June 2025
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Inside the June Issue |
Preventing Factory Fires with Essential Monitoring Equipment Testing to Ensure Safety and Productivity
At the factories that produce the materials
and goods essential to the nation,
supply chain issues have continued to
accelerate since 2020. However, factory
plant managers and production line
workers may not realize that the industry
experienced even greater disruptions in
2024 than in previous years. By one account,
there was a 38 percent increase in
supply chain disruption last year.
What is the leading cause of these
disruptions?
Factory fires.
Factory fires threaten the facility, disrupt
productivity, and endanger the entire
workforce. Consequently, taking the necessary
precautions, which includes using
equipment capable of detecting and preventing
fire prone conditions, is essential
to mitigate the growing risk of fire and
ensure a safe working environment.
The Urgent Need to
Minimize Fire Risk
In 2024, there were 2,299 recorded factory
fires worldwide. The majority of
these fires occurred in facilities within
the United States, followed by incidents
in India and Germany. Many of these
fires took place in manufacturing-focused
factories.
A range of operational and supply
chain challenges have contributed to the
increased fire risk. In recent years,
global disruptions have led to labor
shortages, regulatory delays, and reduced
oversight in some facilities. As a
result, many factories operated with
fewer skilled workers on-site, while employees
were often required to take on
additional responsibilities with limited
support.
At the same time, some factories quickly adapted their operations—such as introducing new chemical processes or expanding existing production lines—without fully assessing the associated risks. This often resulted in gaps in critical safety protocols, driven by short staffing or shifting priorities, which in turn increased the likelihood of undetected hazards.
In some cases, insufficient training resulted in the mishandling of chemicals, posing serious safety risks to both workers and the facility. Additionally, delays in maintaining critical equipment or systems increased the risk of operational failures, safety incidents, and costly disruptions.
Machinery issues were a significant factor in factory fires in 2021 as well. According to Resilinc, a supply chain risk management company, 59 percent of the factory fires analyzed that year were linked to faulty equipment. Common causes included improper installation, operation, or maintenance; inadequate safety and cleaning procedures; and failure to replace outdated or worn-out equipment on time. Full story »
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