Fire Extinguishers Use and Inspection Stats and Facts

FACTS 

  1. There are many common misconceptions related to OSHA’s fire safety requirements. One is that all employers are required to have portable fire extinguishers on-site. While this is not the case in most industries, OSHA does require that if employers do choose to provide extinguishers, employees must be trained on their use. Another misconception is that OSHA requires all employers to have fixed extinguishing or automatic sprinkler systems in all workplaces.
  2. OSHA stipulates that businesses should train workers regarding potential fire hazards in their workplace, and also on what procedures should be followed in the event of a fire emergency.
  3. OSHA recommends that all employers have an emergency evacuation/action plan in place in case of fire—featuring safety assignments for key personnel—and requires these plans for certain industries, such as hazardous chemical processing.
  4. Many of OSHA’s fire safety recommendations are industry- or even job-specific. In the construction industry, OSHA calls for a “fire plan” to be formulated prior to any demolition job. Other OSHA-mandated standards — like the presence of adequate fire exits — are required in every industry.

STATS 

  • Fire extinguishers can effectively put out 80% of all fires, even if the extinguisher is classified as a portable unit. When a fire extinguisher is used on a fire in the United States, 75% of the time, the fire department is not required to attend the incident. (EnGauge Inc.)
  • In 60% of all fire incidents which occur, the fire department is never notified if a fire extinguisher is present and accessible. Almost 2 million fires are handled entirely by a fire extinguisher in the U.S. every year. (EnGauge Inc.)
  • Structure fires account for 20% of municipal fire department calls and are responsible for 49% of deaths that are associated with fires. (National Fire Protection Association)
  • The most popular type of fire extinguisher sold by the industry today is the Class A extinguisher, which accounts for 41.8% of total sales. 
  • Cooking is also the primary cause of non-residential building fires, accounting for 29.5% of tracked incidents. (United States Fire Administration)
  • About 40% of people in the 85+ age demographic are killed when caught in a fire, which is 4x higher than the national fire death rate in the United States. (United States Fire Administration)