Safety regulators around the country have issued warnings on the fire risk associated with water following a series of fires in industrial and commercial settings.
Water is not often considered as an ignition risk, a cause of fire. Quite the opposite it is most often seen as the solution to a fire, however safety regulators are advising all businesses to review their risk assessments and to include water, particularly bottles of water in clear case or clear pallet packaging as a real ignition risk, particularly if stored in view of sunlight following a series of fires.
In WA, in the last two years there have been more than 29 reports of workplace fires caused by sunlight refracting through clear liquids in bottles, including water.
In SA, a recent fire has been traced to light refracting through water bottles and causing nearby cardboard to ignite.
Learnings for fuel retail businesses
“While it sounds funny to say that water is an ignition risk it is real, and in the context of a fuel retail site, it is, like all ignition sources, something that has to be well understood and managed”, explains ACAPMA’s Elisha Radwanowski.
“Of specific concern in a fuel retail setting is the stacking of clear wrapped water bottle cases at the door to the site, which can seem like a sensible thing to do from a marketing perspective, particularly as the weather warms up around the country”, continues Elisha.
“When considering placing cases of water at the doors to the site the movement of the sun throughout the whole day needs to be considered. While most doors will be shaded at midday the particular site layout may place the bottles in the sun in either the morning or afternoon, which is a real ignition risk that needs to be managed. The best way to manage the risk is to simply remove the risk and ensure that cases of water are stored inside or in the shade at all times”, concluded Elisha.
More information and resources:
- WorkSafe WA – Information Sheet on Fire Risk from clear liquids in sunlight
- SafeWork SA – Safety Alert on Fire Risk from clear liquids in sunlight.
Here to help
Safety Highlights are things to consider, implement and watch out for in your business. They are provided as general information for you to consider and do not constitute advice. You should seek further advice on your situation by contacting your legal advisor.
ACAPMA members can access resources and receive advice, guidance and support from the ACAPMA employment professionals via employment@acapma.com.au, it’s free for members. ACAPMA Membership delivers this and more benefits, see https://acapma.com.au/membership/ for more information.
Elisha Radwanowski BCom (HRM & IR)
ACAPMA
Source: https://acapmag.com.au/2023/02/safety-alert-water-is-a-fire-risk-no-really/.
