Still, on the fence about getting fire safety training, you have landed on the right page!
The following article is all about clarifying any doubt that you have about it. Read on!
Fire equates to destruction! Without proper remedial as well as preventive measures, it can claim property or lives almost immediately after it break out. Proper fire safety training educates you of the actions needed to be taken in times of an emergency.
Why Fire Safety Training is Smart?
Getting fire safety training on your own or providing it to your employees is not only a smart endeavor but also the law. This is primarily because a workplace fire hazard may just lead to –
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- Job loss
- Life loss
- Property loss
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The importance of fire safety training lies in the fact that your workers would be able to respond immediately and effectively to counter all the ill-effects of a fire break out. Armed with the knowledge of how to take action, you or your employees can shrink the devastating outcomes of fire, into something small.
A fire puts everyone on the premises at risk. But some are more at risk than the others. Especially, those new to the job and are neither familiar with their workplace nor the equipment. With trained workers recognizing the hazards, conducting fire safety assessments and responding timely during a workplace fire would make things easier for you.
What is the Importance of Fire Safety Training?
The benefits of availing fire safety training are multifold. Not only can you shield your company from any unfavorable losses but also make your company more valuable during an appraisal. If you are having trouble understanding the importance of fire safety training, here is a detailed explanation –
Appraising the Risk of Safety in Fire –
To be on top of fire safety you need to evaluate fire safety risk your company regularly. It is the first thing done by a fire protection contractor before and during he/she the training. He/she uses the inspection to teach their students how to do it on their own to ensure the safety of your company premises.
A professional teaches their students how to determine what is important and what is not. The basics of the plan include –
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- How to plan emergency routes
- How to ensure if you have sufficient exit
- How to have sufficient emergency lighting into the exits
- How to include the needs of people with disabilities in your evacuation plans
- How to spot the areas in which your company needs prevention and safety improvement from fire
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Setting a Plan of Action –
The importance of fire safety training is not limited to just training you or your employees on how to get set up fire safety measurements in the office premises. It also comes in handy when it comes to training your employees what to do in case of a fire break out. Here is a list of training given by the fire safety training officers –
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- Inform and educate the employees about the fire evacuation plans
- Teaching the appropriate decorum to follow when you are amidst a fire emergency to avoid a stampede
- Inform and help you memorize the necessary numbers that would be of greater help in the event of a fire
- When coupled together fire safety training provided by professionals it would ensure the safety of the lives of your employees as well as the security of your office premises and other important materials.
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What May Lead to a Fire Emergency?
Recognizing the basic properties of fire is a must when it comes to identifying what not to do in the event of a fire. This is probably one of the first things that come to the mind of most when faced with a fire emergency. Here is a list that you should keep an eye out that may turn into a fire hazard –
1.) Unplug the Plug
Whether you want to save some bills or stop unexpected fires unplugging is the way to go! Unplugging your device ensures that you serve more than one purpose. A plugged device not only increases your electricity bills but also amplifies the chances of getting short-fused.
There is no guarantee of it ever happening but there is a high probability of it happening. All it takes is one short spark and your hard work would turn to ashes. Stop it from happening to unplug your device!
2.) Say No to Octopus Connections
It is best to refrain from using octopus connections in office premises to put a stop to fire! Octopus connections happen when multiple cords are thrust into electric is a disaster that is waiting to happen. While the idea of having a device handling it all this sounds good and simple but it rarely happens!
It is important to remember that since the device was meant to support only one or two devices, they are not equipped to do more. Putting in more plugs that it can handle would only enhance its chances of getting short-fused. Extension cords are ideal for temporary use only; regular use would transform them into great fire hazards. Not very ideal!
3.) Untangled Wires
Wires are a part of every dwelling residential as well as commercial nature. With over-use, the long and loose wires are bound to show wear and tear. These tears are immediately fixed with the help of the trusted electrical tape and this is exactly where the danger lies.
Even though it is a great stop-gap continued use of the wires wrapped in the electrical tape is not very ideal. They are the biggest hazards and proponents of electric fire that makes it all the more necessary to get replaced. It is also cheap to do so at the very inception!
4.) Right Storage
While many would disagree with it being a fire hazard but neglecting proper storage might just land you in a lot of trouble. While putting in the right type of storage for every item is important getting the right storage for the right materials especially for the combustible ones.
