Unless you’re a firefighter, you probably don’t walk into your workplace in the morning expecting to have to deal with a fire. But unfortunately, these emergencies do happen and it’s important to be prepared if they occur at your business. One way to remain ready is to conduct regular fire drills that include all employees. Here are some benefits to doing just that:
Discover Potential Issues
OSHA requires only some businesses to have a fire safety plan, but many others will develop an evacuation plan of some sort. Doing a fire drill allows you to find potential flaws in that plan. Perhaps a door is locked that should be open or too many people leaving through one hallway creates a logjam. Knowing the issue will help you update your plan to solve it.
Repetition Builds Confidence
A workplace fire can be a chaotic situation. When panic sets in, it can be hard to remember something you were told in a safety presentation months ago. But if you’ve done several fire drills, you may have the muscle memory to go exactly where you need to in an orderly fashion.
Adapt to a Changing Workplace
Workplaces are not static; they will change in large and small ways. For example, a company may grow quite a bit, hiring new employees and expanding its footprint. A company may also switch up the layout of a workplace due to renovations, additions or just aesthetic purposes. A new layout and team size means a need to adjust the current fire evacuation plan. A fire drill is the perfect time to ensure that your new plan is working as intended.
Test Your Alarms
Although fire alarms should be tested regularly, a fire drill is another great opportunity to ensure they’re working as excepted. Fire drills aren’t designed just to test employees’ knowledge of their own role in an emergency, but of the entire fire safety protocol for your company. If key equipment doesn’t work as it should, you may have to look into upgrading it.
If you’re looking to upgrade your company’s fire safety equipment, Life Safety Consultants can help you. We sell top-of-the-line fire-safety tools, such as fire alarm parts, smoke detectors, pull covers and more. Call 1-888-557-0558 to learn more about our products.
