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Prioritizing Fire Safety With Your Employees | SERVPRO® of Southern Washington County
3/27/2023 (Permalink)
Dealing with the aftermath of a commercial fire? SERVPRO of Southern Washington County is your local restoration expert.
Disasters can occur at any point, and if you aren’t prepared to react quickly, it can be disastrous to you and your business. When it comes to fires, this is especially true!
If you and your employees are not trained properly on how to react to fire, it can leave you with widespread damages and can be dangerous to your staff.
No matter where your business is located, Fire can break out in any place at any time, so teaching your employees about fire safety and the importance of fire extinguishers is crucial.
Check out our tips on how to introduce fire safety below so you can create and implement your own plan with your crew.
According to OSHA guidelines, all businesses that have a fire extinguisher on property are required to provide training on it to their employees. This includes training on how to use it, when to use it and how to tell the difference between types of extinguishers.
One of the best ways to do this is to encourage hands-on learning. Get out your fire extinguisher and let your employees practice putting out a fake fire. Teach how to aim, pull the pin and how to sweep over the flames. It is also important to enforce a six to eight foot distance between your employees and the fire.
A helpful way to get your employees to remember the steps is to introduce the acronym PASS. This can help your employees remember the steps can help stop a fire in its tracks, which in turn reduces the risk of widespread damage.
Introducing these concepts as you hire new employees is crucial, but don’t forget about your veteran employees! This training should be done annually for all members of your staff.
In addition, it is important to have a few trusted team members hold responsibilities for when a fire starts. Someone should be chosen to call 911, someone to fight the fire and someone to help usher out anyone in the building.
No matter what kind of business you run, the risk of fire is always present. Teach your employees the different kinds of fire situations they could be exposed to, ranging from a simple kitchen fire to a chemical fire. Ensure that your employees understand when to stop and seek safety as well.
Their safety should always be your top priority, so encourage your employees to make the right safety decisions during an emergency situation. Fires can get out of hand quickly, so it is OK to back away and head for the exit whenever your employees are not comfortable or don’t feel safe.
Protect your employees by giving them the knowledge they need to react appropriately in the face of a fire emergency. Check your fire extinguishers’ expiration dates, review training accordingly and be ready for anything that comes your way!
Dealing with the aftermath of a commercial fire? Our SERVPRO Specialists can restore your losses and return your workplace to its pre-fire condition.