At Aico, we believe everyone deserves the highest standard of protection. By understanding common home office fire risks and taking practical steps, you can create a safer working environment for yourself, your family and anyone else who shares your home. Whether you’re new to working from home or simply reviewing your setup, here is a practical guide to fire safety for home offices and remote working.
How Home Office Risks Differ From Other Rooms
Unlike commercial spaces, which are designed to accommodate a larger number of people and are subject to stricter fire safety regulations, home offices typically don’t have the same level of oversight and may not have the same fire safety measures in place.
Common Home Office Fire Risks
- Overloaded sockets: Multiple high‑power appliances on one socket or extension lead or using old or low‑rated extension leads. Signs of this could be a burning smell, crackling, or sparks as well as circuit breakers tripping repeatedly.
- Heaters: Portable heaters are a significant fire risk in offices, especially if not properly managed and can lead to overheating and sparks.
- Lithium batteries: They contain a flammable electrolyte which can ignite under certain conditions. One consequence of an overheated battery is called ‘thermal runaway’. This is a chain reaction which generates heat, and the rising temperature fuels more reactions within the battery, leading to rapid temperature increases, eventually resulting in a fire or an explosion.
How To Set Up a Safer Home Office Electrical System
Preventing a fire from starting is always the best defence. Understanding the common risks and making a few simple adjustments can drastically lower your daily risk.
- Safe cable management: Avoid daisy-chaining extension as this significantly increases the risk of overheating. Keep leads fully unwound if using a cable reel, as a coiled lead can overheat even when correctly rated.
- Device charging: Laptops and mobiles should always charge devices on a hard, flat surface. Never charge them on soft furnishings or other flammable surfaces.
- Battery safety: Charging a battery beyond its capacity can lead to overheating, which can trigger a chain reaction.
Smoke, Heat and Carbon Monoxide Alarms for Home Offices
Working from home often means spending long hours in a single room, so it’s worth thinking about that room’s alarm coverage in the same way you would a bedroom or living room.
- Smoke alarms should be fitted in any home office used regularly, particularly where electrical equipment is left running for extended periods.
- Fire alarms, a multi-sensor fire alarm can provide an extra level of protection within a home office space. This type of alarm can detect heat as well as smoke, giving the widest fire response.
- Carbon monoxide alarms should be considered if the home office is near a boiler, contain a fuel or any fuel-burning appliance.
End-of-day Home Office Fire Safety Checklist
Before you finish for the day, get into the habit of running through a few quick checks:
- Are heaters and other portable appliances switched off?
- Are sockets and extension lead free of overloading, with nothing left charging unnecessarily overnight?
- Are cables and leads free from damage, and kept clear of walkways and heat sources?
- Is the printer, monitor or any other equipment that doesn’t need to stay on switched off at the wall?
Where to Position Smoke, Heat and Carbon Monoxide Alarms in Open-Plan Spaces
Many home offices now sit within open-plan kitchen-diners or converted living spaces rather than behind a closed door, which changes how alarms should be positioned. It is important to understand the Fire & CO Standards, Regulations & Legislation, which you can do by clicking here.
