Each year in the United States, fire departments respond to an average of 4,300 fires in buildings under construction, according to a report released by NFPA® last October. That’s nearly a dozen such fires every day. The economic impact of these blazes is significant, with an average annual estimate of more than $375 million in direct property damages. They also cause, on average, 62 annual civilian injuries and five annual civilian deaths.
The truth is that construction sites are prone to fires. Fuel loads like scrap materials and sawdust combine with ignition sources like sparks from hot work and cooking equipment to make construction activities a hazard. In fact, cooking equipment is the leading cause of fires in buildings under construction (followed by electrical distribution and lighting equipment, heating equipment, arson, and smoking). For more info and registration here.