05

Aug
2014

Fire Safety is Serious Business

August 5th, 2014 | by Vancouver Fire | in Safety Plans and Training |    0   

Fire safety is not just the responsibility of the business owner, the landlord, and the management. Fire prevention and awareness are everyone’s responsibility. The risk of fire in commercial buildings and small businesses can be reduced if everyone exercises their responsibilities by making fire prevention a daily practice. 

Under Canadian Law, employers are responsible for preparing and implementing a fire safety plan, informing employees of the plan, posting fire emergency procedures on each floor, and conducting regular fire drills with all employees. 

The fire safety plan also includes specific responsibilities for employees during a fire. These procedures should also be posted on each floor. Additionally, employees should know the location of two exits closest to their work area, the location of the nearest fire alarm pull station and how to use it, the phone number for the Fire Department (Vancouver - 9-1-1). 

Here are some fire prevention tips for a safer workplace: 

Smoking

               - Smoke only in designated areas.

               - Use large, non-tip ashtrays.

               - Do not empty ashtray contents into wastebaskets.

               - Check for smouldering cigarettes on furniture and in wastebaskets.

Wiring

               - Check all electrical cords. Those with cracked insulation or broken connectors must be discarded immediately

               - Avoid connecting multiple plug splitters and power into one another, sometimes called “octopus wiring”
               - Do not run extension cords under rugs or across doorways,

               - Avoid plugging more than one extension cord into an outlet.

               - Use only power strips that have the seal of approval by the CSA

Appliances

               - Use only CSA approved appliances.

               - Leave enough space for the circulation of air around heat-generating equipment such as photocopiers and network terminals.

               - Keep all appliances a safe distance from combustible materials.

               - Designate an employee to turn off or unplug all appliances, such as coffeemakers and computer systems, at the end of each day.

 A few common sense checks can help prevent major fire disasters in your commercial building or workplace.