Whether you’re working in a large corporation or a small home office, maintaining a safe environment is essential if you want to be productive. It’s also important to be compliant with local regulations and standards when it comes to fire safety. As an employer, you’re responsible for the safety and wellbeing of your employees, so it’s a good idea to inspect your office thoroughly to see how safe it is in regards to fires.
To help you out, here are eight ways to improve fire safety in and around your office.
1. Position fire extinguishers around the office
If you haven’t already, make sure that you place fire extinguishers around the office. Some important locations include escape routes and near potential sources of fire. The ideal placement of fire extinguishers is something that you can learn more about with a fire safety assessment.
2. Make sure there are signs around the office guiding employees to safety
Clear signs should be used to help guide your employees around the office to safety. They should clearly indicate where the exit is, and they should be visible from virtually anywhere in the office.
3. Get your fire safety systems checked
The last thing you want is a failed sprinkler system that doesn’t work when you need it the most. It’s important to get your fire sprinklers inspected on a regular basis to ensure they are working as intended and can save lives in the event of a fire. You should also be checking any smoke detectors and alarms that are a part of your system.
4. Make sure the emergency lighting is working
During a fire, it’s impossible to see anything due to thick clouds of smoke that could limit your vision. As a result, it’s a good idea to have emergency lighting on the floor that turns on when there’s a fire and helps to direct your staff out of the office. Make sure these lights actually work and turn on during an emergency.
5. Ensure your staff know what to do in the event there’s a fire
Carrying out fire drills is important if you have a relatively large team of employees. An effective fire drill should be fast, your staff should know all the routes out of the building and it should test all fire safety systems to ensure they are working as intended.
6. Carry out a fire safety assessment
You don’t know where the fire hazards in your office are until you perform a fire safety assessment. This is a relatively quick inspection performed by a fire safety professional. They’ll aim to examine your entire office to look for specific areas that could be a fire risk, and then they’ll report back and give suggestions on areas that you should consider changing or improving for the sake of fire safety.
It’s relatively easy to ensure that your office is safe from the threat of potential fires. A lot of it rests on your shoulders, so make sure you take up this responsibility.
