We All Have the Responsibility of Preventing Fires in the Workplace
Some methods used to prevent fires include:
- Prohibiting smoking inside the building
- Prohibiting the use of open flames
- Separating classes of flammable materials. For example, Class A material(s) (wood, paper) are stored separately from Class B flammables (flammable liquids such as gasoline or solvents)
- Minimizing the use of paper and packaging materials
- Discarding of items no longer required or reasonably anticipated to be used in the future
- Prohibiting the storage of non-essential flammables such as paints and solvents not related to current organizations
- Proper grounding of electrical equipment
- Maintaining good standards of housekeeping and elimination of clutter
- Training employees on the fire prevention plan, with periodic drills and an annual review
- Having a written program available to employees at all times
General Emergencies
General emergency situations include fires, chemical spills, loss of power, and emergency weather conditions, as examples. In the event of an emergency requiring evacuation of the building, the following steps should be taken:
1. A manager or designee should quickly walk through the area and announce, “We have an emergency which requires immediate evacuation. Please leave immediately. Do not stop to pick up personal belongings.”
2. An appointed person should call 911 to report the nature of the emergency and the location.
3. Staff members should accompany all non-staff outside through the safest and most direct route.
Click below if you are interested in our OSHA Compliance Program.