things, which will provide the safety to the individuals working in it. Workplace safety is one of the most important and the most discussed topic in the world today. It is not only the concern of the organization but at the same time it is also the concern of every individual who is working in the organization. Everyone needs to be responsible on his part and therefore every one needs to take care of the business. There has to be a lot of things, which needs to be taken care of. And every single person in the company working should be concerned about the safety.

The duties of the person working in the company are:

He should make sure that there is no fault on his part. When in the office he should be careful with the things. He should never act carelessly and do anything, which can lead to a great disaster. He should not do anything deliberately or otherwise, which will hurt the other colleagues. He should always be open-minded and should always be alert about something that can harm him or the property of the company or organization. Most important of all h should look out for anything that might trigger a chain reaction like a fire breakout.

The duties of the company towards itself and the individuals working in it are:

The duties of the companies are numerous and of great importance. The company should provide the individuals with the maximum safety and should do all the required things in order t make sure the safety f the individuals is foolproof. This should be done in regards to all the things which posses great danger to the lives of the people working there. There should e emergency exits provided in the building and the building should be designed by keeping in mind the safety of the individuals and should comply with the international standards. Another important ting that the organization needs to remember is about the fire. Fire is a great threat to the whole company. It can cause severe damage to the company. It can cause a lot of problems to the company. Not only can it claim the lives of individuals working in the company but it can also cause an unwanted damage to the property of the company. These are the issue related to workplace safety.

Fire Place Safetyy

Fire places are root causes of many fires every year. It is not that they are directly responsible for this, but it is for up to us to take precautions that will prevent fires from breaking up due to fire places. There are certain precautions and in fact some instructions to be safe from fires due to fire place. Compliancy to these simple instructions prevents you and your family from the hazards of fire.

The first step to take is to get rid of all the junk near the fire place because than can facilitate fire to catch and spread. Who doesn?t love the warmth provided by the fire place but neglecting certain things which has potential to cause fires is not a good idea either. A fire place can quickly become a fire hazard if proper care is not taken. Proper care should be taken to keep things like paper (mainly newspapers), kindles and firewood at a distance from embers which are burning. Protecting the fir place with a screen is a great way to stop the embers from flying off and outside the fire place. When installing a protective screen, make sure that it does not have big holes allowing ambers to still come out.

One of the most neglected components of a fire place is the chimney. Home owners rarely look back at the chimney once installed. But this is not a good sign and is a potential danger in causing fire hazards. One should make it a routine to clean chimneys on a regular basis, say at least once a year. It is a common sight to see birds making nests in the chimneys during the spring and summer seasons. However, this usually goes unnoticed and home owners take this lightly which could prove to be a costly proposition in terms of both life and money. What these nests do is they not only block the chimneys causing smoke to return to the fire place but also could catch fire themselves which could turn into a big fire. Also, it is noticed that over a period of time, if the fire chimneys are not cleaned regularly a combustible substance called creosote is formed in the chimney which is once again a big fire hazard. For all of the reasons mentioned above it is a good idea to clean the chimneys every year.

One should also be mindful about how much wood one is burning. It is not a good idea to burn lot of wood at once in the fire place. A small fire can exaggerate into a big fire within few seconds if the wood is dry which can be beyond the control. That is why it is wise to burn few logs at a time rather than overloading the fireplace. Also, keep in mind not to burn anything else in the fire place apart from regular wood or a fire log especially manufactured for fire places. One may be tempted to put newspapers or even trash in the fireplace, but they can light up a big fire pretty easily. So, think smart and act smart when it comes to fire place.

As always, fire extinguishers are life savers and having them handy would prevent many small fires from turning into a big blaze, no one has time to search for it when a fire occurs, so always keep it handy. Not to forget, fire smoke alarms are a must when you have a fire place. They can be life savers too. But, one should also take care of the fire smoke alarms as they do with their fire places. The fire smoke alarm batteries should be regularly changed to make sure that fire smoke alarm works when needed. The ideal scenario would be a smoke alarm which is electrically wired into home wiring and is always on.

One more important thing to remember is to keep children away from both the fire place and also fire in case if one breaks out. Also it is not a good practice to leave the fire marooned. Make sure that the fire has completely seized in the fire place before retiring to bed. Thus, following these simple precautions ensures a safe and warm experience with fire places.