Emergency Action Planning – Fires

Fire Prevention Week is October 9-15. Is your organization prepared for fire emergencies?

Fire emergencies can impact your operations at any time. The better your organization is prepared to respond and react to these emergencies, the better the outcome and the smaller the impact on your operations.?

In recognition of Fire Prevention Week 2022, we wanted to share some quick tips on protecting your workers and preparing them for evacuation in case of a fire.?

In the event of a fire, employees should use the acronym?RACE:

Report?– Report the fire immediately either by phone or activating the fire alarm?

Alert?– Alert all employees near the fire and continue to alert employees as you exit the building

Contain?– As you exit the building, close the door behind you wherever possible to help contain the fire and protect the exit routes for other employees

Evacuate?- Leave the building by the posted evacuation routes

If a fire emergency occurs, alert employees within the building through one of the following means:

·???????Sounding of the building fire alarm

·???????An announcement via the facility intercom system

·???????Announcement over the public address system

·???????Alerts via the company emergency alert system?????????????????????

When the fire alarm sounds or other messages are activated for employees to evacuate, employees should do the following:??

·???????Leave all work and personal belongings and move toward the closest smoke-free exit

·???????Never use elevators during an emergency

·???????Follow the directions of the Floor/Area Captain

·???????Move quickly, but do not run

·???????Ensure that any guests are escorted to the appropriate exits

·???????Move in an orderly manner through the exits

·???????Report to the designated gathering point and remain there for further directions from the Captains or Company Management

Establish the designated gathering point in advance where you can account for all employees and visitors and ensure everyone has exited the building. Leaving the designated area can result in unnecessary action by emergency response personnel who may attempt to locate missing staff.?

Identify critical operations that must continue during emergencies and evacuations. Develop?specific operational plans for these activities and review them with the staff responsible for these tasks.?

An effective plan for fire emergencies can protect your staff and allow your organization to emerge from the incident ready to continue operations. Fire Prevention Week is a terrific reminder to review and update your organization’s comprehensive emergency plan.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

The information and suggestions presented by PMA Companies in this risk control technical bulletin are for your consideration in your loss prevention efforts. They are not intended to be complete or definitive in identifying all hazards associated with your business, preventing workplace accidents, or complying with any safety-related or other laws or regulations. You are encouraged to alter the information and suggestions to fit the specific hazards of your business and to have your legal counsel review your plans and company policies. PMA Companies and Old Republic Companies do not provide legal advice and the information and suggestions in this bulletin should not be considered as such.

#FireSafety #FirePreventionWeek #PMACompanies