Member Article

Health and safety tips for your workplace

Arguably the most important role in the workforce is that of the Fire Safety Officer.

Here we explain this role in detail and offer some valuable fire-safety tips that could ultimately save lives.

Who is your Fire Safety Officer?

This is something you must know, whether you are the employer or an employee. The Fire Safety Officer is the person allocated with the responsibility of ensuring that everyone who comes in the building is safe from fire – this includes all members of staff and visitors.

All businesses must designate a Fire Safety Officer, as they will be responsible for assessing the risk of fire and reducing risk accordingly, as well as co-ordinating fire drills, which by law should be undertaken at a minimum of every six months.

What are the specific responsibilities of a Fire Safety Officer?

In order to be efficient in this role, the Fire Safety Officer must know the layout of the building well and be fully aware of existing fire precautions relating to the existence, location and functionality of fire exits, fire alarms and fire extinguishers. Having the right equipment is vital and this is where accessories like these can be crucial.

A Fire Risk Assessment should be carried out to pinpoint and eliminate any potential danger that there might be in the building, with an obvious example of a fire risk would be objects that obstruct fire exits. It is vitally important that members of staff are able to exit the building in the event of a fire, and also that they are made aware of the need to keep exits clear.

What do you need to know about your fire alarm system?

The most effective way to ensure fire safety in the workplace is maximised is to fit a fire alarm system that will be unavoidably audible to every single person in the building. You should organise weekly fire alarm tests to occur at the same time every week so that people don’t ever mistake a test for a real fire or a drill.

There is a plethora of information regarding the use of fire alarm systems online and you will be to find the appropriate system for your business in no time at all, with smoke alarmsproviding additional measures to protect yourself and your colleagues.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Anita I. .