Business Fire Safety starts with you
Dealing with a fire is no joking matter, and if you run a business, it can result in a serious loss. Either through stock loss, damage to building and premises, loss of company data and most important of all the time it takes you to get back on your feet. This is all time your competitors are getting your customers money. There are many things that companies can do to keep their businesses and employees safe from fire, and here are some quick tips that every business – both large and small – should follow for Fire Safety at work.
Fire Safety at work means Keeping Equipment in Working Order
The first thing you can do, and the easiest, is to make sure that your fire equipment is always in working order. This equipment can include a wide variety of things, depending on your size of business and business fire safety plan. You should regularly inspect all equipment in your building to make sure it is operational. In fact, many counties require this as part of their health and safety regulations. Should you find something not working, you can order smoke alarms from Fire Protection Online or other similar companies. An important item in any Business fire action plan should be the fire retardant safe. One of these could save those important data backups long enough for help to arrive on scene.
Business Fire Safety Starts with Cooperation
Depending on your business model if you share premises, a warehouse or a building with other organizations regularly keep in contact with the other business’s around you regarding their fire safety at work. Also keep in contact with landlords if you are renting to make sure the other entities around you are maintaining their fire safety at work. After all a fire affects everyone in the location not just you and you will still take damage to your business if the fire is next door.
Train Your Employees
The next thing on your fire safety at work plan should be is training your employees on how to respond in an emergency, like a fire. A little preparedness can go a long way. For most companies, this doesn’t have to be in-depth. Simply showing employees where the alarm panels are, as well as where to find the fire extinguishers, can be sufficient. Knowing the contact number for your local fire brigade and emergency services or indeed having them on speed dial can save the day.
No business fire safety plan is complete without Evacuation plan.
As a business owner it is you and your staff’s responsibility to get everyone out of the building in the event of fire. You should have an evacuation plan, and a way to get a headcount each day. By setting up a common rally point and having Fire Wardens, you can easily do this should you need to leave your building due to an emergency. Most business’s should practice their evacuation drill every three months
Have Basic Fire Safety at work Policies in Place
Finally, you should have basic policies in place in your business to help prevent fires. For example, you should make sure that all rules and regulations are compliant with fire codes from your local Fire Marshall. If you have questions, you local fire department will usually be happy to help and getting a fine for not being compliant is the last thing you want to have. This would come under the category of wasted dead money.
These policies can be simple – keep fire aisles clear at all time, or unplug certain equipment when not in use. It could also be things like no hanging up Christmas lights indoors, or lighting candles. These simple policies can help prevent fires and promote fire safety at work.
***Photo thanks to Jim & Taberandrew***
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