Potential Ignition Sources in the Workplace: How to Identify and Control
How confident are you in your organisation’s fire safety? For a fire to start it needs oxygen, fuel and ignition (otherwise known as a heat source). By removing one of these three from your work environment, you can reduce the risk of fires in the workplace. Naturally, oxygen can’t be removed, and fuel sources are often integral to your organisation’s day-to-day work. That leaves the source of ignition, which is often the easiest to remove or work around. Many of them, such as used cigarette butts, faulty electrics and candles, aren’t items you’d ideally want in the workplace anyway. By reducing the number of fire hazards and implementing effective fire safety measures, you can reduce the risk of fire in your workplace, making it safer for everyone on site.
In this blog, we'll run through some of the most common sources of workplace ignition, so you know what to look out for in day-to-day work.
What is a source of ignition?
A source of ignition is an object which produces enough heat to cause flammable substances to combust, starting a fire. This heat could be from an open fire, overheating equipment or wiring, or a number of other sources.
Common sources of ignition
Sources of ignition can be sorted into four categories based on how they produce heat:
Electrical
Thermal
Chemical
Mechanical
We’ll go through each category below, explaining how they can cause ignition, and detail some of the most common ignition sources in each one.
Electrical ignition sources
Electrical ignition sources are electrical items or equipment which produce an electrical charge. They can cause ignition if the charge is released or the wiring melts.
Common electrical ignition sources in the workplace include:
Faulty or outdated electrical items: these can easily become overloaded or short circuit, sending sparks out or melting and combusting.
Static electricity: if too much static electricity builds up, it can produce sparks that ignite flammable substances.
Overloaded sockets: be wary of extension leads being fully used, as too many items plugged into a single socket can cause it to overload. This leads to the inner wiring melting and producing a great deal of heat, resulting in ignition.
Thermal ignition sources
Directly producing a flame or high heat, thermal ignition sources can take many forms such as blowtorches, cigarette butts and candles. By exposing flammable substances to the heat they produce, they can cause them to ignite, leading to fires.
Common thermal ignition sources in the workplace include:
Manufacturing Equipment: Soldering irons, blowtorches and other items that produce a flame for the production process need to be managed safely. All individuals who handle them need sufficient training, as their misuse can lead to workplace fires.
Open Flames: Candles, lighters, or other open flames are easy to spot and therefore seem simple enough to keep away from flammable substances. However, all it takes is a slip or oblivious moment to knock them over and cause a fire.
Cooking Equipment: If hobs, ovens or microwaves are left on and unattended they can overheat, potentially causing nearby items or even themselves to ignite.
Chemical ignition sources
Hazardous substances and other such chemicals are another common source of ignition in the workplace. They can be particularly dangerous because chemicals and other hazardous substances may not require an external heat source to ignite. Instead, they produce heat when they come into contact and react with other substances, starting fires as a result. This process is known as an exothermic reaction. These substances can also be easily ignited by external heat sources or smaller fires, which can lead to the same result.
Incidents and hazards that can lead to exothermic reactions or chemical ignition include:
Improper substance storage: chemicals and other hazardous substances need to be stored safely. This means keeping them away from heat and other ignition sources, as well as substances they could exothermically react with. Effective ways to do this include storing these substances off site, or keeping them in a cabinet or unit, separate from other buildings on site.
Leaks and spills: Any breach of containment runs a serious risk of causing reactions and ignition, as the substances are out in the open. There they can produce or turn into gas due to chemical reactions, and also cause damage to property. Because of this risk, it's crucial to have an emergency procedure in place for when spills or leaks occur.
If your team requires training and guidance on how to handle hazardous substances, our COSHH Awareness Training may be exactly what you’re looking for. The course can be completed in just 40 minutes via e-Learning and is also available in-house. It sets out employer’s responsibilities under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002, providing guidance and skills so that delegates can handle hazardous substances safely.
Mechanical ignition sources
Hot surfaces: Any worktops where manufacturing or production has been taking place can get exceedingly hot. If workers aren’t aware they can burn themselves on the surface or place down substances which could combust on contact.
Excessive Friction: When two pieces of metal or other solid surfaces rub against one another, they generate heat. Being aware of this friction so it doesn’t cause ignition or, in severe cases, create sparks, is crucial in preventing fires.
Overheating Equipment: After use, heavy duty equipment can get incredibly hot. If put down near flammable or conductive material it can spread the extreme heat, damaging property or causing fires. Having a Safe System of Work in place for equipment such as this is key. It should include proper care after the equipment has been used, as well as procedure for maintaining and storing it.
Sparks thrown up by equipment: Welding equipment and saws can produce sparks. If these sparks aren’t properly contained, they can come into contact with fuel sources and ignite them.
How to identify potential ignition sources
The most effective way to identify potential sources of ignition is with a fire risk assessment. By conducting them, you can identify sources of ignition (as well as other fire hazards), and also evaluate the risk they pose, implement new control measures and ultimately reduce this risk of fires. Fire risk assessments are required by law under The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. By conducting them regularly, employers can keep potential sources of ignition under control and reduce the risk of fire in the workplace.
If members of your team need the knowledge and skills to conduct fire risk assessments, they’ll benefit from our Fire Risk Assessment Training course. In just 90 minutes if you study through e-Learning, or one-day via in-house, delegates can complete the course and develop their skillset to reduce the risk of workplace fires.
How can you control ignition sources?
Controlling sources of ignition and preventing ignition starts with being aware of fire safety. This means knowing how fires start, how they can be prevented, and what the responsibilities of employees are regarding fire safety legislation.
Under The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, employers have a range of responsibilities, including putting emergency procedures in place, conducting fire risk assessments and providing fire safety training. To help your organisation carry out these responsibilities effectively, it's important to have someone on site with all the necessary fire safety knowledge. That means providing them with effective Health and Safety Training Courses.
The NEBOSH Certificate in Fire Safety is the go-to qualification for those needing a complete and comprehensive understanding of occupational fire safety. It’s a widely recognised qualification and is ideal for the individual in your organisation with primary fire safety responsibility. The qualification can be completed in just 4 days via the classroom or virtual classroom, and in 45 hours of e-Learning study.
We also offer our Fire Safety Awareness Training course. This clear and concise course takes just 40 minutes; it teaches delegates everything they need to know about fire safety for work, perfect for office workers and shop floor staff who don’t have any major fire safety responsibilities.
If you’re unsure which fire safety courses are best for your organisation, speak to a member of the team today and they’ll be happy to help.