Materials like clothes, papers, and curtains are highly flammable materials and storing them right is important as otherwise they would perish in the fire. Storing them in cardboard boxes is not ideal but it is also important to place them into ventilated places and away from the kitchen area. If you are mindful of this you would not have any unhappy incident in your hand!
5.) Proper Housekeeping
Be it in your home or office good housekeeping is critical to prevent fire hazards in places. Ignoring the requirement of doing so would lead to an escalated number of accidents resulting in burn injuries and property loss.
Keeping the materials in your commercial and residential facility organized would assist you in maintaining the overall safety of your employees as well as family. The best way to maintain the safety of your premises is to remove materials that trigger fire with the right housekeeping routine.
Being in the top of things would keep you in the clear of any fire hazard!
How to Respond if a Fire Starts?
While the above-mentioned points are enough to pinpoint a few things that may result in an office fire what it does not state is how to respond when there is a fire. It is thus important to remember that fire gets started when the source of ignition comes in contact with fuel and oxygen. It is best to keep them apart to prevent unwanted troubles but there is more that needs to be done.
Prepping your employees is important to ensure their safety in the event of a fire and with fire safety training your staff would learn just that. The fire safety training officials teach them how to act or react to escape or stop a fire. Here are a few ways how they do so –
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- Make your employees set up and learn about the company’s emergency plan
- Integrate the role of your employee in the company’s emergency plan
- Teach how to activate the fire alarm in your office building in the event of a fire for the occupants to getaway
- They teach your employees how to secure the premises once they leave or are on the way out, the easiest being closing the doors behind them
- The location of the designated muster areas outside your office premises to be in touch by authorities is also set up by them
- The proper procedure to deal with heat or smoke if you chance upon them while exiting the building is also taught by them
- They also teach how to fight the fire of small stature with a portable extinguisher
- They also employ fire drills to improve your response in the event of a fire as well as with the interest of smoking out all the flaws that may fail your emergency plan in the interest of rectifying them
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The practice is said to make everything perfect but it also ensures that you score high when it matters the most. It also is the best when it comes to building the confidence of the workers in the advent of fire. Fire safety training helps everyone keep calm and work towards the remedy in the advent of a fire break out.
Best Ways to Prevent Workplace Fires
The instructors of fire safety training hold classes to teach your employees how to take action and prevent fires in the workplace. Here are a few tips that are implemented by the instructors to promote a safer workplace –
1.) Keep your workplace free of clutter as construction debris and common litter tend to act as fuel in a fire as well as block the various access points and emergency exits that would turn hazardous during a fire event.
2.) Smoke only in places that are designated for smoking. This is because the areas that are open to smoking also provide the best way to disperse the smoke. It is not a great idea to smoke in chemical storage areas or storerooms.
3.) Keep an eye out for damaged sockets, frayed wiring, broken switches as well as other defective fixtures and repair the electrical fixtures immediately when you spot the damage. Materials stored in front of the panels hinder shutdowns in emergencies, hence they are a no-no!
4.) It is also not a great idea to run your electrical cords under the rugs or near the heat source as they are the first thing that you would stumble upon on your way out in a hurry.
5.) Get the electrical changes, repairs or installations done by licensed electricians only and just because it is convenient do not overload your electrical circuits by using in extra lights as well as application or place combustible materials near bulbs.
6.) Mark all the potential fire risks with clear signs that are visible all around and post the emergency telephone numbers all over the work area to ensure that everyone knows every single detail they need during an emergency.
7.) Keep all your machinery well lubricated as well as cleaned properly to prevent overheating that creates friction sparks. Keep the metal containers cleaned as well as covered by oily rags that must be disposed of properly by you and your employees regularly.
8.) Ensure that you do not block your emergency exits, firefighting equipment, and sprinklers. Also, it is a must to learn the location and proper use of a fire extinguisher. It is important to learn its use not only for your safety but also to stop a small fire from spreading on the premises.
Conclusion –
Fire safety training would not only see to the safety of your commercial premises but also keeps your track record clean. By giving the option of fire safety training open to all your employees you would be able to save a lot of lives. You would also be able to stop a small fire even from spreading further and turn into a hazardous event, ever.
