2 Major Workplace Fire Prevention Tips
Chances you don't think much about the risk of a fire in your office or other place of employment, but these do often happen and they can be devastating. A fire can easily start in an office kitchen or even a wastebasket, and of course a production area that uses welding or other such equipment increases this risk of a workplace fire.
Note a few fire prevention tips you may want to consider for your office and how to implement them no matter the size of your company or your industry.
1. Check your fire safety equipment
Some of the best fire safety equipment you invest in for your office may include additional fire extinguishers, a fire blanket that can be used to smother a fire, fire alarms, and fire doors that help to stop a fire from spreading. Check your own workplace and note how many fire extinguishers it has and where they're located. Remember that a fire extinguisher in the kitchen may not help if a fire starts in an employee wastebasket on the opposite side of the office, so increase the number of extinguishers you have on hand.
Have an electrician add more fire alarms to your office if you notice that these are not conveniently located for employees. If your office doesn't have fire doors along a main hallway, have these installed as well.
Placards and other such warnings can also be considered part of your fire safety equipment. Can employees easily spot the sign pointing out the fire extinguisher, and is there a placard instructing employees on where to go in case of a fire?
Do you need a warning placard that keeps them from overloading circuits in the kitchen, or to ensure they don't block an exit door? Be sure you use placards around your office for these types of warnings to improve fire safety in your workplace.
2. Have fire drills and fire safety inspections
Would your employees know what to do in case of a fire, and do they know how to render basic first aid? You can have your entire staff follow a fire safety course online and then conduct regular fire drills to ensure they respond properly if there is a fire onsite.
A fire safety inspection can also tell you where improvements can be made when it comes to your fire safety equipment or the response of employees in case of a fire.
This inspection can also ensure that fire exits are never blocked and can alert you to employee habits that increase the risk of fires, such as the use of space heaters or overloaded circuits in the kitchen.
To learn more about ways to enhance fire safety in your office, contact companies like Fire Protection Services Pty Ltd.