A fire at work can be devastating. Although this may not be something you want to think about, planning is essential to minimise the risk of death, injury, and loss of business.
Review your safety measures
Hold regular fire drills to ensure all employees know how to evacuate safely. Have working fire extinguishers in place, such as P50 fire extinguishers. If you are unsure of the best location for these or how they operate, seek advice from experts such as https://www.lsfiresolutions.co.uk/fire-extinguishers/ecoextinguishers/p50. If you have a well-managed plan and safety measures in place, you will be well-placed to act in the event of a fire.
What to do
If anyone discovers a fire at work, they should immediately raise the alarm. This is essential even if the fire is small, as fire can spread quickly. The fire and rescue service should also be called by dialling 999. You will need to tell them the name, address, and postcode of the property and any useful information about the fire.
When the alarm sounds, everyone should evacuate the building using the planned routes and using the stairs rather than lifts. They should not stop to collect their personal belongings. You can find more information on how to plan escape routes here. Check how hot the doors are before opening them and close them after the last person is through.
The workplace fire marshals should investigate the alarm if it is safe to do so. If the fire is small, such as the size of a wastepaper bin and they are trained to use fire extinguishers, they can attempt to put the fire out; however, this should only be attempted if they understand the fire type and their escape route is not being compromised. Fire marshals will also need to ‘sweep’ their designated area to make sure everyone has been evacuated.
One of the most important parts of an escape plan is the designated assembly points. Check everyone is out, including visitors, and do not attempt to re-enter the building until a fire officer has told you it is safe.
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