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Office Fire Safety – Don’t Forget These 3 Tips

Christmas is a time to celebrate, but before your dust off last year’s office decorations and plug them in, make sure that you office fire safety is up to date.

If you need advice or assistance with your office fire procedures and equipment, get in touch with Diamond Fire & Security (UK) Ltd and enquire about our systems for fire alarms in North London.

3 Tips For Office Fire Safety

Have a blast this Christmas but don’t risk setting your office ablaze. Here are 3 quick tips for office fire safety.

  1. Place A Focus On Fire Prevention
    If a fire breaks out in your office this Christmas, decorations such as Christmas trees could cause a fire to spread very quickly. Did you know that a Christmas tree could be overcome by fire in less than a minute? This terrifying risk demonstrates the importance and the necessity of up to date fire prevention procedures and equipment.

    Like many things in life, prevention is much better than a cure and this includes fire safety measures. So make sure that all fire prevention systems are currently working and if any additional measures can be taken, consider adding them to your arsenal of fire defence. For example, inspect your business' fire doors.

Make Sure Your Fire Detection Devices Are Working
In the event of a fire it is essential that your detection devices and products are working correctly. This includes things such as fire alarms and smoke detectors.

A fire can be very destructive to your business premises regardless of whether the building is occupied at the time of the fire or not. For example, if the fire occurs outside of your office hours, improper fire detection systems might mean that the fire spreads to other areas of the local community.

  1. Remember, every fire alarm system is unique; as such no two systems are the same. This means that your methods of testing the system will also be different. So it is very important that you make sure that a fire risk assessment is regularly carried out and that your fire alarm system receives regular year-round maintenance.

Remind Your Employees Of Your Fire Escape Plan

If a fire occurs during your office hours, it is vital that your employees understand their responsibilities during an evacuation. The designated 'responsible person' in the building has a legal responsibility and this is of upmost importance. If this responsibility is not followed correctly, there could be strict penalties including but not limited to prison sentences.

Fire escape plans do not need to be overly complex, if your office environment is small, a simple fire action posted in easily visible places with staff training regarding how to access the escape routes and the designated congregation area may be sufficient.

  1. Another key reason why it is important to make sure that employees are aware of fire escapes is so that everyone can work together to keep escape routes are clear at all times. Resist temptation to store boxes and other large items in corridors and doorways, a few moments of convenience could quickly turn into a deadly obstacle in the event of a fire.

    It is also very important that vulnerable people are not left behind. If your business employs individuals with disabilities such as a wheelchair user, you will need to ensure that your evacuation procedures address their needs and provides methods of evacuation that allow them to swiftly leave the premises in the event of an emergency. Again demonstrating the value and necessity of a fire risk assessment.

Fire Safety & Christmas Decorations

Christmas is a time for celebration, however before you get the fairy lights and other decorative items out, make sure that you fully consider the fire safety risks of your decorative choices.

For example, make sure that you do not decorate the office in such a manner that fire safety signs cannot be easily located, and make sure that access to any fire fighting equipment such as fire extinguishers and fire blankets is not hindered by your decorative choices.

It’s also important to take care not to overload sockets with Christmas decorations. So whilst it may be tempting to daisy-chain extension leads, you must limit yourself to one extension per socket; plugging an extension lead into another extension lead increases the risk of overloading and thus increases the risk of fire. Additionally, make sure that you check the current rating of the extension lead and the current rating of the appliances which are plugged-in. For example, if the maximum wattage of the lead is 3000W, the total current rating of the appliances cannot exceed 3000W otherwise it could overheat and cause a fire.

Finally, make sure that any appliances are tested before you plug them in. It’s highly likely that any fairy lights you are using for office decoration have been left in a storage box at the back of a cupboard since last Christmas. So make sure that they are checked before you plug them in.

Contact The Diamond Fire & Security (UK) Ltd Team For More Information

If you would like more information regarding the fire detection solutions and fire alarm systems that are available from the Diamond Fire & Security (UK) Ltd team, please do not hesitate to get in touch with a member of staff. Our friendly and dedicated team will be happy to assist you with your enquiry.

If you would like to speak to a member of our staff, you can get in touch with us by calling 01234 825018. However, if you would prefer to contact our team via email, please send any questions you have to us at info@diamondsecurity.co.uk.

WHERE TO FIND US

Company Info

Head Office

Diamond Fire & Security (UK) Ltd.

29 Lincroft Oakley Bedford MK43 7SS

Tel:+01234 825018