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Training Your Employees for a Fire Emergency | SERVPRO® of Northeast Charlotte
3/30/2023 (Permalink)
Dealing with the aftermath of a commercial fire? SERVPRO of Northeast Charlotte is your local restoration expert.
Dealing with emergencies at work is part of owning or operating a commercial business. Small situations can often be handled by yourself or your maintenance crew, but larger problems can impact your entire staff.
Whenever fire is concerned, it is crucial that your team understands how to react to help minimize the situation.
Fires can create chaotic situations, so having a plan that your employees can follow can help keep everyone focused and safe. Teaching your staff fire safety basics and how to use a fire extinguisher can go a long way in an emergency!
Having a fire extinguisher on your property is one of the foundational parts of fire safety. If you have one, OSHA requires that you give your employees the training they need in order to operate one. This includes how to work the fire extinguisher(s) on your property and what situations require one.
Don’t be afraid to get hands-on with your training and let your employees handle your fire extinguisher. Get it out of the case or storage area and let them practice aiming it and pulling the pin. It’s even better if you can have them practice putting out an imaginary fire by sweeping across the flames and standing back at a safe distance of six to eight feet.
Having an easy way to remember how to use a fire extinguisher can increase your employees’ chances of using it correctly when it is really needed. Teach them the acronym PASS!
The fundamentals of fire extinguishers and fire safety cannot be overlooked, and should be taught at least once a year to your staff.
Also, don’t forget to assign certain roles to a few trusted or veteran staff members. If you have someone on your team who is confident and focused in stressful situations, have him or her be the point person for fighting the fire. Others can also help by calling 911 and getting the rest of your team to safety.
Fire reacts differently in different situations. Small fires in restaurants are much different than if a fire breaks out in one of the local business district buildings, like off of Hendry Road. If the situation escalates, it can become dangerous really quickly for your team.
Safety should always be your main focus during your training, so ensure that your staff understand that their safety is your top priority in any situation. If at any point any of your employees feel unsafe or uncomfortable staying to fight the fire, teach them that it is OK for them to seek a safe way out of the building.
Building a fire safety plan with your team can help make your staff’s response to an emergency much more seamless. Using these tips can build your employees’ confidence in any fire situation in the future.
Dealing with the aftermath of a commercial fire? Our SERVPRO specialists can restore your losses and return your workplace to its pre-fire condition.