Steps to Create a Fire Safety Plan for Your Business
Fires can occur anywhere and at any time. If you own or manage a business, it is your responsibility to put fire safety measures in place and protect your employees, company, and yourself from the devastation that can result in a workplace blaze. Does your business have a workplace fire safety plan in place? A comprehensive plan provides information to your team on how to handle a fire emergency and helps to ensure that your business is prepared for the unexpected.
If you don’t have an emergency fire plan for your business, now is the time to create one. Being prepared means that you’re one step ahead of a disaster, and that means your business can quickly get back on its feet after a disaster. If you need to create a safety plan, we can help.
Your fire safety plan should highlight emergency procedures that should be used in the case of a fire, including sounding the alarm, alerting the fire department, and carefully evacuating building occupants. It is critical that all employees and managers read through the plan and understand what is expected of them in a fire. Remember, the plan should be discussed before any disaster – the time to learn safety procedures is not during an emergency.
The elements of your plan should include the following:
- The duties and responsibilities of staff during an emergency
- Instructions for building occupants and staff on fire prevention methods
- Steps on what to do in case of a fire
- How to conduct a fire drill
- The frequency of fire drills
- Detailed maintenance procedures for fire protection systems and building facilities
- Location of fire alarms, extinguishers, and sprinklers
- Detailed instructions on the use of any emergency equipment, such as the fire alarm system, smoke control system, and fire extinguishers
- Procedures for the use of elevators and the evacuation of employees requiring special assistance
- An accountability system that can account for all occupants following evacuation, including notification to the fire department of any missing occupants and their last known location
Although you cannot completely prevent a fire from affecting your business, the steps you can take today are critical to how you can recover after a disaster. Mitigating fire risks can help you and your business to stay safe. To secure reliable business insurance, please contact CAV Insurance, serving Wellesley and Weston.