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Even small measures can reduce your risk of an electrical fire. As a manufacturer, here are some things to keep in mind and best practices you can implement as part of a solid fire prevention strategy:

Leading causes of commercial building electrical fires

To help reduce your fire risk, familiarize yourself with some of the leading causes:

• Unsafe installation and inconsistent electrical system maintenance and/or inspection
• Improper extension cord usage
• Inadequate system component design and/or maintenance
• Failure to upgrade outdated electrical systems to meet current standards
• Lack of appropriate timers and/or high-temperature shut-off switches
• Uncontrolled operations running unattended

Many of these threats have warning signs associated with them. Here are a few to watch for:

• Frequently tripped breakers or ground-fault circuits
• Unexplained dead outlets and burnt covers
• Flickering or dimmed lights and burnt-out lightbulbs
• Visible sparks in switches or plug components
• Unusual temperature range swings in temperature-controlled equipment
• Excessive circuit temperature variations indicated by infrared scans

Prevention strategies

The following prevention strategies can help you proactively reduce your fire risk before warning signs appear:

• Perform monthly inspections of your electrical system
• Have a commercial electrical contractor perform a comprehensive system inspection every four to five years
• Install permanent wiring to reduce your reliance on power strips and extension cords
• Have qualified, licensed professionals perform electrical work and installations
• Remove old or damaged electrical appliances, such as space heaters, fans, toasters, and lamps

Costs associated with electrical fires

While some losses like property damage, loss of critical data, and business interruption may be covered in your insurance policy, it’s important you recognize potential costs that may not be covered:

• Deductibles, copays, and increased premiums
• Diverted management time and costs related to investigations
• Extended business operation interruptions beyond what’s covered in your policy limit
• Reputational damage due to delayed recovery

The more you understand about electrical fire causes and prevention strategies, the better you can identify potential issues before it’s too late.

As a FEMA member, you have access to Sentry’s collection of safety resources, available online at farmequip.org/member-resources/safety. You’ll need your member log-in credentials to access these resources. Sentry also has several safety webinars offered throughout the year that you can register to attend. To review the full list of webinar topics, go to . 

For questions regarding Sentry’s safety resources or webinars, please contact Bryant Hintz at bryant.hintz@sentry.com.

Safety services are provided by an affiliate of Sentry Insurance Company, Stevens Point, WI. For a complete listing of companies, visit sentry.com.

The information contained in this document is of a general nature and is not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual. IT IS DISTRIBUTED “AS-IS,” WITHOUT ANY WARRANTIES. NO MEMBER OF SENTRY INSURANCE GROUP WILL BE LIABLE TO ANY PERSON OR ENTITY WITH RESPECT TO ANY LOSSES OR DAMAGES CAUSED, OR ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY BY THIS DOCUMENT, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER SUCH CLAIM IS BASED ON CONTRACT, WARRANTY, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE AND FOR PROPERTY DAMAGE AND DEATH) OR OTHER GROUNDS.

40-1869 | 5232503 | 2/25/26

| Member since 1974