Fire safety throughout your workplace is vital, and all employers need to be aware of the laws regarding this subject. Fire kills thousands of people every year, and the affects of smoke inhalation can be devastating. Therefore, any measures that can be used to protect the workforce are essential as basic safety equipment and training can save lives. You can consult with businesses like Legacy Fire or companies closer to the workplace, to check out the area and discuss the necessary changes that may need to take place as well as install safety equipment at relevant points.
All health and safety areas throughout the workplace will need to have a risk assessment conducted, to ensure that the correct equipment is supplied. Once any potential hazard has been identified, you will need to ensure that the correct training is provided. Taking satisfactory measures to ensure that everyone that enters the building is safe is essential.
An often overlooked area of fire risk is electrical safety. A risk assessment may find some hazards such as improper use of power sockets, but there can be other areas of concern. An electrical safety inspection can highlight risks that are hard to spot, such as an insufficient electrical panel or exposed wiring. Both of which can cause a fire as they can be poorly protected from power surges. Talking to a certified commercial electrician about electrical inspections or Electrical Panel Upgrade options for your workplace can be a significant step towards fire safety.
You will need to guarantee the safety of all employees, and visitors by having the correct procedures in place; you will be able to help protect everyone from fire. You are legally obligated to have fire fighting equipment and warning signs in place. All businesses must have the required number of fire extinguishers and have trained staff to use them correctly.
Ensuring that every member of staff is trained will also help to keep people safe. When a fire breaks out, it can be daunting, and everything happens far too quickly, which is why you need to make sure that everyone understands the correct safety procedures. Remaining calm focused and organised can make a huge difference when everyone around you is panicking.
Some people do not realise that there are so many different styles of fire extinguishers, which can be confusing. If you are unsure of the different styles, you can easily look at fire extinguishers at fireprotectiononline.co.uk for guidance. Once you have determined the style of extinguisher you need, you can begin training.
The fire fighting equipment needs to be kept on display in easy to access areas, which can be obtained by staff members. Your fire extinguishers will need to be maintained regularly, and often the local fire department will want to check they are functioning correctly. Once the equipment is in place, you will need to ensure that regular fire drills are carried out. You might also want to do a timely emergency lighting testing to ensure that the emergency escape lighting which illuminates escape routes are functioning properly.
Fire drills may seem pointless; however, they can help to establish where everyone needs to be at any given time, and guarantee that employees feel confident they can remain calm. If your employees change often, you will need to perform the drills more throughout the year. Everyone will benefit from a refresher of the different procedures which are needed.
Alongside the extinguishers, your building will also benefit from having smoke alarms from fireprotectiononline.co.uk fitted throughout the building. These will alert everyone if there is a problem, and hopefully provide enough time for everyone to escape the building. Ensuring that everyone knows the escape routes, assembly points, and correct procedures will save lives.
Appointing a fire monitor will be an excellent way to check that everyone has been evacuated, that areas have been checked, and that everyone is accounted for. If you take the time to ensure that these safety measures are carried out, you and your employees will be far happier.