Flame-retardants are used in many consumer products such as the foams your furniture, drapes, upholstery, electronics and wires in your homes. Without these chemicals, fire related death occur due to rapid-fire ignition and less useful escape time for you and your family. Flame-retardants save lives and property but in the end, what are the consequences for such a controversial chemical? Read full article here.
Sleepover Fire Safety Checklist for Families
May 13th, 2011Is your child safe staying overnight at a friend’s home? Before you permit your child to sleep over with a friend, talk to the child’s parents. Depending on what you learn, it can either uncover serious fire dangers or give you peace of mind during your child’s sleepover. The majority of fire deaths occur late at night and if you don’t know for certain that the home is equipped with working smoke alarms, and that the sleepover will be supervised by an adult, don’t take the risk.
Use the following checklist to ensure your child’s safety:
Before you say YES:
- How well do you know the home?
- Is the home in a safe area?
- Is there an easy escape route for your child to leave out of in case of an emergency?
- Is your child comfortable in the home?
- Are you comfortable leaving your child there overnight?
How well do you know the parents?
- Are they mature, responsible and conscientious?
- Will they supervise the children throughout the stay?
- Are they cautious of smoking materials such as candles, matches and lighters?
Ask the parents:
- Are working fire alarms on every floor and inside/outside of each sleeping area of the home?
- Are the alarm interconnected?
- Do you have a well-rehearsed fire escape plan?
- Where will my child be sleeping?
For more fire safety checklists view:
Four Smart Moves That Can Save Your House and Family
Stay Safe With the Earthwise Fire Safety Checklist
Love Socializing Around an Open Fire? 5 Tips for an Enjoyable and Safe Time.
May 11th, 2011
Any time you’re dealing with an open flame you should always be responsible and take the necessary precautions to avoid any accidents. An outdoor fire pit is inviting and a central point for socializing but make sure that it is also safe so you are free to enjoy it.
5 tips for fire safety
1) Bigger is not better. It can even be more dangerous. There is no need for a blazing bonfire – the bigger the fire, the greater the potential for a fire disaster.
2) Your fire pit should be at least 10 feet away from any structure or combustible surface.
3) Before lighting an outdoor fire, check the weather forecast. Be sure to avoid windy conditions that can blow embers.
4) Clean away leaves and other combustible materials around the pit to ensure the fire doesn’t accidentally spread.
5) Always have a container of water nearby or a garden hose on standby before starting the fire.
Protect yourself, your family and your home by using safe fire tending practices. Always have a fire escape plan and if needed, call 911 immediately.
For more fire safety tips, check out: Fire Safety Tips for Your Workplace.
Summer Boating Safety Tips for You and Your Family
May 9th, 2011
Fire safety is something that everyone who owns or operates a boat should practice. Each year, boating fires and explosions injure hundreds of individuals and cause millions of dollars in property damage. Fuel and fuel vapors are two of the leading ingredients in all boating accidents involving fires and explosions. Keep fuel and vapors in their proper places and make all of your boating trips fire-safe.
The following inspections need to be done seasonally.
- Inspect fuel tanks. Pay particular attention to bottom surfaces that may have been in contact with bilge water.
- Be sure the fuel fill pipe is securely mounted, grounded, and located where spilled fuel would be directed overboard.
- If a hose or fuel tank is leaking, replace it before using your boat.
- Use only marine-rated parts for repairs.
- Make sure any powered ventilation (a bilge blower) is operating properly.
- Be sure heating and cooking appliances on board are secured and operate properly.
- Make sure fire extinguishers are Coast Guard approved and in working order.
- Take a boating safety course and learn the correct use of a fire extinguisher aboard a boat.
- Repair all bare wires and loose electrical connections.
- Do not store disposable propane cylinders or charcoal lighting fluid on board.
- Conduct a bow to stern inspection checking for fuel leaks.
Be sure to check out Outdoor Grilling Safety Tips for more fire safety.
When You Are Away, Are Your Children Fire Safe?
May 8th, 2011When you are away from home and someone else cares for your children, make sure that your children and the sitter will be just as safe as when you are there.
- Let your sitter know about your family’s escape plan.
- Remind sitters never to leave the children alone.
- Remind them that you do not allow smoking in or around your home.
Also, be sure to complete this form before leaving your children with the baby sitter. Keep this form in sight for them to easily see, preferably on the refrigerator.
Fire:______________________________________________
Police:_____________________________________________
Poison Control:_______________________________________
Doctor (name and phone number):________________
__________________________________________________
Where Parents Can be reached:_____________________
Children’s Family Name:_____________________________
Parent Cell Phone:_____________________________________
Neighbor (name, address, and phone number):____
__________________________________________________
Other Instructions:_____________________________________
For more fire safety tips, check out:
Protect Your Family with Residential Fire Sprinklers.
Fire Safety Monthly Wrap Up: April
May 3rd, 2011According to the United States Fire Administration, fire kills 3,700 and injures more than 20,000 people each year. It is our goal to make Fire Safety For All a valuable resource for information about fire safety.
Reading these posts will help make fire responsibility a little easier for you and your family:
- Do you know the most significant cause of fires in the summer months? View Home Fire Sources at Its Worst.
- Property damage that was due to Millions of Box Fans Recalled for Fire Risk. Make sure you don’t own one of these.
- Join in and do you part more than one day a year. Celebrate Earth Day Every Day!
- Would your child sleep through a fire alarm? Parents, consider this a wake up call.
This information is brought to you by Albemarle, a global leader in specialty chemicals and the leading supplier of flame-retardants and fire safety solutions. Our fire safety technology saves thousands of lives every year around the globe. We invest millions of dollars in research and development so that consumer products like electronics and automobiles have the highest performing fire safety solutions and eco-friendly technology to prevent deadly fires and keep you safe.
Interested in green business ideas? Check out Our Green Lab or find us on LinkedIn.
Work with chemicals and want to learn more about eco-friendly fire safety solutions? View Earthwise Fire Safety.
