While the chances of a fire in the modern workplace are relatively low, it’s still something that can never be ruled out. The unexpected can happen, and it can be devastating if there is a lack of preparedness. That is where fire drills and safety come into the equation, and these are more than mere formalities – they are life-saving procedures.
At Passive Fire Installations, we not only help with fire drill procedures, but we also help your building comply with the relevant codes needed to pass safety inspections. Even notwithstanding these legal formalities, safety is paramount in any workplace.
The Importance of Fire Drills
In an ideal world, the fire procedure should be second nature to your employees – if they don’t know where to go, or what to do, then it could spell disaster in the face of a real fire. There were 242 fatalities in the UK from fires in non-domestic premises for the year 2019-20. It goes without saying this is 242 too many.
Though these fire drills can appear to be a pointless distraction, it’s worth putting it in some perspective and recognising the purpose. As well as testing the warning system and adhering to the law, the bottom line is that they save lives.
Other Preventative Measures
Before any fire drill, it’s vitally important to ensure equipment can be left safely behind in the event of a fire. It’s also important to consider safety-critical process employees, and whether it’s safer for them not to take part in any fire drills.
The drills should also provide sufficient opportunity to check for any risks in your procedures – is there anything, in particular, slowing down the process of the fire drill? Are there areas for improvement? If so, then these should be acted on immediately to minimise the risk.
A well-prepared fire drill procedure will allow you the opportunity to review the overall safety of your building, checking whether or not it’s up to the required code. At Passive Fire Installations, we specialise in ensuring your building passes these safety tests and can prepare for the worst should it happen.