Guidelines for a Fire Safety Plan Within the Workplace

While the event of a fire is in most cases preventable, accidents can occur. Within every workplace, staff need to be aware of the safety procedures necessary to take should a fire take place.

Prevention is the best protection against fire. That’s why all employees should be aware of any fire hazards within their workplace environment. 

For a fire to occur, three things must be present:

• Heat – a source of ignition
• Fuel – anything flammable
• Oxygen – what sustains the fire

Where these three elements are present together there is a higher risk of fire. Training employees to recognize and avoid creating conditions conducive to starting a fire is the first step towards workplace fire safety.

Once employees can recognize what constitutes a fire hazard within their environment, they should be trained on what to do if a fire occurs. While each organization will have slightly different procedures, any emergency plan should include the following basics:

1. What to do if you see a fire-This covers actions like activating the fire alarm initiate the evacuation of the building, and calling the fire service (311 in Barbados). 
2. When and if to use the fire extinguisher- some fire outbreaks may be caught early and provided serviceable equipment is nearby, you may be able to use the fire extinguisher to prevent further spread. If the fire is too big, or if there is any doubt, as tempted as one may be to fight it with an extinguisher, the safety of the person is paramount and they should evacuate.
3. Evacuation routes for the building- every employee should be aware of the evacuation routes, especially the nearest exit to their workstation and from general common areas like the lunchroom or bathroom.
4. Muster or meeting point for the organization - After evacuating a building, all staff and visitors should gather in one central location an appropriate distance from the building. This allows for a headcount of those present to ensure that no one is missing.
5. Chain of command and communication - In emergencies, chaos can be avoided if all staff know who to report to and who is responsible for what, for example, who should do the headcount for their department or who the group should listen to for direction.

Organizations have a responsibility to ensure that their fire safety equipment is regularly and properly serviced, and that signage marking fire exits, the location of safety and fire equipment, and the meeting points are clear and visible to staff and visitors alike.

Evacuation routes need to be clear of obstacles that could hinder a swift and safe evacuation of the building and all employees should be regularly trained on firefighting procedures and evacuation plans of the company, as this will minimize confusion and save critical minutes in an emergency.

To help prevent a fire in your organization, visit our website here: https://safetysupplyco.com/shop/fire-equipment to view Safety Supply Co.’s range of fire safety equipment. We also service fire equipment and can assist with staff training. Contact our Service Department today!