Fire Safety In The Workplace

2023-10-06
By: Advocate Brokerage

Fire Safety Prevention Month is upon us, and if you’re a business owner, it’s time to review your fire safety policies. Today’s tips can help you and your employees stay safe by putting prevention and safety practices first.

Have You Checked Your Insurance Lately?

Your business insurance can help you weather financial losses in case of a fire or other disaster. Contact your insurance Advocate today to ensure your policy is up to date and your assets are covered. The worst time to check your policy is after a fire.

Best Practices In Fire Safety

Install and maintain smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. Smoke detectors can alert you to a fire early to evacuate safely. Fire extinguishers can be used to put out small fires before they become a big problem. Make sure that each of your employees knows how to use a fire extinguisher.
Have an evacuation plan. Your fire evacuation plan should be easy to find, well-practiced, and known throughout your organization. It should include at least two exit points and a designated meet-up spot.
Keep flammable materials away from heat. Gasoline, cleaning supplies, paint, and industrial chemicals should be stored away from heat sources, such as open flames. You must also keep heated equipment separate from other equipment, furniture, or combustibles.
Review regulations. No matter where you live or what industry you work in, there are different fire regulations. Make sure that your business is up to date. It can help you to contact your local fire department to have your business inspected for fire codes compliance.
Inspect your fire suppression system. Even if you have smoke detectors and fire extinguishers, you should also maintain fire alarms, sprinklers, and other necessary fire safety equipment. Ideally, this will include a central station fire alarm, which is monitored around the clock, so you’ll always have someone on call to call for help if an alarm sounds.
Maintain your business systems. Check your machines, HVAC system, and other equipment to ensure they are working properly. Have a technician specializing in each inspect everything from the cords and connectors to the internal wiring of each piece of equipment. As you add people, computers, and equipment, bring an electrician to ensure your business’s growth won’t overload your electrical system.

Fire safety is just as important in the workplace as at home. If you have any additional questions about how to keep your business fire-safe and fire-smart, feel free to contact Advocate Brokerage today at 914.723.7100. We’re always here to help!