Last Updated on January 9, 2024 by Umer Malik
Workplace hazards can set a company back months – even years worth of progress and gain. Even worse, it put the lives of your employees and customers in grave danger as well.
There’s a reason why there are standards for workplace fire safety and that’s to protect everyone from the risks brought about by fires. Creating a fire-hazard free workplace is a difficult task but it’s certainly not impossible. It will be even easier if you follow these vital tips first.
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Prepare Your Employees
Experts from Workplace Emergency says that it’s very important to give your employees proper training in risk reduction and management.
Aside from teaching them what they should do in the case of a fire, these programs also teach them what they need to do to prevent fires in the first place. This is a very important part of fire prevention because your employees are the first line of defence against them after all.
Ideally, the training should be held at least once a year so that your employees are always in the loop about what to do. Giving them handouts on the pointers is also a good way to keep them ready.
Keep Your Environment Clean and Tidy
It’s very important to keep your environment clean at all times. A lot of people tend to forget that pieces of paper, plastic, and other forms of trash are very common and easy fire starters.
Maintaining a clean environment inside and outside of your workplace is a good practice that will help prevent fires. Aside from teaching your employees to dispose of their trash properly, you should also practice proper waste management and disposal as well as this can help you out a lot.
When it comes to waste management, it would be a good idea to ensure that your trash bins are free from trash at the end of every day.
Inspect Electrical Equipment Regularly
Electrical equipment can start fires very quickly. Even a short-circuiting fuse box can easily set off flames. It’s very important to have your electrical equipment inspected at least once a month. This will ensure that all of them are in perfect working order and none of them can cause fires.
If there are equipment with issues – even minor ones, make sure to replace them as soon as possible so that you can prevent fires even further.
That being said, you should also inspect and look for leaks or moisture near any of your electrical equipment as well. The area surrounding your electrical equipment needs to be dry at all times.
Inspect Fire Extinguishers, Sprinklers and Hoses
Once a small fire breaks out, there’s still a chance for your employees to control it and prevent it from spreading even further. The only way to do this is if they have quality equipment to work with.
There should be easily accessible fire extinguishers inside your establishment. Keep in mind that extinguishers have an expiration date. Check on them regularly and have them replaced if they are beyond the suggested period of use.
Your establishment should have the latest water sprinkler system installed as well. This is one of the best lines of defence you have when it comes to fires. Last but not the least, your fire hose should be working fine as well.
Ideally, these should be inspected at least once a month as well. Make sure that they are all working properly.
Store Chemicals Properly
If your workplace handles chemicals and other flammable materials, then it’s a must that all of them should be handled with care. Once the bottles holding these chemicals are empty, dispose of them as the small amount of residue inside is always more than enough to start a fire.
Only those with experience should handle the chemicals within your vicinity. Of course, there should always be a fire extinguisher near the place where you store the chemicals as well.
It goes without saying that flammable materials should be handled with the same amount of care as chemicals as well.
Never Skip Fire Risk Assessment
Fire risk assessments are required by law. They are there to ensure that your workplace is safe and free from fire hazards.
Aside from the legal repercussions, another reason you should not avoid this is because this is one of the best ways to find the flaws in your workplace. The more attentive you are about these flaws, the less likely it is for fires to start.
Fires are both costly and dangerous. The best way to avoid getting your business ruined by a fire is to take the right steps to prevent them from ever happening as well. As the head of a company, it’s your duty to ensure that there are enough safety measures in place to prevent fires in the workplace
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