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An Introduction to Fire Safety
October is Fire Safety Month and many supervisors mark the occasion by delivering a training talk on fire safety. The supervisor who addresses the topic of fire safety has a choice to make. Should I focus on flashpoints, hot work, portable heaters, dust explosions, flammables, welding, fire prevention or fire extinguishing? There is a lot to cover. So if you're a supervisor or know somebody who is, you might want to check out the following safety talk. It provides an overview of the many fire hazards a worker should be familiar with, as well as a set of precautions on reacting to a fire. A Spanish version of the talk is also available in the Tools section of SafetyXChange.
SAFETY TALK: FIRE SAFETY IS EVERYONE'S RESPONSIBILITY
By being careful and aware of fire safety, you will help protect both yourself and your co-workers. You will also help ensure the continued operation of our workplace.
Fire safety is a huge topic that can't be covered in just one short session. So this talk is intended as just an introduction.
PART 1: FIRE HAZARDS
Look around you and you'll notice all kinds of fire hazards. Let's discuss just a few of them and what you can do to protect yourselves against each one.
Machinery
Overheated machinery is a leading cause of fires in the workplace. It's important to follow safe operating guidelines to prevent the overloading of machine capacity. Keeping equipment well-maintained, correctly lubricated and clean will also help prevent overheating. These safety measures can also prevent other malfunctions that can cause fires.
Electricity
Electricity powers the workplace (and your homes). Unfortunately, it also causes fires. So you need to take precautions:
- When working with electrical equipment, make sure it's correctly grounded.
- Check frequently for worn insulation and frayed cords.
- Don't overload circuits.
- Don't jam circuit breakers into the "on" position.
- Use only the correct fuses.
- Make sure only authorized and qualified persons conduct electrical repairs and other maintenance.
Flammable Materials
Many of the materials in your environment and that you handle on the job are made of materials that can cause or feed a fire. Some tips to protect yourself:
- Know and understand the flammable materials you're dealing with in your work area.
- Know which are explosive, combustible, flammable and reactive. Understand the hazards associated with each category.
- A Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) is available for each of the combustible, flammable and reactive materials in the workplace; the MSDS describes the risks the material poses and how to guard against them.
- Each combustible, flammable and reactive material is also labeled with important safety information that you should take the time to read and understand.
- Check with your supervisor if you have any questions or concerns about any of these materials.
Smoking
Smoking isn't just bad for your health. It's a fire risk. So if you must smoke in the workplace, observe the following safety precautions:
- Know the smoking policy for each work area.
- Smoke only in designated areas. (Don't ever sneak off for a quick smoke in a storage area or other place where combustible, flammable and reactive materials are present.)
- Make sure cigarettes and matches are completely extinguished.
- Empty ashtrays only when the cigarette butts, ashes and other debris are extinguished and cold.
Bad Housekeeping
Workplaces where good housekeeping habits are not practiced are more likely to be the site of a fire. And, to make matters worse, fires in workplaces that aren't well kept tend to be more dangerous because clutter interferes with orderly evacuation. Conversely, good housekeeping habits make fires less likely to break out and easier to escape. So if you want to do your part to make the workplace safer from fire, do things like:
- Regularly dispose of trash and product waste and don't let them accumulate.
- Store and dispose of oily rags in approved metal containers only and in accordance with company directions.
- Keep stairwells, doorways, traffic areas and exits free of clutter and don't use them for storage.
- Keep fire doors closed as directed.
- Don't block fire exits.
- Understand that fires may be the work of arsonists and report any suspicious persons or activities.
PART 2: REACTING TO A FIRE
Understanding the hazards and taking appropriate precautions should help make fires less likely. (By the way, the same hazards and precautions apply to your home. So applying the lessons of this talk will help you protect not only your co-workers but your families.)
Still, even if all of us do everything in our power to prevent them, fires may still break out. Your life and that of your colleagues may well depend on how you react to fires when and if they do occur.
If fire strikes, do you know what to do? To answer this question, ask yourself these questions. If a fire breaks out, do you know:
- Which emergency numbers to call?
- Where the nearest fire alarm is?
- Where the nearest fire extinguisher is?
- Which kind of fire extinguisher it happens to be?
- How to operate each type of fire extinguisher in the workplace (Remember that there are different kinds of fire extinguishers and each one is operated in a different way.)
- What other kinds of firefighting equipment, such as sprinklers, fire blankets, hoses and monitors, is in the workplace?
- How to operate each item of equipment?
- What the safety procedures are for shutting down operations and equipment before you leave your work area in an emergency?
- Which fire exits to use?
- At least two escape routes you can use to evacuate?
- Where everyone should assemble after escaping in an emergency?
Conclusion
It may be a cliche, but it's true and it's worth repeating. Fire prevention is everyone's responsibility. So let's quickly sum up what you can and must do to carry out that responsibility.
Be aware of the fire hazards around you - at work and at home - and do everything you can to prevent them. And make sure that your co-workers and family members do the same. If you see an unsafe situation, correct or report it. Make sure you know what to do in case a fire breaks out. Last but not least, talk to me or one of your other supervisors if you have any questions or concerns.
PRACTICING FIRE ESCAPE PLANS
Tips for Effective Drills
By Barbara Manning Grimm
The National Fire Protection Association has designated October 7 to 13th as Fire Prevention Week. The theme this year is "Practice Your Fire Escape Plan."
Let's say you spring a surprise fire drill on your staff. Forty-seven workers file out of the building and meet at a prearranged spot in a parking area behind your facility.
You suddenly realize you have added five new employees in the last few weeks and they haven't received any fire safety training. Oops. Imagine what could have happened if there'd been a real fire and your roll call came up short.
This scenario shows the importance of having emergency evacuation procedures in place for employees, and including them as part of your employee orientation program. That way, everyone is on the same page.
When conducting a fire drill, be sure to:
- Post an emergency exit diagram and ensure all employees are familiar with the way out.
- Appoint a couple of workers to sound the alarm and assist workers with disabilities out of the building.
- Make the drill realistic by holding up signs stating: "exit blocked by fire" or "smoke."
- Take head counts at the designated meeting place(s) to ensure everyone is accounted for. If someone is missing, under no circumstances should any employee re-enter a building.
- After the drill, assemble all staff to answer any questions they may have and discuss problems they may have encountered. Then find solutions to those problems and implement them.
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