Imagine pulling up to the office only to see raging flames bursting out the windows. The thought alone gives you chills down your spine. But fires in the workplace do happen, often when least expected. Don’t wait for disaster to strike. There are straightforward yet crucial actions you can take today to keep yourself and coworkers out of harm’s way.
This post will guide you through the most vital steps for preventing fires at work.
Give Someone Responsibility for Fire Safety
Job number one is picking fire safety leaders. Has your company appointed at least one fire warden yet? If not, this should jump to the top of your priorities immediately.
Every workplace needs at least one key person spearheading fire prevention. The office manager, facilities manager, HR manager or safety officer tend to be sensible choices. Whoever takes on the role must fully grasp potential fire triggers in your space and where your company currently stands on safety.
Fire Warden Duties Can Include:
- Joining in developing, carrying out and improving emergency plans.
- Walking through the workspace carefully to pinpoint possible fire sources.
- Making leadership and staff aware of current hazards.
- Documenting risks then brainstorming solutions with leadership.
- Sizing up preventative steps already in place to control fire danger.
- Coaching employees on how to respond in an emergency.
- Planning and running regular fire drills.
- Performing ongoing checks related to stopping fires before they start.
Other Fire Safety Task Ideas:
While one person should take the lead, fire planning can become complex for bigger companies. You’ll want to put together a crew of dependable people who can back up the warden with various jobs.
Some extra responsibilities you could delegate to your team might be:
- Guaranteeing accountability and reporting back to leadership.
- Verifying all doors are shut and exits stay open.
- Helping mobility-limited staff get out safely, clearing damaged zones, gathering stragglers during evacuation.
Notice Risks Around Your Office
The bulk of workplace fires that occur could have been prevented long before flames erupt. Truth is, many factors amp up the odds of a fire sparking in business settings. To inform everyone, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) assembled a list of some of the most frequent triggers behind workplace infernos. While not comprehensive, these are common risks found in most offices:
- Cooking tools like microwaves, ovens
- Faulty electrical wiring
- Overloaded power strips
- Lighting fixtures
- Space heaters
- Arson
- Smoking materials
- Chemical exposures
- Electronics like computers, TVs
Your fire warden should scout the premises with a keen eye on these danger zones. Once a hazard appears, create a plan to either eliminate the threat, train staff on proper equipment handling or fix whatever issue bred the risk.
Focus Extra on Sections Prone to Fires
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for fire safety since triggers vary widely across industries. But certain areas in most workplaces should be seen as having elevated risk.
Over a five year stretch, just over one-fifth of reported workplace fires started in an office kitchen or break room. Any building with a kitchen loaded with appliances that generate heat is vulnerable.
It’s also worth noting that while only 2% of fires initiated in a ceiling or attic, blazes in these spots accounted for 13% of direct property damage. It helps to know which sections of your workspace are most fire-prone and where ignition points cause the biggest destruction. Of course, equal care should go toward every inch of the office.
Extra precautions every company should enact in case of fire include reducing loose paper around the office, storing combustibles properly, and training each employee on what to do if flames erupt.
Grasp Your Industry’s Unique Needs
When it comes to fire safety, different business sectors each come with their own distinct challenges. For instance, a chicken processing facility will need a specialized CO2 extinguisher mounted above the fryers – not a tool found in the average office.
Similarly, the decentralized nature of bank branches means each location needs its own plan. If a bank catches ablaze, actions will be needed to protect employees alongside any customers inside.
The healthcare field involves safeguarding a wide range of staff from doctors to nurses to techs, as well as patients if a clinic or hospital goes up in smoke.
Knowing the specific fire risks tied to your line of work is key for keeping your environment secure.
Educate Your Team on Proper Fire Prep
OSHA enforces strict safety rules on businesses – requirements that vary based on industry hazards. On top of that, companies have a legal and ethical obligation to exercise reasonable care for their workers. This duty demands employers do everything imaginable to keep staff away from harm.
But whether mandated by law or not, every business should provide a safe workspace. Step one is teaching your people.
This set of OSHA tips on fire prevention can assist companies in fulfilling their caretaking duty and prepping employees:
- The fire prevention plan should be written, visibly posted and available to all staff. Vital points to spell out:
- Outline major prospective fire dangers.
- Provide instruction on safely handling and storing hazardous chemicals.
- Make workers aware of ignition sources and how to control them.
- Explain installed fire protection systems tailored to your significant risks.
- Share evacuation protocols and instructions for using the emergency alert system.
- Detail processes to prevent buildup of combustible waste.
- Describe safeguards on heat-producing equipment to stop accidental ignition of flammables.
- List names and titles of internal fire safety leaders.
It’s imperative companies inform staff of any fire risks they may come across while working. Additionally, employers must review the safety plan with each employee.
