A workplace is nothing without its employees. Without the awesome team working hard inside, an office space is just a building - no character, no personality. So when it comes to making your workspace safe for absolutely everyone, it should be a priority. Protecting your staff from any dangers that could get in the way of their safety is of the utmost importance. But how can you be sure you have ticked off every box on the safety list?

Your workplace’s fire safety should be a grave concern to you. Whether you are a manager or business owner, you will have some responsibility over keeping all those in your team safe from harm. Everyone has their part to play, but it’s your job to ensure all the employees in the building are aware of fire procedures. Here is how you can help improve your workplace fire safety.

Assessing Your Building’s Fire Safety

Assessing your building’s fire safety means understanding its biggest weaknesses to fire. For example, if you work in a tall building which relies on elevators to travel to your floor, ensure you and your employees are fully aware of how to use the fire exits via the stairs. Similarly, if you work in a high-risk area for wildfires such as California, your building will be more vulnerable to fire risk. 

In order to fully assess your building’s fire safety, you should ensure to hire a fire safety consultant who can professionally analyze your building’s fire hazards. Every building has its own specific needs, so investing in this type of consultancy is not just worth the money, but essential for everyone’s safety.

Mandatory Training

If you don’t already have mandatory safety training, now is the time to implement it. Most offices have annual safety walk-throughs, at which all employees and bosses are given a health and safety guide for their office building. Usually, though, this is not enough. Mandatory fire training should also include semi-regular random fire drills, talks and regular reminders of fire procedures and hazards. 

Staying Up To Date

There is constant research being undertaken about the safety of certain types of cladding, flooring and other office building components. As a business owner or landlord, you should always stay abreast of the developments happening with this research. As our understanding of fire safety shifts as a society, so should your fire safety procedures for your workplace.

Conclusion

A fire scenario at your workplace is something most of us don’t even like to think about - it is the stuff of nightmares. This being said, if we work together and create viable solutions to the biggest fire hazards in our office spaces, we can minimise the risk and achieve a safer workplace for everyone.