Ensuring safety at all times is a significant routine to be observed in any building. The continence of safety and health standards in working places squarely lies with the business owner. Any business environment must abide by the stipulated building protocols to guarantee the protection of your premises and your workers’ security as the priority.
Regardless of any business you operate, a business owner should always ensure that the fire safety regulations are strictly followed as devised by fire protection engineers. The owner should have a fire safety plan that shows useful information regarding the building’s layout, equipment, fire protection schemes, and emergency evacuation plan operations in any business entity.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) possesses an elaborate structure of compulsory fire safety standards and requirements that the employer must guarantee his employees’ security in case of a fire or a disaster. These measures include:
Having an Emergency Evacuation Plan
A business owner should furnish his/her employees with scripted emergency action procedures to ascertain that every employee is conversant with the exit routes and the available fire emergency response. This evacuation plan needs to be placed where the employees can access it for periodic reviews.
Provide Protection and Prevention Equipment
The employer must ensure that fire prevention equipment is functional. These equipment include fire suppression systems, hosepipes, and portable fire extinguishers, which are inspected regularly.The owner of the business should ensure that the used fire extinguishers are recharged once they are used.
Training of Employees
Employers should conduct training sessions for their employees at least annually to keep them abreast of the fire safety measures and equipment. Employees should also be trained to identify any probable fire hazards and take the responsibility of reporting them to the relevant parties.
Installing Fire Warning Systems and Alarms
A business owner should install warning systems based on evaluating risk assessment, the layout of a given building, and any probable hazard. These warning fire systems include electronic sirens, automatic fire detectors, and accessible break-glasses.
Prohibit Smoking in the Business Premises
As a business manager, do not admit your employees or visitors to smoke inside the building. However, you can design designated smoking areas that cannot pose any risk of fire break-outs.
Conduct Drills
Carry out systematic, repetitive mock drills to assess your preparedness and the effectiveness of fire prevention and safety measures. It’s also an opportunity to educate your employees on evacuation procedures in the shortest time possible in case of a real fire occurrence. This drill can be conducted in liaison with the fire protection engineers to monitor the exercise’s progress.
As stipulated by relevant authorities, adhering fire prevention and safety measures will give an employer an upper hand in guaranteeing the safety of his/her employees. Everyone within a business entity has to bear some obligations as far as fire safety is concerned. This responsibility will aid in the protection of property and saving of lives.