Leverage effective workplace fire safety tips and best practices to eliminate potential fire hazards and ensure the safety of workplace fire protection equipment like smoke alarms and portable fire extinguishers. These fire safety guidelines will enforce fire prevention and enhance the company’s control of fire emergency responses and fire safety procedures.
The Importance of Workplace Fire Safety Tips
Effective workplace fire safety procedures can reduce the likelihood of workplace fires. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) suggests a fire department responds to a fire every 24 seconds in the US. Every workplace has fire hazards, and companies can prevent a devastating workplace fire.
Most Common Causes of Workplace Fires
The NFPA claims that the leading causes of workplace fires include electrical equipment or heat source malfunctions. Here are more common causes of workplace fires:
- Flammable materials like cardboard boxes, paper, flammable liquids, and combustible matter.
- Overusing a single outlet for multiple electrical devices, equipment, and cords.
- Improper ventilation with tons of dust and debris blocking proper airflow in the building.
- The lack of a designated smoking area in workplaces.
Eliminate potential fire hazards and follow the fire safety tips to prevent fire hazards from becoming a fire emergency.
Workplace Fire Safety Tips for Fire Prevention
Our workplace fire prevention and safety best practices ensure safety for employees and businesses that meet the safety regulations outlined by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA).
Assign a Fire Warden to Lead the Team
Prevent most workplace fires when you assign a fire warden to follow safety regulations, outline the fire escape routes, store flammable materials safely, use a fire extinguisher correctly, lead an evacuation plan, and ensure fire safety for the building and employees.
Identify Office and Workplace Fire Hazards
Many workplace fires start with faulty electrical equipment, flammable materials, damaged electrical outlets, flammable liquids, and combustible matter. Identify all fire hazards, including office equipment, heat sources, cooking appliances, smoking materials, power strips, and lighting equipment.
Use Electrical Equipment Safely for Fire Prevention
Only use electrical products certified by a nationally recognized laboratory, and immediately replace any damaged electrical outlets. Use every single outlet correctly, meaning employees should only plug 3-prong electrical equipment into 3-prong outlets. The same applies to 2-prong electrical equipment.
Store Flammable Liquids and Materials Safely
Some organizations and industries manufacture or operate with flammable materials and liquids. In that case, store all flammable products in sealed containers in a dry, secure place every single day. Request that the warden monitor the storage daily to ensure fire prevention in high-risk industries.
Distance Combustible Materials and Heat Sources
Combustible materials are at a greater risk of exploding or causing flames when stored close to heat sources like cooking appliances and electrical outlets. Reinforce fire prevention by moving combustible and flammable materials far away from any heat source in an office or workshop.
Check for Dust and Debris in All Machinery
Organizations underestimate the risk associated with a large build-up of dust and debris blocking ventilation systems and filters. The warden can inspect all machinery for dirt, smut, soot, and debris weekly. Meanwhile, employers can install extraction fans in the affected areas.
Check Fire Safety Equipment Frequently
Fire safety equipment like portable fire extinguishers, fire alarms, smoke detectors, and smoke alarms are integral to fire prevention. The US Fire Administration (USFA) suggests replacing batteries in smoke alarms at least once a year, and the NFPA suggests monthly inspections for a fire extinguisher.
Identify Fire-Prone Areas in the Office or Workshop
Organizations can also prevent workplace fires by identifying fire-prone areas, ensuring they have well-defined and easily accessible escape routes with access to fire extinguishers. The affected areas could include a designated smoking area or a kitchen with electrical and combustible appliances.
Outline Clear Fire Escape Plans on All Business Floor Levels
Fire prevention requires a well-defined evacuation plan with marked evacuation routes all employees can access on multiple floors and areas should a fire incident occur. Ensure safety by locating escape routes and outlining the exit locations and procedures for all employees on a visual chart.
Educate Employees About the Safety Procedures
Ensure every employee understands the evacuation plan when identifying flames or hearing fire alarms, and can find their way to the emergency exits. Understand industry standards and provide the entire team with the evacuation knowledge to protect everyone.
Plan and Execute Frequent Fire Drills
Employers can instruct the warden to plan and execute regular fire drills to ensure all personnel are familiar with the location of emergency exits and the evacuation plan in general. Run frequent fire drills that allow staff to leave the building through easily accessible exit locations as per the plan.
Educate Employees About Fire Safety in General
Employee training can protect employers, employees, and the office or building. Businesses can save lives by training a team to respond effectively and safely to a fire incident, knowing how to properly extinguish a fire, or identifying new fire hazards in businesses.
Identify Unique Risks for Fire Safety
Use fire risk assessment software to identify unique risks in a building to prevent fire hazards and provide a safe work environment for employees. The fire warden could identify unique hazards related to flammable materials in a specific industry or an employee using machinery incorrectly.
Maintain Training for Emergencies to Reduce Risk
Maintain the fire prevention standards in your business to reduce the risk of injury by training employees to administer first aid should a fire incident injure someone. Maintain the first-aid training with renewals every three years as per the American CPR Care Association (CPR Care).
Save Lives With Well-Lit Evacuation Markers
Some buildings have multiple levels accessed through a stairwell or elevator. Ensure all employees on every level can easily access the emergency exits with well-lit evacuation markers should the power fail during the fire incident. Also, monitor the elevator status monthly should it be marked for evacuation.
