“Fire safety at work” is a phrase that gets many employees rolling their eyes– for some, there’s nothing worse than getting put through a fire drill at work or listening to fire safety information for the umpteenth time. However, fire safety is no joke, and there’s a long history of evidence as to why a well-oiled safety protocol saves lives.
Recent events in the Amazon and in France show us that fire safety protocol is something that’s only really appreciated when a crisis occurs. Having routine, procedure and an array of fire equipment safety signs works to react to and proactively prevent fires.
Here, we list how to maintain fire safety at work, from safety signs to fire drills.
Fire Equipment Safety Signs
Employers and duty holders are legally responsible and obligated to keep their employees safe. Proactively preventing fires is the safest and most efficient method to achieve this responsibility.
The best way to achieve this is by using clear, legible safety signs placed at vital points in a business’s premises. Each safety sign needs to adhere to UK, EU and international standards, including ISO EN 7010, BS 5499 and the Safety Signs and Signals Regulations 1996. Key areas must be signposted, including:
- Fire doors.
- Fire exits.
- “Keep shut” signs.
- Fire Action notes and instructions.
- Disabled guidance safety.
- Fire equipment (extinguishers, alarms, etc.).
These signs not only help ensure safety at times of panic, but it allows a workforce to be continually reminded of procedure for escape when on work premises. Once your signs are in place, the best way to improve fire safety at work is repetition of drills and procedure.
Repetition: The Importance of Fire Drills
Fire drills give employees a chance to practice emergency procedures and employers an opportunity to review their protocols in a safe, simulated environment. Even if you’ve properly signposted your workplace and dropped volumes of safety literature on your employees’ desks, it means nothing if you don’t put it into practice.
Primarily, the goal of a fire drill is to determine if your employees understand your fire safety protocol and can carry them out. Not only is it important to run a fire drill on a trimonthly basis, but it is equally important to review, make notes and analyse places where your fire health and safety in the workplace is not up to standard.
Alongside fire drills, reviewing the workplace with an assessment is essential in producing a watertight fire safety foundation. During an assessment, you must:
- Identify all fire hazards.
- Identify members of staff at risk.
- Identify temporary staff, contractors and on-site visitors at risk.
- Remove, reduce and evaluate risks.
- Record findings and keep on record.
- Review and update the assessment regularly and keep staff informed.
Assessments are another learning opportunity for your business, especially when used preceding or after a fire drill.
Trust Procedure
Overall, once fire safety signs are in place, drills are scheduled and assessments are rigorously undertaken, you need to trust procedure and repetition. By reminding staff, through drills, assessments and changes to business protocol, they will be more than ready should a fire breakout or threaten.
Don’t Take Any Chances
If you wish to improve your fire safety at work, then check out our range of fire equipment safety signs. Our entire range satisfies UK, EU and international standards, keeping your employees and your business safe.
