How to Prevent Electrical Room Fires

Summary: A commercial building relies on a dependable electrical distribution system. Housed in an electrical room, a poorly designed or maintained system could be a fire risk. Find out the causes and consequences of electrical room fires and learn the importance of training your staff in electrical room fire prevention.



Fires are a constant risk for any business owner and take a devastating toll every year. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, more than 103,000 nonresidential building fires and more than $2.5 billion in property losses in just one year. The report found that electrical malfunctions caused 18% of all warehouse fires, and electrical malfunctions were responsible for more than $373 million in damages.

An electrical fire in your business or on your property can be a devastating mix of interruption in operations, property loss, financial loss, injuries and possibly deaths. An electrical room fire is a common type of fire that can occur on commercial properties. Educating yourself and your employees about the causes of electrical room fires and the risks unique to your business is crucial.

What Are Commercial Electrical Rooms?

In most commercial buildings, electricity comes into the building through an electrical distribution system, a complex maze of circuits, circuit breakers, fuses, transformers and electrical wiring. An electrical room is an area in a commercial or industrial facility that houses all the electrical equipment in a building. These rooms offer safe storage for sensitive and potentially dangerous equipment and play a vital role in electrical power distribution throughout the building.

Because of the delicate nature of the electrical equipment and wiring, electrical rooms must be designed and built to meet specific requirements, including load calculations, working space, clearances, and how electrical installations interact with other building systems.

Understanding and Causes and Consequences of Electrical Room Fires

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) found that non-confined fires involving electrical distribution and lighting equipment in non-homes caused over $718 million in direct property damage, while electrical failures or malfunctions caused an estimated $637 million in direct property damage per year.

What are the Causes of Electrical Room Fires?

The causes of electric room fires can vary depending on the circumstances and the condition of the electrical system. Poorly maintained high-voltage electrical equipment can cause fires, spreading to combustible grouped power cables in electrical rooms. Other potential causes include the following:

• Damaged Equipment: Equipment, such as circuit breakers, transformers or switches that are older, damaged or not working correctly can develop electrical faults leading to overheating or short circuits that could cause a fire if not fixed immediately.
• Faulty Wiring: Unsafe wiring is one of the leading causes of electrical fires. Wiring not correctly installed or in compliance with the NFPA National Electric Code standards can lead to potential fires. Specific faulty wiring issues include:
  • Exposed wiring that can reduce connectivity or produce sparks
  • Overcrowded or older wiring that can overheat
  • Wiring that doesn’t match the circuit amperage
• Dirty equipment: Neglecting routine maintenance of electrical systems and allowing dust, grease or corrosion to accumulate can increase the likelihood of a fire.
• Static Electricity: When static electricity is strong enough, the discharge can cause sparks and even start a flame that ignites dust particles, fumes or other flammable vapors.
• Human error: Accidental incidents, such as the improper handling of electrical equipment, using damaged cords or plugs, or incorrect wiring modifications, can result in malfunctions and potential fires.
• Natural disasters: Environmental factors such as lightning strikes, flooding, earthquakes, or power surges caused by utility issues can produce electrical system failures, leading to fires in electrical rooms.

What are the Consequences of Electrical Room Fires?

The consequences of an electrical fire can vary depending on the fire's severity, the property's size and the fire safety measures in place. Some of the potential outcomes of an electrical room fire can cause significant disruptions, including the following:

• Property damage: A fire in an electrical room can cause severe damage to electrical equipment, wiring and infrastructure, leading to costly repairs and even total loss of the building.
• Business interruption: A fire can disrupt business operations, resulting in a shutdown of the business leading to loss of revenue, customer dissatisfaction, negative reputation, and business and customer data loss.
• Safety hazards: Electrical room fires could pose a significant safety risk to employees, customers and emergency responders. Releasing toxic smoke, heat, and the potential for explosions or electrical shock can lead to injuries or fatalities.
• Regulatory compliance: An electrical room fire could result in building or safety code violations and non-compliance, leading to fines, penalties and legal consequences.
• Rebuilding costs: After an electrical room fire, the property will require reconstruction, repairs, and electrical system upgrades to meet safety standards. These rebuilding costs can be substantial, potentially straining the business's financial resources.

How to Prevent Electrical Room Fire

Taking proactive steps to prevent electrical room fires, including conducting regular inspections and implementing robust fire safety protocols, can help mitigate the risks and minimize the potential consequences.

Review the recommendations below to reduce the risk of some of the most common causes of electrical fires in the workplace:

• Proper electrical room design and layout: The room should have sufficient space for equipment and wiring, be well-ventilated, contain cooling systems, and comply with local building codes and regulations. The room should be temperature controlled, properly sealed against dirt and vermin and kept dry. Make sure the electrical system is properly grounded and bonded.
• Regular maintenance and inspections: Set up routine equipment inspections and servicing programs with a licensed electrician for the electrical room. Promptly replace faulty or outdated components of the electrical room. Verify electrical load capacity and balancing. Also, create a cleaning schedule to remove combustible materials, such as boxes or cleaning supplies, away from electrical distribution systems.
• Effective electrical safety practices: Have a fire safety training and emergency response program developed and utilized by the entire staff. Train employees on the potential hazards in an electrical room and how to safely handle and store flammable materials. Conduct regular safety drills to promote employee preparedness and educate them on what to do when they see a fire and know how to use fire extinguishers.
• Install fire detection and suppression systems: Install smoke detectors, fire alarms, automatic sprinkler systems or fire suppression agents in the electrical room. Make sure these are integrated with the entire building fire protection system.
• Identify hot spots: Determine potential hot spots in the electrical room before they become a big problem by using infrared thermal imaging from a hand-held thermal scanner pointed at the electrical panel. A licensed electrician can perform this kind of imaging.
• Implement lockout/tagout procedures: When the electrical room components are under maintenance, following proper lockout/tagout procedures is crucial to prevent accident reenergizing and possible injury. Put a strictly controlled lock and tag on the main circuit breaker or disconnect the switch controlling the disengaged equipment to inform everyone that maintenance is underway. Follow OSHA’s lockout/tagout procedures, including The Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout, Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 1910.147.

Small business owners and their employees must be well-versed in electrical room fire prevention procedures. Staff must know the signs of electrical fires and be diligent in all safety processes.

Loss Control Resources from AmTrust Financial

AmTrust's Loss Control Department provides various commercial property safety resources designed to keep your business, property and employees safe. We have the expertise and the tools to identify the common hazards facing your operation and can help you decrease risk. For more information about our loss control services, please contact us today.

This material is for informational purposes only and is not legal or business advice. Neither AmTrust Financial Services, Inc. nor any of its subsidiaries or affiliates represents or warrants that the information contained herein is appropriate or suitable for any specific business or legal purpose. Readers seeking resolution of specific questions should consult their business and/or legal advisors. Coverages may vary by location. Contact your local RSM for more information.