Fire safety checklist for the workplace

1/4/2022 (Permalink)

In order to reduce the possibility of fires and damage from fires in the workplace, your organization must consider, Prevention, Detection, Protection, Elimination, and Restoration. 

Prevention 

How to prevent workplace fires

• Checking electrical outlets for improper voltage
• Ensuring heavy machinery and high voltage equipment is handled by highly trained personnel
• Ensuring a great standing with employees and customers to prevent the possibility of arson
• Investing in a security system to further deter arson 
• Keep fire extinguishers up to date and ensure sprinkler systems are functioning properly 

Detection 

How to detect workplace fires

• Ensure each smoke alarm is regularly tested 
• Make sure employees have proper means of communicating in the event of a fire 
• Employees are educated on what the building’s fire alarm sounds like
• Removing personal use of earbuds that prevent hearing the fire alarm
• Introduce sound protection with slight noise spill so workers can hear alarms
• Having quick lines of communication with each employee

Protection

How to protect employees from workplace fires 

• Clear pathways, so people are not blocked in the event of a fire
• Reduce the amount of flammable material that can block pathways 
• Make sure employees are educated on locations of exits, alerts, and extinguishers 

Elimination 

How to eliminate workplace fires

• Keep fire extinguishers up to date and ensure sprinkler systems are functioning properly
• Close doors when exited to reduce the amount of fire 
• Add a security system that alerts authorities
• Contact the authorities as soon as possible  

Restoration

How to restore the workplace after a fire

Having a clean-up and restoration crew on standby is important to mitigate further damage. Businesses need to act quickly in the restoration process, or there will be further water and possibly mold damage. As the sprinklers go off in order to prevent the fire from spreading and causing loss of life, it will flood the affected floors. The water damage needs immediate assessment in order to reduce further damage. Having a team that can perform all levels of cleanup, construction, and restoration from the fire and sprinkler water damage will save you time and get the commercial work back in business quicker.   

A quick fire safety checklist for the workplace

• Perform a risk assessment  
• Update your evacuation plan 
• Test fire alarms 
• Make fire extinguishers available 
• Check that the fire extinguishers are up to date
• Educate employees on fire extinguisher locations, exits, and procedures 
• Clear pathways to the fire exits and ensure the cleaning crew regularly clears paths
• Check that electronics are pulling the right voltage compared to the outlet 
• Ensure combustible materials are being stored correctly  

Main fire risks to the workplace

Electrical components 

• Overloaded outlets 
• Faulty equipment 
• Proximity to combustible materials 

Heavy machinery and high voltage equipment used by untrained workers

Insufficient training of workers 

Improper storage of combustible materials

Arson