Focus On Fire Safety At Work

2022-10-31
By: Advocate Brokerage

October is fire prevention month so it’s an appropriate time to offer best practices for fire safety. In this blog, we will put our focus on Fire Safety at work.

Any business owner that has suffered from a fire loss will tell you, the damages can extend beyond physical repairs. It could mean weeks, or even months, of lost revenue while your property is restored making it difficult to bounce back. In fact, according to FEMA 40% of businesses that experience a major fire are forced to close their doors forever.

Most importantly, be sure your insurance is up to date. If there have been any significant changes to your business, or if it has been a while since you’ve had an insurance review, it may be time to schedule one. After a fire has occurred is a terrible time to have this conversation.

Secondly, do all you can to ensure the safety of your employees. Create a safety plan and clearly communicate that with your staff. Provide training that includes fire drills, evacuation plans, and information on how to use all available safety equipment.

Below are additional fire safety best practices to protect your business:

• Regulations are in place to help ensure your employees, customers and properties are safe. Make sure that your business is in compliance with all local fire codes and keep a record of compliance.
• Install the proper safety equipment including smoke detectors, sprinklers, fire alarms, fire extinguishers and, if necessary, a specialized fire suppression system. We highly recommend a monitored, central station fire alarm system so that the authorities are dispatched when a fire is detected rather than having to wait on someone to call 911.
• Make sure that there is ample space around all heating equipment, space heaters or appliances to allow air to circulate, to prevent overheating and keep combustibles away to prevent a fire from starting.
• Make sure all machines, equipment and HVAC equipment are clean and well maintained. This includes all cords, and connectors which are often overlooked.
• Properly store chemicals and other flammables in cabinets and away from any heat source.
• Make sure your electrical system can support the needs of your business. Be sure not to overload your wall outlets and if you use extension cords, use only one for each power outlet.

If you have any questions or concerns, we invite you to get in touch with us at 914-723-7100. We would be happy to take the time to talk with you.