How To Protect Your Employees and Company From Fire

11/21/2018 (Permalink)

Prepare your evacuation plan in your Orwigsburg,PA business

Evacuation and Protection

Preparing for a potential fire is one of the most important tasks you can do to protect your company. A thoughtful contingency plan provides peace of mind; you can protect both your employees and your business assets and data from fire with effective preparation. As you strategize, you should focus on two elements: evacuation and protection.

1. Create an Evacuation Plan

Prepare your evacuation plan first. Determine how your employees will leave the building and where they should meet. Assign people to monitor the evacuation, ensure the building is clear and perform a roll call to make sure everyone is safe.

Review the plan with everyone regularly, and introduce it to new hires as part of their training. Then conduct fire drills at least once per year. Your diligence will be crucial in a real emergency.

2. Eliminate Workplace Hazards

Do not allow hazardous items in the building, such as candles, space heaters and personal kitchen appliances. Keep aisles clear of boxes and storage items. Avoid desk clutter that can add fuel to fires.

3. Install and Maintain Fire Prevention Devices

Install smoke alarms and change the batteries twice each year as part of your contingency plan. Larger buildings should have a sprinkler or fire suppression system tied to fire alarm boxes. Keep fire doors closed at all times.

4. Protect Your Assets

Check your insurance policies on a regular basis to maintain adequate coverage. Take pictures of your facility, equipment and storage areas annually to support potential fire insurance claims. Maintain a disaster recovery plan for your computer systems and back up your data to an off-site location. Include a reference for cleanup and restoration services in your plan.

5. Become Friends With the Fire Department

Develop an ongoing relationship with your fire officials in Orwigsburg, PA. Have them inspect your facility and include their recommendations in your plan.

You never want to experience a fire in your business. However, adequate planning and a good contingency plan will speed up the recovery process and are crucial to protecting your employees and your firm.