FIRE SAFETY

Fire safety is the set of practices intended to reduce the destruction caused by fire. Fire safety measures include those that are intended to prevent ignition of an uncontrolled fire, and those that are used to limit the development and effects of a fire after it starts.

  • Fire safety

OBJECTIVES

  • To understand how to avoid fires and fire related injuries.
  • To create awareness of deaths and injuries and their common causes.
  • To inform participants Of their personal responsibility towards fire safety and injury prevention.

THE IMPORTANCE OF A FIRE PREVENTION PLAN AT YOUR FACILITY

Fires affect thousands of companies each year resulting in injury, lost customer trust and building damage. By establishing a fire prevention and preparedness program, you can help avoid injuries to your employees and visitors, costly damages, and potential fines to your business. Below are some best practices to help prepare your facility for a fire emergency.

  • Implement a Fire Emergency Evacuation Plan.
  • Establish a Fire Prevention Plan.
  • Train Team Members.
  • Maintain Emergency and Exit Lights.
  • Practice Proper Housekeeping Techniques.
  • Create a Fire Emergency Response Team.
  • Preventative Maintenance.
  • Emergency light
  • Emergency exit
  • Training

ELEMENTS OF A FIRE SAFETY POLICY

Fire safety policies apply at the construction of a building and throughout its operating life. Building codes are enacted by local, sub-national, or national governments to ensure such features as adequate fire exits, signage, and construction details such as fire stops and fire rated doors, windows, and walls. Fire safety is also an objective of electrical codes to prevent overheating of wiring or equipment, and to protect from ignition by electrical faults. Fire codes regulate such requirements as the maximum occupancy for buildings such as theatres or restaurants, for example. Fire codes may require portable fire extinguishers within a building, or may require permanently installed fire detection and suppression equipment such as a fire sprinkler system and a fire alarm system.

IMPORTANT SAFETY ELEMENTS

  • Alarm. ― Smoke. ― Carbon monoxide.
  • Fire extinguisher.
  • Residential fire sprinkler system.
  • Sprinkler system
  • Alarm with
    Fire extinguisher

FIRE SAFETY PLAN STRUCTURE

  • Key contact information.
  • Utility services.(Including shut-off valves for water, gas and electric)
  • Access issues.
  • Dangerous stored materials.
  • Location of people with special needs.
  • Connections to sprinkler system.
  • Layout, drawing, and site plan of building.
  • Maintenance schedules for life safety systems.
  • Personnel training and fire drill procedure.
  • Create assemble point/safe zone.

USE OF FIRE SAFETY PLANS

Fire safety plans are a useful tool for fire fighters to have because they allow them to know critical information about a building that they may have to go into. Using this, fire fighters can locate and avoid potential dangers such as hazardous material (hazmat) storage areas and flammable chemicals. In addition to this, fire safety plans can also provide specialized information that, in the case of a hospital fire, can provide information about the location of things like the nuclear medicine ward.In addition to this, fire safety plans also greatly improve the safety of fire fighters.

COMMON FIRE HAZARDS

Some common fire hazards are:

  • Kitchen fires from unattended cooking, grease fires/chip pan fires.
  • Electrical systems that are overloaded, poorly maintained or defective.
  • Combustible storage areas with insufficient protection.
  • Combustibles near equipment that generates heat, flame, or sparks.
  • Candles and other open flames.
  • Smoking (Cigarettes, cigars, pipes, lighters, etc.)

10 MEASURES TO ASSESS FIRE SAFETY:

  • Provide adequate means of escape.
  • Outline clear pathways to exit doors.
  • Install smoke detection systems.
  • Maintain smoke suppression systems.
  • Conduct regular fire drills.
  • Use flame-retardant materials in interiors.
  • Make your office accessible to firefighters.
  • Keep the building plans handy.
  • Ask the local fire brigade to assess safety.
  • Comply with National Building Code.