How to Perform a Fire Inspection During COVID-19

Whether you’re at home or in a workplace, you can’t avoid COVID-19. Most of our lives have now revolved around what practices are best to prevent and reduce the spread of the virus. You may not consider it, but even a routine fire inspection needs to be tweaked before going through your home or office environment.

Here are some simple and effective ways a fire inspection can still be done while actively preventing the spread of coronavirus.

1. Assign One Person to Check Fire Alarms

If you’re in a multi-story building or office environment, make sure there’s just one person who is performing the fire inspection.

Not every employee is trained to check all of the fire equipment, so this might be a job for a professional fire inspection service.

Your workplace fire marshal can be a good person to turn to for routine inspections of entrances, exits, fire extinguishers, and other safety tools. In this case, they’ll have to be careful during inspection and sanitize surfaces as they go.

Here’s what we outline on our website as a safe practice to check your fire extinguisher:

Fire extinguishers should be maintained at regular intervals (at least once a year), or when specifically indicated by an inspection. A fire extinguisher inspection is intended to give maximum assurance that an extinguisher will operate effectively and safely. It includes a detailed examination and any necessary repairs, recharging or replacement. It will normally reveal the need for pressure testing (hydrostatic testing) of an extinguisher to ensure the cylinder is safe to use.

2. Sanitize Entrances and Exits Frequently

If you’re at work during COVID-19, you’ve probably already gotten the sanitization drill. Wiping down surfaces is vital to making sure everything is safe to use in the workplace.

Make sure your office has cleaning supplies and it is accessible to everyone. It’s best to go around at least 3 times a day to wipe down commonly used surfaces. This is important in the event of an emergency where people will need to evacuate. That way, evacuation can be done as safely as possible with a lesser chance of contamination.

The National Fire Protection Association also makes this point about making sure entrances are not only sanitize, but accessible:

“Many buildings have adjusted their entries and lobbies to now require such features as staggered entry, mask deployments and temperature checks. How have these important and pragmatic changes taken people with disabilities into account? The following questions should be considered: Are entries free and clear of obstruction? Is the entry accessible for those using wheelchairs or other mobility devices?”

3. Call in the Experts

Calling in a professional fire inspector to perform a routine inspection is often the best route to take. This is especially true if you’re in an office environment.

However, not all companies will be able to provide complete service due to physical distancing rules. Before asking for a fire inspection, call and ask what their policy is during COVID-19.

The Ontario Fire Marshal outlines certain protocols that need to be taken into place during the pandemic:

“Fire Departments should consider on a case by case basis and per local municipal policies during COVID-19 restrictions: To limit fire inspection activities that require entry into buildings to fire safety matters that involve serious risk to life safety, or, fire safety matters that the Fire Chief or their delegate have assessed and deemed to be necessary. Fire inspection related entry into buildings should be undertaken in compliance with any COVID-19 safety protocols adopted by municipalities and in compliance with any additional protocols adopted in buildings where entry is required.”

 

At Fire Alert, we offer services for equipping your work or home with the right fire prevention equipment. Check out more here or contact us for more info.

 

Working in a retail store provides a lot of hustle and bustle. It can often feel non-stop and it’s easy to forget about simple workplace requirements. But learning the essential health and safety rules, like fire safety and prevention, may just save someone’s life.

Here are some of our fire safety tips for managers and employees in a retail store.

1. Know all exits and entrances

This is a given, but knowing where entrances and emergency exits are is crucial in the event of a fire or other emergency. Employees need to not only be aware of these exits, but they must also be trained on it. Have emergency exits labelled according to your country’s safety codes.

2. Place fire alarms and pulley systems in accessible zones

This goes hand in hand with making sure emergency exits are labelled. Fire Alarms should be labelled and employees should be familiar with their locations. These alarms should also be accessible to all employees.

FCF Fire & Electrical in Australia highlights the importance of having the right safety equipment installed:

“The law not just requires for certain types of business fire safety equipment to be installed after a fire risk assessment, but it also requires that it’s suitably labeled and are easy to access. Employees should be completely trained on how to utilize the fire safety equipment so they are going to be appropriately prepared should a fire break out in the retail store. With the correct equipment and safety measures, customers and employees may be kept safer.”

