How to Prevent Fire Damage in the Workplace

Your place of work needs to be a productive, safe environment in which staff members feel comfortable. This is why ensuring business properties are ‘fire-safe’ is essential.

Below, we look at ways you can prevent fires at work.

Conduct your annual fire risk assessments

While there are hundreds of ways you reduce the risk of a fire breaking out at your office, identifying the risks should be the first effort made by you as a business.

This can be achieved by carrying out a fire risk assessment; something most businesses have to do annually by law.

Through the assessment, the assessor should define the fire risk hotspots, what hazards can be limited and which people are most at risk in the event of a fire. Measures should then be put in place to limit the risks.

Ensure you have the right fire extinguishers

Every property used for commercial purposes will require fire extinguishers of some sort. However, the type of extinguisher required will be decided by the type of work conducted at the property. For instance, if you work with a lot of chemicals, paper or even electrical equipment, there will be certain extinguishers required to tackle fires caused by those materials.

The exact extinguishers you will need will become apparent after conducting your fire risk assessment.

Install effective smoke alarms

Installing smoke alarms are a tried and tested way to alert people that a fire has broken out. However, the humble white box that you could turn off with the waft of a tea towel has matured. Now, a modern smoke alarm can automatically call the emergency services when they detect a rise in temperature.

Install fire doors and fire door retainers

Installing fire doors and fire door retainers are a measure that many businesses are now taking. This is because fire doors have a 90% chance of stopping a fire in its tracks, containing the blaze and limiting the impact fire has on a property.

As well as reducing the damage caused by fire, fire doors can also permit people inside buildings to exit a burning building safety.

Conduct regular fire drills

Having a fire exit plan for your business is a must. Conducting regular fire drills is an effective way to ensure everyone knows what to do and where to go in the event of a fire.

Not only will this give staff members peace of mind but it will also reduce the rates you are quoted for various business insurance policies.