Why Fire Safety is so important for your business

In every business, there are certain risks and dangers; one risk that is present in almost all businesses across the UK is fire. A fire can break out in any premises if the correct safety measures are not followed.

To combat this risk, it’s important that your employees have up-to-date fire safety training. This protects your team and your premises from a fire breaking out, and best equips you to deal with one if it does happen.

Common causes for fires in the workplace

Some workplaces are understandably more susceptible to fires than others, but the most common causes of workplace fires can apply to most working environments.

Faulty equipment- One of the most common causes of fire in the workplace is faulty equipment, this can include loose wires, overheating electrics, or broken electronics that can create sparks.

Cluttered/dirty areas- Another potential source of fire breaking out in the workplace is clutter and dirt around certain areas. This could include overloaded electrical sockets or a dirty kitchen area, with grease being flammable.

Human error- Even if other safety measures are followed, individual human error can cause fire in a workplace that is constantly filled with people. This could be something as simple as leaving cooking food unattended or incorrectly using electrical equipment which leads to overheating and fire.

Staff should be given fire safety training to help mitigate this risk.

Steps for preventing fire and creating a fire plan

There are a number of ways to create a more fire-safe working environment, reducing the likelihood of a fire breaking out.

It is important that your organisation has best practice policies in place to reduce the risk of fire including getting all appliances PAT tested, not overloading sockets and not leaving food unattended while it is cooking.

A fire plan should include evacuation plans, procedures for contracting the emergency services and a fire rendezvous point for all members of staff in the event of a fire alarm. Regular fire drills should also be held.

Protect your organisation with Imperative

The best way to protect your organisation and team from the risks associated with fire is to ensure that fire safety training is up to date.

Imperative provides a range of accredited fire safety courses, most of which will provide learners with a three year qualification to the highest standard possible in the UK- TQUK Diamond Approved.