Fire Prevention: Improving Site Safety in Times of Rapid Development

By Jonathan Hart, Contributor

As we look toward the global construction projects planned for 2025, including new builds in residential, commercial, and industrial sectors, as well as ambitious infrastructure megaprojects, it’s clear that the construction industry is facing a full workload.[1] To execute these projects successfully, construction companies will need to balance many different priorities. For instance, Deloitte’s 2025 Engineering and Construction Industry Outlook notes that construction firms have reason to be optimistic about what the new year holds, but will need to focus on closing talent gaps, integrating technology, managing finances, and staying attuned to evolving policies.[2] Similarly, an outlook report from JLL states that “the construction industry is primed for growth, but this expansion comes with complexities.”[3]

One of these complexities that doesn’t always get the attention it deserves is the need to keep safety at the core of construction as cities and suburban communities grow. Regardless of increased project demands or tightening timelines, the safety of construction sites needs to remain a top priority if our society is going to progress safely. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia recently set a great example by proactively working with the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) as it tackles the extensive infrastructure and urban development projects in its “Vision 2030” initiative.[4] Through this collaboration, they will be able to ensure global safety standards are implemented during all upcoming development projects.

Reasons to Prioritize Construction Safety

Fast urban growth means a higher volume of construction projects, which in turn leads to more opportunities for construction site fires or other incidents. In a 2023 report, NFPA found that from 2017 to 2021, local fire departments responded to an estimated average of 4,440 fires in structures under construction per year.[5] Not only can these disasters cause injuries or deaths and significantly damage properties, but they can also result in major financial losses and delays of projects.

One of the primary risks is that conditions on these job sites are temporary. For example, when new structures are being built, it might take some time before necessary fire protection systems like smoke alarms or sprinklers are installed and functioning properly. There are also many potential ignition sources on building sites – from equipment like heaters or cooking grills to “hot work” activities like welding, cutting, or grinding – and these sources can spark fires when they get too close to combustible materials. Further, flammable debris scattered around job sites (e.g., wood scraps, insulation, paints, etc.) also poses a major risk. Workers may accidentally start a fire if they’re careless in where they leave leftover materials or don’t properly store materials to begin with. This tends to occur when workers don’t have a solid understanding of fire hazards or become complacent about following safety best practices.

Another common cause of construction site fires is electrical or mechanical failures. If equipment like lighting systems or power tools aren’t well maintained or inspected regularly, they can malfunction and pose serious safety risks. Finally, the opportunity for arson on these sites must also be considered. Due to their unsecured nature, construction sites are often more vulnerable to unwelcome trespassers who may accidentally or intentionally start fires or even steal construction materials.

A Path to Safer Construction Sites

On the bright side, since the leading causes of construction site fires are well known, construction firms have plenty of data to consult and proposed actions to take to mitigate these risks in the future. By learning from past disasters, they can implement more effective safety protocols to better protect people, properties, and their bottom lines.

A critical first step is adhering to the latest codes and standards. While there are many relating to construction, one of the most important is NFPA 241, Standard for Safeguarding Construction, Alteration, and Demolition Operations.[6] NFPA 241 provides measures for preventing or minimizing fire damage to structures during construction, alteration, and demolition projects and should be followed regardless of the building materials used. Additionally, due to the risks posed by electrical equipment on construction sites, following the requirements in electrical codes and standards like NFPA 70®, NFPA 70B, and NFPA 70E® will ensure that electrical systems are safely installed and maintained and that workplaces are safe from electrical hazards. Digital codebooks provide workers with immediate access to these resources, and many more, to help them work safer.

Online training programs will also play a major role in improving safety on construction sites. When workers gain knowledge and skills around relevant codes and standards, like NFPA 241, or topics like hot work safety, they’ll be more adept at applying fire safety measures. They’ll also be less likely to create or ignore safety hazards, such as a welding torch being used in close proximity to combustible materials. Moreover, they’ll be better prepared to respond to any incidents that do occur. By investing in safety trainings for their workforce, construction firms can reduce accidents while also ensuring projects stay on track and on budget.

Lastly, to reduce the risk of arson, firms should protect construction sites 24/7 with controls like fencing, lighting, or security technologies or staff. From both a liability and safety perspective, it’s far too risky to leave these job sites unprotected during off hours.

In 2025, construction firms worldwide will tackle many ambitious new projects, while delicately balancing new and continuing challenges. As the industry takes on higher volumes of work to expand development, construction site safety needs to be a bigger priority than it’s been in the past. By aligning with essential safety requirements and offering digital tools and trainings to workers, firms can challenge the status quo for an improved safety landscape.

Jonathan Hart is the Technical Lead of Fire Protection Engineering, National Fire Protection Association (nfpa.org). 

[1] https://www.constructiondive.com/news/infrastructure-megaprojects-2024/704469/

[2] https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/engineering-and-construction/engineering-and-construction-industry-outlook.html

[3] https://www.us.jll.com/en/trends-and-insights/research/construction

[4] https://internationalfireandsafetyjournal.com/nfpa-to-establish-office-in-riyadh-to-support-saudi-arabias-vision-2030-developments/

[5] https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/research/nfpa-research/fire-statistical-reports/fires-in-structures-under-construction

[6] https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/building-and-life-safety/construction-safety