3. Know your emergency exit plan

An emergency exit plan needs to be posted at emergency exits and made accessible to all employees working in the space. Consider where employees spend most of their time on the retail floor and let them know what their best route of action to take is if there is an emergency.

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety outlines what needs to be included in a workplace fire safety plan:

“Plans should be specific to the property or business. Conducting an audit or review of the property or business will help identify factors that could affect fire safety. Items in this audit include site layout, points of entry/exit, roadways, use of the building, where and how items are stored, how items are used, water or fire department connections, alarm/sprinkler systems, and many other factors.”

4. Ask your work fire marshal for more info

Every workplace will have a designated fire marshal. They are a go-to source for any questions regarding locations of fire exits, fire extinguishers, and emergency evacuation plans.

5. Call in the Experts for routine fire inspections

At Fire Alert, we can provide you with excellent service when it comes to fire inspections. We can also provide you with the right fire preparedness equipment, like fire extinguishers.

Trained fire safety experts have performed many inspections and know how every zone and space can be fitted to safety standards. That’s why if you’re unsure of how to follow fire safety protocol in your retail space, it’s important to get a fire safety inspection from a trusted expert. They can also provide your team with fire safety training as well.

Audit company Compliant IA lists the following questions to ask when checking on evacuation routes:

1. “Do all fire doors close properly?

2. All fire doors and exits un-obstructed?

3. Emergency exit doors equipped with panic hardware?

4. All exit signs un-obstructed and clearly visible?

5. Exits signs are illuminated and un-damaged?

6. Are all emergency exits as per the evacuation plan, un-obstructed?

7. Hallways are as per the evacuation plan, un-obstructed?

8. Are all stairwells as per the evacuation plan, un-obstructed?

9. Is emergency lighting in place throughout emergency exit routes?”

 

At Fire-Alert, we can help you equip your work or home with the right fire prevention equipment. Check out more here or contact us for more info.

Working in a restaurant setting has a lot of obstacles to overcome. There are plenty of routine inspections to handle on a daily, monthly and yearly basis.

A restaurant kitchen is fraught with safety hazards and staff need to make sure that there’s the right safety protocol in place to keep everything in order. This goes especially for fire safety. Kitchens are naturally going to be prone to fire safety issues and that’s why it’s necessary to have the right rules in place to avoid and prevent any accidents. Here are some easy tips you can follow to ensure your restaurant is following safety standards.

Perform Routine Fire Inspections

Performing a routine fire inspection is a must for any workplace, especially for restaurants. A restaurant setting can be unpredictable at times because equipment can fail or malfunction and potential accidents can happen.

The best course of action to combat this is to be as prepared as possible for any possible scenario. The first step to this is prevention, and this can be done through routine inspections. Check equipment to see if it’s properly set up and clean, and check that all fire safety equipment is up to date and in the right place.

Markel Insurance indicates these fire prevention tips when performing routine inspections:

• “Schedule regular maintenance on electrical equipment, and watch for hazards like frayed cords or wiring, cracked or broken switch plates and combustible items near power sources.

• Have your exhaust system inspected for grease buildup. The NFPA Fire Code calls for quarterly inspections of systems in high-volume cooking operations and semi-annual inspections in moderate-volume operations. Monthly inspections are required for exhaust systems serving solid-fuel cooking equipment, like wood or charcoal-burning ovens.”

Wear the Right PPE

All employees in a restaurant should be wearing proper personal protective equipment (PPE). This means supplying all of your employees with the uniforms that will protect against burns, spills, cuts, and scrapes.

Working in a kitchen and near any sort of hardware with heat, water, or sharp objects, PPE goes hand-in-hand with giving employees the right training. If employees are fully trained on how to use hardware like a grill or stove, then they need to be equipped with the right PPE while they’re using it. This acts as a first line of defence against any potential accidents that could happen.

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety points out that wearing the right PPE is important:

“It is also important to remember that wearing the right PPE is important. PPE does not reduce the workplace hazard nor does it guarantee permanent or total protection for the wearer. Simply having Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) available is not enough.”

Know the Building Safety Rules

Your restaurant business should have its own set of safety rules in place. Once you do, it’s important to also check with the building safety rules as well.

