As per multiple studies, about 3-5 percentage accidents in workplaces happen due to fire safety issues. Two main reasons for such accidents are either negligence or defective equipment. The immense loss because not knowing how to secure your workplace is at times uncountable. It can also lead to a threat to human life at worst.
Though, there are ways you can avoid that. For that purpose, we curated this blog post. Continue to read this post on safety measures you can deploy in your workplace. With the continuous conscious effort of these measures, chances of fire-related accidents dimmish to almost a negligible number.
Fire Safety Best Practices To Make Your Workplace Safer Are As Followed:
1. Choose the reliable extinguisher.
If your firm is learning to follow the normal fire code, it must have a
fire extinguisher. When you search for extinguishers, there are many. Each with its own band of features. Some are best for offices, restaurants, homes, large buildings, apartments, and commercial areas.
If your firm regularly stores hazardous chemicals or deals with them, a different extinguisher works the best. Such extinguishers deal with the explosive properties of these chemicals.
In confusion, reach out to the local fire station or department. They give your building or premises a thorough inspection. Then, suggest you the best fire extinguisher.
2. Follow the fire code applicable in your registered office location.
To keep your business and its building safe, you have to learn and follow the fire code. Each state or locality might have different ways of dealing with fire accidents. To know the right fire code, talk to the firefighters and other specialists from the local fire department.
They guide on the danger lurking around your building related to fire accidents specifically. They will also inform you if the building has loose wiring issues or similar ones to follow the fire code properly.
3. Train your employees with regular fire drills.
Teach your employees how to use a fire extinguisher, sprinklers, alarm system, and an emergency exit. These are some ways to escape, avoid, and protect oneself in case of a fire accident in the office.
Take time out of your schedule to run fire drills in the office premises. Make it happen at least once every month if you have regular hires and the business is expanding.
If you have a big company and second thoughts on carrying a successful fire drill, consult the nearest fire department.
4. Teach your employees the pros and cons of the safety equipment.
Safety equipment should be given to every employee in case of emergencies like fire accidents. But some tools can be sharp, flammable, or have any other side effects. Each employee should know how to use an extinguisher, tie a safety jacket around.
The employee must not end up tying themselves wrongly or firing up the extinguisher on themselves. That would be quite dangerous amidst the case when the fire is increasing in the building.
Moreover, inform your employees and colleagues about the dangerous corners and chemicals stored in the building. Keep your staff away from such corners or items to further mishaps. Teach them what happens if they mess with these items or corners of your office where a wire might be loose or needs repairing.
5. Form an evacuation plan and train the staff to follow it.
This plan is tightly related to the fire drill episodes. But the focus here is on the plan.
Head count: You must know the head of your employees first as the basic.
Safety exists: Know which emergency exits are working.
Inform fire department: As soon as there’s a fire, inform the fire department. Don’t wait for the accident to turn out of your hands.
Broadcast: Have the equipment to announce/broadcast the info of a fire accident occurrence to the entire staff at once.
Safety spot: Decide a safety spot. Let all your staff meet at this spot within a certain time limit. Count the heads fast. See who’s missing. Make a list before the fire department arrives.
6. Follow regular maintenance of the building.
Don’t wait for the fire accident to happen. It can cause you to lose lives, let alone the business. Instead, try precautionary measures. It involves maintaining your building regularly with timely repairs.
Let the fire department carry out a timely inspection of your building if need be. They give you head-ups on the blind spots. Fix them before the situation is out of control.