Practice Fire Safety at Your Workplace

Businesses need to have plans for fire safety to protect customers and employees. Workplaces with the highest risks of catching fire are restaurants and cafes which have open flames. Should you get caught in a fire at a workplace remember to keep calm and not shout.

Steps

1. Understand the priority. If there is a fire the main concern is that everyone can reach a safe place quickly. Putting the fire out is the second priority because of the spread of fire, heat and smoke caused by it which can trap. By law your workplace must have suitable means of detecting, giving warning and escape. During a fire you want to get out as quickly as possible because the fire can trap or overcome you by the heat and the smoke before you get a chance to evacuate.
2. Identify potential hazards in the workplace. Potential hazards include sources of ignition, sources of fuel and work practises. Give attention to any areas, particularly unattended ones where there could be a delay in detecting the outbreak of fire and any areas where the warnings may go unnoticed by people who may not be able to react quickly.
3. Decide when and where employees and visitors will be in danger in the even of a fire. Key points to consider:
   • Is the length of time it will take to evacuate all people to a place of safety adequate?
   • Are there enough exits and are they all in the right place?
   • Are the exits suitable for all people, wheelchair users for example?
   • Are all escape routes easily identifiable, accessible and adequately illuminated
   • If the fire detection and warning system is electrically powered, does it need a back up supply?
   • Have you trained your staff in using the means of escape?
   • Do you have a meeting point once you have evacuated to account for all members of staff?
4. Identify the hazards. Decide whether the existing precautions are enough or whether more should be done. Arising dangers and ideas to evaluate include:
   • Ignition control of sources and fuel.
   • Fire detection and warnings.
   • Escape plans and routes.
   • Fire equipment for fighting fire
   • Maintenance and testing of fire precautions.
   • Fire safety knowledge of employees.
   • Carry out improvements that needed.
5. Risk evaluate the hazards. Try to eliminate the danger, but if that is not practical do your best to reduce the risk.
   • Reducing sources of ignition:
     • Remove unnecessary sources of heat in the workplace or replacing it with safer alternatives.
     • Replace naked flame and radiant heaters with fixed convector heaters or a central heating system.
     • Ensure that sources of heat do not arise from faulty or overloaded electrical or mechanical equipment.
     • Ensure that all electrical fuses and circuit breakers are the correct rating and suitable for the purpose.
     • Keep the ducts and flues clean in the building.
     • Prohibit smoking throughout the complex.
     • Ensure that all equipment that could provide a source of ignition is left in a safe condition, even when not in use.
     • Take precautions to reduce the risk of arson.
   • Minimise the potential fuel for a fire.
     • Remove flammable materials and substances or reduce them to the minimum required for the operation of the business.
   • Replace materials and substances with less flammable materials.
     • Ensure flammable materials are handled, transported, stored and used properly.
     • Ensure adequate separation distances between flammable materials.
     • Store highly flammable materials in fire resistant stores and containers.
   • Reduce the sources of oxygen.
     • Close doors, windows and other openings not required for ventilation, especially out of working hours.
     • Block ventilation systems which are not essential to the running of the workplace
     • Avoid storing oxidising materials near or with any heat source or flammable materials.
6. Write Something People Will Read Discuss your findings with employees:
   • Actions you think are adequate.
   • Prepare an emergency plan.
   • Inform, instruct and train employees about fire precautions.
7. Put Things in Perspective Talk to your boss, supervisor, or employer. Key points to ensure:
   • There needs to be an effective means of detecting any outbreak of fire and for warning people quickly enough so that they can escape to a safe place before the fire can make any escape routes unusable.
   • Ensure that there is suitable fire fighting equipment, e.g. extinguishers, in place for your employees to use in fighting a fire in its earliest stages. The equipment must be suitable to the risks (the correct fire extinguisher for its purpose, for example) and employees should be trained in how to use it. There should also be no doubt as to when it is time to evacuate the building should the fire get out of control.
   • Ensure there is a fire safety policy for the workplace which promotes good housekeeping and reduces the possibility of a fire occurring. All employees from day one should have an understanding of what is expected of them should a fire break out. Carelessness and neglect are two of the most common reasons cited for outbreaks of fire in the workplace and no employer or employee should ever be complacent enough to think "it won't happen to us".
8. Review your plans regularly. Your plan should be revised each year and when the workplace changes. It is imperative to keep the fire safety measures and equipment in the workplace in effective working order and to carry out regular checks and to practice your evacuation procedures routinely.

References

See also

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• Avoid Germs at the Office
• Lift and Carry a Baby
• Find Alternatives to Sitting in a Desk
• Balance Work and Health
• Do Yoga at Your Computer
• Sue for Asbestos Exposure
• Put on a Cleanroom Suit
• Obtain OSHA Reports
• Measure Work Safety

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