Cross-reference these rules with your own business and see if there’s anything you may have missed. Often, restaurant buildings are rented by the business owners and naturally, not everyone is as familiar with the building. There may be certain rules and protocol in place already. Plus, when planning your evacuation plans, there could already be one outlined by the building manager.

The city of Red Deer, Alberta has a great document highlighting what fire safety protocol needs to take place in an emergency, and is a great example to follow in your own workspace. Here’s an example:

“A Fire Safety Plan shall include:

1. a) The emergency procedures to be used in case of a fire, including
2. Sounding of the fire alarm,
3. Notifying of the fire department,

iii. Instructing occupants on procedures to be followed when the fire alarm sounds,

1. Evacuating occupants, including special provisions for persons requiring assistance,

2. Confining, controlling and extinguishing the fire.”

 

At Fire Alert, we offer services for equipping your work or home with the right fire prevention equipment. Check out more here or contact us for more info.

 

 

For any office environment, it’s important to be well-equipped to handle anything that comes your way. This goes for any emergency or accident that may happen in the workplace, especially fire emergencies and incidents.

Offices and HR departments have trained their employees on fire safety training as well as general health and safety training, which is a great starting point. Training equips people with the right knowledge to prevent any workplace hazards. In addition to training, there’s also plenty of tools you can equip your office with that’ll help you be prepared in an emergency. We’ll outline three easy emergency preparedness tools to have in your office.

An Emergency Evacuation Plan & Map

Making an emergency evacuation plan is vital to ensuring employees have the right knowledge of what to do in an emergency. Be sure to consult with fire professional experts, the building manager, and the office manager to make this emergency evacuation plan.

After a plan has been made, it should be posted as a map and readily available to employees. This means posting the map at necessary entrances, fire exits, and making it available to people near their desk or on your online computer system.

Ready.gov says that it’s best to start with an emergency preparedness plan and outline it in the workplace:

“At the very least, every facility should develop and implement an emergency plan for protecting employees, visitors, contractors and anyone else in the facility. This part of the emergency plan is called “protective actions for life safety” and includes building evacuation (“fire drills”), sheltering from severe weather such as tornadoes, “shelter-in-place” from an exterior airborne hazard such as a chemical release and lockdown. Lockdown is protective action when faced with an act of violence.”

A Fire Extinguisher

A fire extinguisher is a first line of defence in the event of a fire. While a fire alarm and smoke detector are also important tools to have, a fire extinguisher can directly help someone who could potentially put out a fire.

Most fire extinguishers are equipped to handle small flames until fire services arrive on scene. It could even help someone escape a growing fire by clearing a pathway for them. There are plenty of reasons why you need to have a fire extinguisher in your workplace, and that’s why it’s mandatory in all buildings, even residential homes.

A Well-Equipped First-Aid Kit

While almost all fire emergencies involve evacuating the building, it’s important to equip your office for other emergencies as well. If there is a minor or major workplace injury and you’re waiting for emergency services to arrive, a first aid kit can be a life-saving tool.

First-aid kits usually include band-aids, gauze, rubbing alcohol, among other tools that provide quick fixes until further help arrives. It’s best to decide what first aid kit to buy by assessing the size of your workplace and what kind of potential hazards there are. From there, you can look into what your first-aid kit should be equipped with in the office.

Pickering Safety says it’s important to keep a first aid kit in the workplace to decrease the risk of health complications:

“A well-equipped first-aid kit, in most cases, can prevent further complication with the injury or medical condition. Keeping a medical kit handy can be cost effective because it’s less likely a wound treated immediately with a first-aid kit will require complex attention in the future.”

At Fire Alert, we offer services for equipping your work or home with the right fire prevention equipment. Check out more here or contact us for more info.

 

For anyone, fire safety and prevention is an important way to feel safe at home. It gives you the tools and education you need in the event of a fire. 

Being able to react quickly to any emergency situation means having the right tools in place in your home, like fire extinguishers, smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, among other things. 

For seniors, the same rules need to be applied, with a focus on accessibility. It may be more difficult to indicate when there’s an emergency if you’re an older adult living alone. Here’s some easy tips for fire prevention for seniors. 

 

Keep Fire Exits Accessible

For anyone who may need accessible doors and exits for any reason, it’s important to regularly check that emergency exits are accessible. This means checking that all doors and exits are working. 

