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In industrial settings, the combustible fuel which feeds a fire is quite different than the fuel found in a residential setting. Almost always, you are dealing with explosive chemicals or gases instead of wood and residential building materials. The fires are far more dangerous and lethal than the common house fire. To prevent these issues from occurring, consider some of the following fire prevention services.

Dry Chemical Systems

Most industrial chemicals are either acidic or alkaline in nature. Dry chemical systems operate on this assumption. The systems can either be triggered manually, by a switch in the plant, or by a chemical leak. The dry chemicals, when activated, either spill into or spray into the chemical vats and lines in your plant, mixing throughout. Once they are fully mixed, the chemicals in your plant are neutralized, as is the threat of explosion and/or fire. A HAZMAT team comes in to clean up the mess and return your plant to operating condition, sans any repairs you need to make to pipe lines and vats.

Video Activation Systems

This type of system watches for unusual movement and flow associated with areas inside your plant. You can also have the system connected to your security cameras in the areas of your plant that have the highest risk of explosion or fire. At the first sign of trouble, your security guards can hit a button that activates a secondary system, which halts the combustion process. This usually consists of water sprinkler systems or dry chemical agents.

Combustible Gas Leak Detection

Some combustible gases do not have an odor. They may not even affect how people feel at work, but they can erupt into flames under the right conditions when fuel (the combustible gas), energy, and an oxidizer are all present. To prevent this type of fire in your plant, there are combustible gas leak detection systems. They alert you to a leak, giving you enough time to shut down the plant and evacuate people before something goes horribly wrong. A HAZMAT team or firefighters in protective gear will come out, locate the source of the leak, and let you know where it is precisely so it can be repaired.

Low-tech Options

Chances are, you already have fire alarms, CO and CO2 detectors in your plant, along with multiple extinguishers. Smoke detectors, rate of rise heat detectors, and linear detectors are also effective, but only if machines are overheating or there is already a fire. The other systems mentioned above stop the fire before it starts, while these low-tech options confirm that there is definitely a gas leak and/or fire in progress. To keep everyone in your plant truly safe, have multiple systems in play, both to prevent and to protect.

Contact a company like Ace Fire Protection to learn more about your fire prevention options.