Unfortunately, many American workers are burned in fires at offices, factories, retail establishments, and other workplaces. Office fire safety measures should include monitoring and training employees in the use of heat-producing electrical appliances, such as microwave ovens, hot-water dispensers, and coffee makers. Training also may include guidelines for burning candles or potpourri and smoking. Factory or plant personnel training is usually comprehensive and should include orientation on handling and using combustibles, flammable liquids or gases, electrical equipment, and flammable metals. All training should emphasize understanding how fires start, notifying fire departments, extinguishing fires, evacuating in emergencies, and helping coworkers who may be on fire or who have suffered burns.

Poor Fire Training

When a fire started in an auto aftermarket-supply company, its sales manager drove a burning truck out of the building and returned to help others evacuate. He suffered first-, second-, and third-degree burns over 20 percent of his body. He subsequently sued his employer, alleging negligent fire training and management in failing to comply with local fire regulations and operating without a permit. A jury found his employer and its parent company each 50 percent liable for his injuries and awarded the sales manager compensatory damages.