If someone is unable to walk or uses a mobility device, consider what alternate exits they can take. For example, if there’s a fire blocking the main door, what is the second door that is accessible to someone who uses a mobility device such as a wheelchair? Have a few fire exits in mind and indicate them with stickers or labels if necessary. 

 

The Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General offers these tips for older adults when around the home: 

• Don’t reach for danger! Wear tight-fitting or rolled-up sleeves when cooking and don’t reach over a hot burner. Always stay in the kitchen when you are cooking.

• Always blow out candles before leaving the room.

• Ensure items that can burn are one metre away from space heaters.

• Avoid overloading the electrical outlets. Extension cords should be used only as a temporary connection.

 

Install Smoke Alarms & Routinely Check Them

Chances are if you live in any house or building, smoke alarms will already be installed. If that’s the case, routinely check their battery every month to make sure they’re still working. 

For someone who is deaf or hard of hearing, installing a visual smoke alarm can provide an alarm to indicate a fire emergency. Simply install it in the applicable rooms and a light will flash to indicate the smoke alarm has gone off. 

 

The National Fire Protection Association explains one device that can work for the deaf and hard of hearing: 

Smoke alarms and alert devices, called accessories, are available for people who are deaf. Strobe lights throughout the home are activated by smoke alarms and alert people who are deaf to fire conditions. When people who are deaf are asleep, a high-intensity strobe light along with a pillow shaker or a bed shaker can wake them up and alert them to fire conditions.

 

Perform Fire Drills

Fire drills aren’t just for school and the workplace. In addition to having the right equipment and tools necessary for fire emergencies, it’s important to educate anyone on what to do in the event of a fire. 

For seniors, this means having an escape plan in place and actively going through it. In the event of a fire, figure out where all the exits are. If one exit is blocked, learn what other path to take. Familiarize yourself with how to use a fire extinguisher and how to detect fire in another room. 

 

The Canada Safety Council explains why making an escape plan is so important: 

Many seniors still depend on escape routes that were planned when the kids were young. Update these plans with their current capabilities in mind, and practice with them. Make sure there are two ways out of each room. Keep hallways and stairs uncluttered. Instruct seniors to call 911 from a neighbor’s house, and not to go back inside their home. If they cannot leave on their own, they should still dial 911. Place a telephone beside the bed, as well as slippers, house keys, eyeglasses and a flashlight.

If you’re interested in learning more, we offer residential services, or you can contact us using our contact form.

No matter where you are, whether in your home or workplace, there should be safety precautions in place. Part of that is having the right safety training, and another part of safety is the fire protection equipment. 

The most notable fire protection and safety equipment that every working building has is a fire extinguisher. If you have one in your home or office, you may have never even used it before.

However, did you know fire extinguishers only last a few years if left unused? What’s more, fire extinguishers need to be recharged regularly as well. 

Monthly Maintenance Is What Keeps A Fire Extinguisher Working

To keep your fire extinguisher in working condition, monthly maintenance is key. It’s actually not too difficult to do this and can be learned easily. It’s likely you may have gone through this in workplace fire safety training before. 

To maintain a fire extinguisher, consult the fire prevention workbook or fire extinguisher manual that’s available to you. It will involve checking that the extinguisher is up-to-date and has been inspected, and that the nozzle and handle are free of any debris. 

 

Quick Response Fire Supply points out the rules in place for fire extinguishers to be in working condition: 

“First and foremost, a fire extinguisher needs to be recharged if it has been used. Whether it was employed to suppress a fire, used in act of vandalism, or accidentally discharged, the extinguishing agent needs to be replaced. And again, NFPA 10 requires a fire extinguisher recharge after any use or if an inspection turns up an issue.”

 

In the Event of a Fire, Your Tools Need to Work

It’s common sense, but if there’s ever a fire, the tools that you have available to you need to work. Not only your fire extinguisher, but the smoke alarms, emergency lighting and exits, phones or cellphones, all need to be able to work to allow accessible safety and prevention of any bigger disaster happening. 

Checking to see if your fire extinguisher works and is recharged is a simple task that can be done on schedule. If you ever find yourself in a situation where there’s a fire, you’ll have a vital tool that can help save lives. 

 

Here’s what the City of Toronto highlights are key factors to getting your fire extinguisher up to top grade: 

“Fire extinguishers are not designed for use on large or spreading fires. Even on small fires, they are effective only under the following conditions:

• The extinguisher must be rated for the type of fire being extinguished.

