Following on from our article last week, please find below part 2 of our Fire Safety Tips in the workplace.
Establish Safe Practices in the business once the plan has been prepared
• Keep staff up to date on the most recent practices. Get used to adding an item to weekly or monthly meetings that covers safety in general. This will ensure staff have been made aware of any changes to policy.
• Ensure any machinery in the workplace / office is maintained correctly to prevent overheating / friction sparks.
• Inspect wiring and electrical devices on a regular basis. Get into a habit of ensuring wires are protected. Faulty wiring and malfunctioning electrical devices are known to be key contributors to fires in the workplace.
• Ensure all plugs and electrical devices are PAT tested to current standards.
• Should any electrical repairs be required subcontract these repairs to a qualified electrician unless you are qualified.
• Document any issues and make necessary changes to show you have identified and rectified any problem areas.
• Prepare a contingency plan. This is vital should a fire occur to ensure your business can continue with minimal disruption.
Establish good housekeeping practices and ensure your staff understand and adhere to them
• Clear office and work space areas of clutter and ensure this does not block walkways, emergency exits or fire prevention equipment.
• ENSURE employees keep their own work space tidy and also report any “issues” with areas they frequent or devices they may use. It is good practice to include a copy of this information in a staff handbook so that they sign off their understanding of the procedure.
• Dispose of waste properly: clear bins regularly and ensure waste is collected for offsite disposal. External bin / refuge area can be a risk also so check this on a regular basis and make sure refuge is secure.
• Designate specific smoking areas and ensure all smokers are using it. Enforce proper extinguishing of smoking materials. It is an offense to smoke inside office / workplace property. Ensure your employees / sub-contractors / visitors are aware of this.
• For buildings that have multiple offices It is good practice to keep a log book to monitor times visitors arrive and depart. This will ensure in the case of a fire, any irregular guests area accounted for.
Part 3 will be published later this week.