Use a Fire Safety Checklist
Spotting the hazards your firm faces is step one to reducing fire danger at work. The job can feel overwhelming, so a streamlined checklist makes an excellent starting point.
Here’s a Simple Fire Safety Checklist:
- Assigned fire warden? Name:
- Regular fire drills? Last date:
- Evacuation routes marked? Yes/No
- Fire extinguishers inspected monthly? Yes/No
- Extinguishers easily accessible? Yes/No
- Flammable chemicals labeled and stored properly? Yes/No
- Electrical wiring, outlets and appliances in good shape? Yes/No
- Smoke detectors installed and working? Yes/No
- Fire sprinklers functional (if equipped)? Yes/No
- Emergency exits unblocked and operational? Yes/No
- Combustible trash removed regularly? Yes/No
- Fire safety plan current and accessible? Yes/No
- All personnel trained on fire prevention policies? Yes/No
Install Fire Alarms and Sprinklers
Alongside your other efforts, putting in fire detection and suppression equipment can provide an extra layer of defense. OSHA advocates several systems that can automatically notice fires and trigger response mechanisms.
Fire Alarm Systems
Alarms give early warning by picking up on smoke, heat or flames. System varieties include:
- Smoke detectors – Ionization and photoelectric alarms sense smoke
- Duct detectors – Detect smoke in HVAC system air ducts
- Heat detectors – Sense fires by rapid temperature jumps
- Flame detectors – Optical sensors spot flames
Fire Sprinkler Systems
Sprinklers curb fires by showering the area with water. Two main types are:
- Wet pipe – Pipes holding water under pressure
- Dry pipe – Pipes holding pressurized air, water source on standby
Proper maintenance is key to ensure these systems function when their moment comes.
Perform Regular Inspections
Your fire warden should do periodic walkthroughs checking for fresh hazards. But it also helps to have a new set of eyes scrutinize the premises occasionally. Consider an independent fire risk assessment by an outside expert once a year or so.
An external consultant may catch threats you overlooked. They’ll check fire safety measures are adequate and flag where improvements might be beneficial.
Hold Fire Drills Frequently (continued)
Book learning only goes so far. To respond on instinct in real emergencies, your team needs hands-on rehearsal.
Fire drills should happen at minimum yearly. But more frequent practice every 6 months will keep procedures fresh in everyone’s memory.
When conducting drills:
- Vary the time of day and circumstances to keep employees on their toes. Drills are most effective when unpredictability is high.
- Occasionally block certain exits during a drill to simulate real world conditions where fire may obstruct paths. This forces staff to identify alternate routes.
- Stage surprise drills without warning staff beforehand. Surprise tests how well employees respond under pressure.
- Time how long full evacuations take and provide feedback on where delays occur. Use this to improve future response times.
- Appoint fire wardens to play roles testing their emergency duties like checking for stragglers.
- Debrief afterwards to discuss what went smoothly and where improvements may be needed.
- Document each drill, including date, time, participants, scenarios tested and overall performance.
The more lifelike you can make drills, the better prepared employees will be if an actual emergency strikes.
Enforce Good Housekeeping
Many fires start small before growing out of control. Something as minor as an overflowing trash bin or dust buildup around electronics can fuel a raging blaze when ignited.
Promote good housekeeping around the workplace. Ensure your people:
- Remove waste frequently, especially combustibles like paper.
- Keep clutter away from ignition sources and exits.
- Clean up spills immediately to avoid slips and remove flammables.
- Report any frayed electrical cords, damaged wiring or overheating appliances.
- Keep equipment maintained per manufacturer instructions.
- Use and store flammable chemicals properly by following safety data sheets.
- Keep lunchrooms tidy and clean coffeemakers, microwaves and ovens regularly.
Good work habits minimize unnecessary flammable and combustible materials that could feed fires.
Emphasize Fire Prevention Daily
Instilling a culture of fire safety takes repetition. Don’t just talk about it once a year. Look for ways to promote awareness daily.
- Start meetings with a short fire prevention tip.
- Include fire safety recaps in internal newsletters or emails.
- Put up posters with prevention reminders around the office.
- Reward teams or departments demonstrating excellent safety behaviors.
The more you embed fire prevention into everyday work, the more it will stick. Stay vigilant even when a busy schedule makes it tempting to overlook hazards.
Act Quickly When Fire Strikes
Your efforts should focus heavily on prevention. But also prepare for the worst case. Ensure employees know exactly how to respond if a fire does erupt in your workplace.
The steps outlined here work together to minimize fire catastrophe. But don’t stop at preparing your workplace. Make sure you take fire safety just as seriously at home. Fire prevention is a 24/7, 365 days a year responsibility we all share.