• The extinguisher must be large enough for the fire at hand.

• The extinguisher must be in good working order, fully charged and within easy reach.

• The operator must be trained in the proper use of the extinguisher.

• The operator must be physically capable of lifting, handling and operating the extinguisher.”

 

Need Help? Contact Us

While inspections can be performed by yourself or someone in your building, fire recharges need to be done by trained professionals. That’s why we offer fire extinguisher recharge services and can perform them on-site. 

Fire extinguishers consist of a lot of air pressure and are dangerous to try to fix or recharge yourself. A fire inspection company has the right training and tools available to us to take care of this equipment without damaging it. 

 

US fire prevention company State Systems Inc says that fire extinguishers need to be recharged even if it’s just sitting in your home or office, or you use it for a few seconds:

“Even if you discharge an extinguisher accidentally for a mere second or two, this decreases the internal pressure enough that you should have it recharged. Topping off the cylinder ensures you have its full extinguishing power if you ever need to use it.”

 

For more, check out our fire extinguisher recharge services or contact us using our contact form.

If you’re in a high-rise or multi-storey office building, staying safe is a big aspect that goes into office organization. Having a good workplace safety culture that makes employees feel safe at work involves giving everyone the tools to be prepared in an emergency. 

As a building manager, planner, or office manager, planning appropriate safety precautions is part of the job. As an employee who may not have been involved in that process, it’s important to still be aware and receive proper education and training on what to do to prevent fires. Here’s some of our tips for fire safety and prevention at work in an office building. 

 

Choose the Right Location for Smoking Zones

Your office may have already designated smoking zones, and it’s crucial you follow these rules. Smoking zones have been especially chosen for the location they’re in, and in some cases, there may not be any in your workplace. 

A lot of smoking zones are outside not on building property, as this is technically the safest way to prevent fire incidents. The same rules should be applied for e-cigarettes and vaping as well to ensure the safety of all those at work. 

 

The National Fire Protection Association also highlights this important fact about e-cigarettes and vaping: 

“Fires have occurred while e-cigarettes were being used, the battery was being charged, or the device was being transported. Battery failures have led to small explosions. Never leave charging e-cigarettes unattended. E-cigarettes should be used with caution.”

 

Perform Regular Inspections & Collect Inventory

Whether you’re the office manager or the building manager, performing inspections of safety equipment should be done on a regular basis. Make a schedule and calendar reminder to do these safety inspections so that they’re not missed. 

As well, keep a binder or file folder with a checklist of inventory that’s in your building. This will help you keep track of where everything is on each floor, what is accessible and available to everyone in the building, and if the equipment is up to date. 

 

Workplace Safety & Prevention Services says to prepare a checklist before going through your office inspection and ask these questions when performing your fire safety inspection:

• Are all sources of ignition identified?

• Is all wiring properly installed and of approved construction, without extensions or temporary wiring?

• Are ventilation systems implemented and working properly?

• Is garbage removed daily or more frequently?

• Are aisles and floors free of oil and other flammable spills?

• Is there an approved fire safety plan posted?

• Is there a spill control procedure posted?

 

Call In A Fire Safety Inspector 

If you need help installing alarms or seeing if your equipment is out of date, a fire safety inspector can help with that. At Fire Alarm, we provide workplace inspections and training for staff. 

Sometimes, your work may require you to call in an outside service to inspect your building once a year or more. It can be easy to skip this step, but it’s important in case of any emergency event. 

In addition, performing fire drills and getting employees the right training is important to establish workplace safety culture. 

 

Here’s what the Office of the Fire Commissioner in Manitoba outlines that employees must know in regards to fire safety: 

• KNOW the nearest exit.
• KNOW the location of alternate exits from
• all work areas.
• KNOW the location of the nearest fire
• alarm pull station and know how to use it.
• KNOW the sound of the fire alarm.
• KNOW the location of the fire extinguishers and
• know how to use them.

 

For more, check out our fire extinguisher inspection services or contact us using our contact form.

Being well-prepared for emergency situations is crucial, in both the home and workplace. Having the right tools and fire prevention equipment in place, like fire extinguishers and smoke alarms, is mandatory in all workplaces.

