Fortunately for most employees, safety in most workplaces is regulated carefully under OHS laws. Things like fire protection and safe working practices are defined by a regulatory body – usually Worksafe – who release detailed guidelines to help you follow the law.
However, Integral Fire Protection tells us a lot of business owners still find it hard to follow fire protection laws. This could be because they aren’t sure where the responsibility lies. After all, they aren’t sure what to do because they believe that most fire safety actions are too complicated. This is not true. Fire safety is essential and should be a priority for every business owner. Some of our top fire safety tips to keep your business and employees safe include:
Make sure you have the right fire safety gear:
The first thing that you need to do is to make sure that you have the right fire safety gear in your building. Fire extinguishers can help you control and contain small fires before they get out of hand, potentially saving you from significant financial and property losses. Some of the fire gear your building should have includes:
- Fire extinguishers of the right type to suit your activities.
- Sprinkler systems to help contain fires.
- Smoke detectors and fire alarms to help evacuate people quickly in the case of an emergency.
- A fire action plan so people know what to do if a fire does occur.
Make sure your safety gear is well maintained:
It is essential to ensure all your fire safety gear is well-maintained and in good condition. Things like fire extinguishers and sprinkler systems need to be serviced regularly to make sure they remain in working condition, and smoke detector batteries need to be changed from time to time.
Make sure your employees are familiar with your emergency procedures:
You, as a business owner, are responsible for fire safety within your building. One of the significant aspects of this is making sure that you have a clear emergency evacuation plan. This plan needs to be understood by every single staff member, and it should be displayed in prominent locations throughout your workplace.
Run regular training days:
Regular fire safety and emergency training days can benefit your staff, primarily if you work in a field with a significant risk of an emergency occurring. Consider bringing in a professional safety training officer to conduct things like fire extinguisher training, first aid courses and emergency skills training.
Final word
It is straightforward to make your workplace less prone to fires. As long as you stay on top of your game and make sure that you keep your fire safety systems up to date, you should be well protected. Make sure that you follow industry best practices, and make sure that your employees are all familiar with your emergency action plan.