No one likes to think about garbage; but if not handled properly, it can contribute to a fire that can burn your whole operation down. In one case, a fire broke out in a metal dumpster on an loading dock unequipped with sprinklers. Flames spread into the building, causing over a half million dollars’ worth of damage.
- To eliminate a fire hazard, you don’t have to eliminate trash altogether. What you must do is protect against the hazards that trash may cause. Follow these tips, provided by fire safety experts:
- Provide automatic sprinkler protection for all waste storage and handling areas.
- Segregate waste storage and handling areas from other operations by installing fire cut-offs.
- Restrict the amount of waste on the premises by frequent and regular disposal. Don’t store loose trash or let it overflow its containers.
Portable trash containers: Special care must be taken with portable trash containers, both inside the building and outside:
Outside containers: Dumpsters usually contain a concentration of combustibles. They are easy to ignite and are susceptible to arson. Make sure to:
- Cover containers and locate them away from buildings
- Don’t put containers against a wall, unless it is of blank masonry construction with a minimum fire resistance rating of one hour.
- All docks should have sprinklers and automatic fire doors at dock openings.
Inside containers: These should be closed and placed in a protected cutoff area that is sprinklered:
- Avoid discarding materials that could generate toxic or corrosive fumes when they burn, such as rubber, foam plastic, aerosol containers, PVC wiring insulation, etc.
- Segregate from other areas with a fire wall with a minimum two hour fire resistance rating.