Often, this equipment can fall by the wayside and be neglected. However, in times of need, these emergency safety tools can save lives. It’s important to have this equipment inspected as often as you can. Here’s some tips for how to keep up the inspection process in your workplace. 

Perform a Workplace Assessment 

One of the best ways to start a regular routine of fire prevention and safety is through workplace assessments. These are a list of materials and steps in your workplace that your office can make yourself or find through your local rules and regulations. 

It’s likely that if your workplace already has any safety equipment in place, there’ll be a type of safety code available to you already. If your office hasn’t already, it’s necessary to perform workplace assessments as often as you can. 

For example, if your workplace is a restaurant or food service, workplace safety assessments will have to happen every day, week, or month. This is why having a checklist is so important, as you can walk through everything and see if it’s in working order.

 

The City of Toronto highlights these key features when making sure the appliances in your workplace are in working order:

• “Use only CSA approved appliances.
• Leave enough space for the circulation of air around heaters and other equipment such as computer terminals and copy machines.
• Keep all appliances a safe distance from combustible materials.
• Always turn off or unplug appliances at the end of each day.”

 

Check that Equipment Is Up-to-Date

It’s commonplace to perform regular inspections of your equipment, whether it’s every few days, weeks, or months. With your building manager or safety inspector, decide how often you should be inspecting equipment. 

As well, don’t forget to replace your equipment if it’s out of date. Expired equipment is usually ineffective and won’t perform at top quality. For example, a fire extinguisher that hasn’t been used but is more than a few years old actually leaks overtime and won’t work as well in putting out small fires. 

To check that equipment is up-to-date, look for the dates on the manufacturer’s labels for a date it was made and how long it can be used for. Keep a binder in the workplace where you can update and list that your fire prevention equipment has been inspected. 

 

Workplace Safety and Prevention Services says to maintain a steady schedule for inspections: 

“Establish a regular schedule of fire inspections. These will help detect any deviations from, or shortcomings in, your control standards and emergency procedures. Take corrective action as soon as possible. The information collected during your workplace assessment, and subsequent action taken, will help you to come up with your own

detailed checklist. Review and revise this checklist whenever you have the results of any incident/accident investigations involving fires that you have conducted, and each time you do a re-assessment.”

 

When In Doubt, Contact the Professionals 

If there’s something that seems off, don’t be afraid to reach out for professional help. Their job is to ensure you have all proper, working tools in place to help you in case of emergency situations. 

A professional who is trained in fire prevention and safety is very familiar with the equipment that’s needed in your space. They can make sure nothing is out of date and valves are inspected, air vents are clear, and can give you advice on how to make your emergency plan. 

 

Thomas Maloney at Occupational Health & Safety magazine explains why establishing a fire code can foster a workplace culture of prevention:

“If the fire code did not address certain functions, then roads—for example—might have been built more restrictively and access would be limited, potentially jeopardizing the safety of the responders, employees and company property in a fire incident. Thus, the NFPA fire code advances fire and life safety for the private sector, workers and first-responders as well as the general public.”

 

At Fire Alert, we offer services for equipping your work or home with the right fire prevention equipment. Check out more here or contact us for more info. 

 

Staying safe at home begins with the right planning from you and the members of your household. Being aware is not enough in the event of an emergency, and preventative action is crucial to saving lives. 

The more prepared you are in a fire emergency, the more likely you are to evacuate your home safely. Here are some tips on how to prevent fires in your home and stay safe. 

Install Smoke Detectors on Every Floor 

Smoke detectors are often the first indication of fire and can prevent a fire before it happens. They should be installed on each floor of your home and be tested once a month. The batteries should be replaced once a year to maintain proper working order. Always keep your smoke detectors on, even while cooking. 

Act Quickly In the Event of a Fire

The more well-thought out your plan is, the more likely you will act rationally – and be prepared to act fast. This means being able to get out of your house in a minute or less. Don’t wait for the fire to reach you, assist any household members that need it, and don’t run back in to get any essential items. To be prepared to act quickly, run through practice drills to better prepare yourself. 

SafeHome.org also says to be as quick as possible if there’s a fire in your home:

“Don’t underestimate the speed of fire! In under 30 seconds, a small flame can become a big fire. It also doesn’t take very long for thick black smoke to fill a house, or for the house to become taken over by flames.”

