“Fires only happen to other people, that will never happen to us.”

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Created on Tuesday, 03 April 2001 03:52

Written by Wayne Punch

Almost everyone in the industrial laundry business says that – until they get burned. With electronic equipment often housed in older buildings, it doesn’t take much for a fire to break out, even for those who are prepared. This is a true story. Two hundred employees were doing their jobs in an 800,000 square-ft. building made of concrete and steel. Nobody expected this day to be different from any other, but no one expected a fire.

1. Definition - A specific explanation to employees about what the fire prevention/protection process is and how it relates to the
   organization.
   
2. Methods - Definition of employee training and ways to measure the effectiveness of the fire prevention/ protection process.
   
3. Metrics  - Identification of what will be measured and why.
   
4. Hazards - Recognition of potential dangers/risks and ways to reduce or eliminate them.
   
5. Results - A strategic combination of the previous four areas into a plan, the fire prevention/protection process.

The success of a fire prevention/protection process depends on the employees and their knowledge about all areas of the process. Let’s examine each one in detail.

Definition involves informing employees that a process is in place, providing them with detailed descriptions of each area and emphasizing the importance of the fire prevention/protection process.

The methods area focuses on how employees are trained to recognize different types of fires. An incipient fire involves equipment or machinery inside a building. A structural fire is in the walls, roof, or floor of a building.

There are two ways to respond to fires. First responders are employees who know how to use a fire extinguisher. The second type of response mechanism involves fire brigades, which are comprised of employees trained to fight structural fires. Members of a fire brigade are required to undergo instruction according to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines and regulations. Often, they have experience as fire department volunteers.

How does an employee determine that a fire requires a first responder or a member of the brigade? Using the following rating system may help.

Whether a first responder or a member of a fire brigade, all employees must be aware of primary and secondary fire exit routes from their workstations, must be trained to go directly to outside pre-arranged gathering points and participate in at least one fire drill a year.

Holding annual fire drills is a good start, but it isn’t enough. The organization must measure the effectiveness of these drills by asking itself these questions: