Managing a facility of any kind can be quite an undertaking. Your job is to properly enforce all safety procedures and workplace policies, among other things. Fire safety is one of the most important aspects a facility manager must consider.
Doing so is essential to properly protect your infrastructure and the people who work within it. But sometimes, fire safety procedures aren’t exactly where they need to be. Fortunately, facility managers can implement a few simple strategies to enhance fire safety. Explore them in this brief guide.
#1. Create a Streamlined Workspace
One of the simplest things you can do to improve your facility’s fire safety is to ensure that all workspaces are streamlined and conducive to free movement. Everything from cubicle office spaces to break rooms, lounge areas, and exits should have an open layout.
Moreover, each area in your building must allow employees to move around quickly and easily. Setting up each space in your facility this way will ensure streamlined building evacuations in the event of a fire or another emergency.
#2. Understand and Adhere to NFPA Codes
Your workspace setup is only half the battle. Facility managers looking to enhance their building’s fire safety should refer to the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) codes and standards. For those unaware, the NFPA is an organization that provides fire safety resources of all kinds.
It has the absolute best information on everything from sprinkler system standards to full-length copies of national fire codes. This organization is also the de-facto provider of fire safety education courses, certifications, and literature. As such, it should be a facility manager’s number one fire safety and prevention resource.
#3. Ensure Policies and Procedures Are Available
Ensuring that all fire safety policies and procedures are readily available is also essential. Some facility managers find it beneficial to hand out laminates to their employees. Others might hang them up around the workspace or combine the two methods.
In any case, when everyone has access to fire safety policies and procedures, it makes it easier to adhere to them. If an emergency does happen, having signage and laminated copies of how to evacuate safely won’t hurt, either.
#4. Make Equipment Easily Accessible
Improving fire safety in your facility also means ensuring that safety equipment, such as fire extinguishers, extinguishing blankets, and first aid kits, are easily accessible. You can’t always stop a fire from happening in your building. But with the right equipment, you can do some things to offset the damage and keep everyone safe.
That’s why you should keep fire safety equipment in areas where it’s easy to see and even easier to access. Doing so will help when you must take quick action to offset the danger and potential damage a fire could cause.
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