Install Fire Extinguishers

Fire extinguishers can be vital if you need to fight a small fire and can prevent your household from experiencing a larger fire. Keep your fire extinguisher in the kitchen, garage back hallway or other easily accessible area in your home. They should be checked regularly and maintained to a working standard. 

Create an Escape Plan

Create a detailed and organized plan to evacuate the home in the event of a fire. Draw out a map of your home and identify all exits and routes, like hallways, doors, and windows. Make sure everyone in your household is well aware of their escape routes no matter where they are in the home. 

If you have younger children, teach them about the dangers of fire. Inform them of the basics: stop, drop and roll; and what to do in the event of a fire. Walk them through the escape plan and any hazards in your home. Keep any flammable chemicals out of the way of children. 

Identify Any Hazards in the Home

The most common causes of fire are the appliances in your home and where you store certain flammable products. Cleaning and household products contain hazard label warnings on them and must be strictly followed to prevent any potential accidents. 

Appliances like stoves, microwaves, and clothing dryers can all be potential flammable hazards. 

The Government of Canada talks about fire safety with electrical appliances: 

“Check for counterfeit electrical products that do not meet Canadian electrical safety requirements. Signs of counterfeit products include poor quality, very inexpensive price, grammatical errors and unusual fonts on the product, labelling or packaging. Regularly check and clean appliances with filters and screens such as dishwashers and clothes dryers. In the case of clothes dryers, leftover lint in the screen and piping can ignite in high temperatures, causing fires.”

 

If you’re interested in learning more fire prevention information and finding the right fire extinguisher for your home, contact Fire-Alert for assistance. 

 

Each workplace is required to have at least one designated fire marshal or fire warden to ensure proper safety plans are in place in the event of a fire. They check equipment regularly and inform their fellow coworkers on the plans in place in the office. 

It’s an important responsibility and one that can help employees learn a lot about fire safety and evacuation plans in the workplace. If you’re the fire marshal or fire warden in your workplace, here’s some tips on how to be prepared for your role. 

Identify Possible Risks and Report Them

A fire warden’s main responsibility is to manage safe evacuation of everyone in their workplace or designated area during an emergency. Check the building’s emergency exits and make sure they are in proper working order. Reach out to your co-workers and let them know to reach out to you if they need any assistance in the event of an evacuation. 

Here are some hazards in the workplace, as explained by Protect & Detect UK: 

“[The] key to being a good fire marshal is carrying out regular checks around the company’s premises. These include making sure no items obstruct exits and that all routes out of the building are suitable for people who have disabilities. Any smoking areas should be kept clear, with all receptacles removed on a regular basis.

Check Equipment Regularly

Equipment should be inspected on a monthly basis. This can include smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, and fire extinguishers to name a few. Your workplace will have a full list of all the equipment available in the building, and if they don’t, contact the building supervisor to make one. 

Educate Your Co-Workers

Check with your employer as to how often there are mandatory fire drills and fire safety meetings. You have a responsibility as fire marshal to make sure co-workers know how to stay safe in the workplace, prevent fires, and evacuate in the event of a fire. 

Have Your Emergency Plan In Place

Using the fire safety documents outlined in your building’s safety plan, write down the evacuation plans for your office. Once a year (or more depending on your workplace), have a fire safety meeting with your office and go over your evacuation plan. This includes how to spot fires in the building, what hallways and exits to take, and where the work’s meeting place will be outside. 

The University of Toronto Mississauga goes through key steps during an evacuation: 

“Advise all persons within your assigned area to evacuate via the nearest safe exit during a fire or other emergency. Assist in the evacuation of persons with disabilities. Once your assigned area is clear, ensure that the entrance into the building is not congested. Direct people away from the entrance of the buildings.”

Get the Proper Training

Read and continually review the Fire Safety Plan in your workplace and building. This will ensure you know the proper drills and steps to take in the event of a fire and other emergency. 

It’s also important that you get the proper certifications and training if it’s required at your work. We offer fire safety course training for workplaces designated fire marshals and all employees. We offer half-day safety course training programs and cover how to use and handle fire extinguishers, the fundamentals of fire prevention and emergency response in the workplace. 

 

For more, check out our services here or contact us using our contact form.