Fire Prevention Week

October 7-13 is Fire Prevention Week, sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association. According to the NFPA, from 2005-2009 more than half of all non-residential structure fires occurred in workplaces. Almost 20 percent of those workplace fires occurred in office settings. This week's articles provide lots of fire safety tips that you can use in your fire prevention plan.

Check out NFPA's resources for Fire Prevention Week. (Item #1)   Workplace fire safety is OSHA's principal focus. (Item #2)   In high-occupancy buildings fire safety and effective evacuation strategies are particularly important. (Item #3)  

If you don't have a fire safety plan (or have it in your BC plan), you need to start on one. (Item #4)   Don't forget that employees need to be trained in fire safety, beyond just knowing where the exits are. (Item #5)   Use this fire prevention checklist to see how well you're doing with fire safety.
(Item #6)  

As always, we look forward to hearing your comments & insights regarding business continuity. If you have a topic you'd like us to cover, email me at [email protected].

Bob Mellinger, President
Attainium Corp

1. NFPA Offers Resources for Fire Prevention Week

The National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) annual awareness campaign, Fire Prevention Week, is slated for October 7-13. The non-profit fire safety organization is reminding the public to, 'Have 2 Ways Out,' the theme for this year's effort which focuses on the importance of having multiple escape routes in the event of a fire.
http://www.fireengineering.com/articles/2012/09/nfpa-offers-resources-for-fire-prevention-week.html

2. Workplace Fire Safety

National Fire Prevention Week is intended to focus on the importance of fire safety in the home, in schools and at work. But workplace fire safety is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) principal focus and saving lives and preventing injuries due to fire is a key concern. According to National Safety Council figures, losses due to workplace fires in 1988 totaled $3.1 billion. Of the more than 5,000 persons who lost their lives due to fires in 1988, the National Safety Council estimates 360 were workplace deaths.
http://www.ehs.okstate.edu/training/oshafire.htm

3. High Occupancy Workplace Fire Safety

Over the years, with space at a premium, more and more large occupancy buildings have been erected to accommodate the needs of both business and residential purposes alike. Even smaller, more modest office buildings, can have the potential to hold 50 to a 100 occupants during hours of business. This is just one of the reasons these buildings create a unique challenge to the fire service. If you work or live in a large occupancy building, you should follow these tips and protocols to stay safe and help firefighters do their job.
http://gardencity.patch.com/groups/opinion/p/high-occupancy-workplace-fire-safety

4. Workplace Fire Safety: Make a Plan to Reduce the Risk

Fire risk in the workplace is a serious concern all year round. Each year there are approximately 70,000 to 80,000 serious workplace fires in the United States, resulting in more than 200 deaths and more than 5,000 injuries. The good news is that many workplace fires are preventable. Statistically, only 15 percent of workplace fires result from catastrophic equipment failure, with the rest caused by factors related to human behavior. Being proactive and implementing simple fire prevention plans and programs can reduce the likelihood of experiencing a fire in the workplace.
http://www.cbia.org/go/member-services/risk-management/workplace-fire-safety-make-a-plan-to-reduce-the-risk/

5. Fire Safety Training

The actions of employees if there is a fire are likely to be crucial to their safety and that of other people in the premises. All employees should receive basic fire safety induction training and attend refresher sessions at pre-determined intervals. You should ensure that all employee and contractors are told about the Fire Emergency Plan and are shown the escape routes. The training should take account of the findings of the fire risk assessment and be easily understood by all those attending. It should include the role that employees will be expected to carry out if a fire occurs.
http://www.forcefire.com/fire-safety-training.html

6. Fire Prevention Checklist

Use this fire safety inspection guidelines checklist to determine if your workplace is fire safe. Answering these 29 questions can help you improve your fire safety quotient and incorporate fire safety into your emergency response plan.
http://www.eustis.org/forms/fire_preinspection.pdf