Crucial Fire-Safety Standards for Returning Workers To Know

Today, millions of people have yet to return to the office from their homes. Even after three years of abiding by COVID-19 guidelines, the thought of returning to one’s office or in-person working environment can cause stress and anxiety. For some, getting a quick refresher on what it’s like working in person might be helpful, especially as it concerns aspects such as safety and best practices. For your convenience, here are some crucial fire-safety standards that returning workers should know.

Be Observant

While business owners hold the responsibility for ensuring an office space is up to code with local fire standards, workers should also be on alert for any potential fire hazards in their working environment. This is especially true for your personal workspace, which must be maintained and well-organized.

Accumulated waste and dust can cause fire incidents, especially in industrial working environments. Additionally, poor-quality cables and overloaded outlets can also spark an accident at any moment. Clean your space often and always look out for any item that might pose a fire threat.

Prioritize Communication and Education

One fire standard that is often not talked about is communication. Any working environment should have clear and concise communication in regard to the office’s emergency procedures and best practices. This is accomplished by regularly educating workers on the risks of fire and how to avoid incidents.

If not already planned, encourage your office to hold a meeting for return workers to freshen up on topics such as evacuation plans, locations of fire alarms and sprinklers, and more. Continue the conversation outside of this meeting by communicating proper fire-safety practices to peers and those around you. And don’t be afraid to ask a superior about best practices when you are confused.

Review Firefighting Duties

In the event of a fire and subsequent evacuation, some employees may need to conduct pre-determined firefighting duties. These responsibilities include designating fire-safety leaders who can help direct groups of workers to the proper evacuation routes. Additionally, some workers might be in charge of conducting head counts, passing out food and water after the evacuation, or being the point of contact with the fire department upon their arrival.

Depending on your industry, some designated employees and firefighters may need access to particular protective gear and respirator masks. As always, it’s essential that everyone at work is aware of their responsibilities and prepared for any incident.

Backflow Direct provides quality backflow prevention equipment and other parts for fire suppression systems. While we do not do installs or inspections of fire suppression systems, we do want to provide helpful information about fire systems and safety. Our team wants to make sure you and your returning workers are aware of these crucial fire-safety standards at all times.

If you’re a sire sprinkler system installer, repairer, or tester, contact us today to learn more about Backflow Direct.