All employers must have a fire prevention plan in place for their business. Having a fire prevention plan in place helps avoid injury to personnel, costly equipment damage, as well as potential fines to your business. These plans must be in writing and accessible for all employees to review. If your business consists of less than ten employees, the plan is allowed to be shared verbally.
What is a fire prevention plan?
A fire prevention plan is a document that details all aspects of fire safety, created specifically for your business/facility/property. They exist to inform all employees of potential fire hazards, how to handle different types of fire, and how to properly handle flammable materials to avoid accidental ignition.
Employees must be made aware of the fire risks they face while starting a new job/role, even within their current company. Fire prevention plans can be utilized to inform employees of these risks, as well as explain how to mitigate them.
While creating one of these plans may seem like a daunting task, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provides thorough guidelines for creation.
What does a fire prevention plan include?
According to OSHA, fire prevention plans must, at minimum, detail each of the following:
- A list of all major fire hazards, proper handling and storage procedures for hazardous materials, potential ignition sources and their control, and the type of fire protection equipment necessary to control each major hazard.
- Procedures to control accumulations of flammable and combustible waste materials.
- Procedures for regular maintenance of safeguards installed on heat-producing equipment prevent combustible materials’ accidental ignition.
- The name or job title of employees responsible for maintaining equipment to prevent or control sources of ignition or fires.
- The name or job title of employees responsible for the control of fuel source hazards.
How can your fire protection company help?
The most effective way to prevent workplace fires is to install proper fire protection throughout the building. Fire protection technicians are trained to identify potential fire hazards and install suppression systems best suited to the class of fire they may ignite. Having professionals identify potential fire hazards can help you create the most thorough fire prevention plan for your facility.
Fire Systems, Inc.
Atlanta-based Fire Systems, Inc. has been in the business of total fire protection since 1986. From design to installation, inspection, and beyond, our highly trained technicians are prepared to walk you through every aspect of the process. Ready to put your business’s fire prevention in the hands of professionals? Visit our website or give us a call at 770-333-7979.
