Although there are ways to prevent fires from happening, they remain unpredictable and can happen at any time of the day. When designing a fire safety management plan for the business, always consider the worst-case scenario. The employees, customers and other staff could be forced to evacuate at a limited time.
To maintain the safety of the people in the establishment, this article covers a few tips for the employees for an emergency and maintaining the fire protection of Bundaberg businesses.
Establish an Emergency Action Plan
An emergency action plan lays out the responsibilities of employees during a fire or other emergencies
An emergency action plan lays out the responsibilities of employees during a fire or other emergencies. The purpose of an emergency action plan is to facilitate and organize employer and employee actions during workplace emergencies.
A well-developed plan, along with proper employee training, is an effective way to prepare for any emergencies. However, when done poorly, this could result in chaos, confusion, injury, and property damage, due to disorganized evacuation and emergency response.
Therefore, an effective emergency response plan should include the following:
- Escape Route Diagrams
The escape route diagrams highlight primary and secondary exits, accessible routes for the disabled or injured, and should point out the gathering/muster point outside the building.
It should also indicate locations for manual fire alarm pull stations, fire extinguishers, standpipe stations, and fire alarm controls inside the buildings. Fire lanes and fire hydrants outside the building should also be illustrated.
- Evacuation Policies and Procedures
Evacuation routes, crowd control techniques, procedures for assisting persons with disabilities, and methods for reporting fires to the fire department should be clearly drafted.
- Assign responsibilities of specific staff members
Firstly, come to a decision on whether to instruct employees to try to contain the early stages of fire with a portable extinguisher or immediately evacuate the building at the first sign.
Second, determine the specific rescue and medical duties of workers, if they are allowed to perform them. Appoint a specific person to stay behind and shut down critical operations as applicable.
Carry out Fire Prevention Trainings for Employees
Preventing a fire from happening is as important as being prepared. Therefore, proper fire prevention training may help in keeping a fire from igniting.
Here are some simple practices that should be taught and strictly adhered to by everyone:
- Conduct regular building maintenance. For example, in a restaurant, the commercial kitchen's exhaust hoods must be properly cleaned based on the required schedule; the grease build-ups are highly flammable and could fuel the fire.
- Keep flammable and combustible materials, such as paper, linens, and boxes away from sources of ignition. Sources of ignition include hot surfaces, electricity, flames, and sparks or any source of heat.
- Make sure there is enough ventilation when using cleaning products and other chemicals in areas with heat sources.
- Properly dispose of off combustible/flammable materials, such as cardboard boxes, wood pallets, and containers daily to avoid piling up.
- Rules and regulations, such as not smoking inside the building should be strictly implemented. Assign a designated smoking area and cigarette butts should be properly disposed of.
- Avoid putting obstructions on hallways and emergency exits. They should be kept clear at all times.
Fire and Emergency Response Training for Employees
A fire preparedness plan should include fire emergency training for all employees
As they say, ‘ignorance is bliss’. However, in times of an emergency, such as fire, the lack of knowledge and information present great risks.
When someone faces danger or fear, they tend to panic and lose their cognitive senses, making it difficult to think clearly. This happens especially when they lack knowledge about what to do. Thus, a fire preparedness plan should include fire emergency training for all employees.
Fire Extinguisher Training
Fire extinguishers are the first line of defense in the early stages of fire. It helps contain or douse the fire, before it becomes out of hand. However, when not used properly, it could do more harm than good.
FCF offers proper training for the handling of fire extinguishers. This ensures that the employees are prepared to use fire extinguishers without additional risks of harming the user and other employees.
Shutdown Procedures
When working on facilities with critical equipment, such as factories and plants, make sure that the appointed employee for shutting down operations has undergone appropriate training.
Furthermore, this person must be able to recognize and decide when the operation needs to be abandoned and evacuate to safety.
Fire and Emergency Drills
Conducting fire drills helps the employees to familiarize the proper evacuation procedures
Conducting fire and emergency drills helps the employees to familiarize the proper evacuation procedures, in the event of an emergency.
This gives them a chance to practice their designated roles and responsibilities and improve any lapses in the emergency action plan.
FCF offers quality fire protection services
FCF provides quality fire protection services all across Australia. Their fire and electrical franchise Bundaberg ensures that all employees and business are well-protected from a fire emergency. They design and plan the best fire protection system, according to specific needs to improve their safety.
They also assist in establishing an emergency action plan and provide fire extinguisher training for all employees. FCF offers an intensive range of fire protection services, including supply, installation, inspection, maintenance, rectification, and replacement. They ensure that the establishment is compliant with the codes and standards of Australia and local legislations.
