What is a fire safety plan?

A fire safety plan is a strategy that is implemented in a facility that provides information about what to do to prevent fires, and how to respond should one occur. Of course, individual homes can also have fire safety plans, but when referring to the formal concept it is almost always going to be referencing a workplace situation. In most workplaces it is required that the company has a fire safety plan in place. This plan will include a number of different aspects including fire detection equipment, sprinkler systems, evacuation routes, and more.

Fire Prevention

The most important part of any fire safety plan is going to be focused on preventing fires. It is far easier to prevent a fire from occurring than it is to respond to one once it has happened. Fire prevention steps can include things like making sure that no objects are put on machinery that gets heated, making sure cooling vents are clear, taking care with flammable products, and much more. The specifics the prevention steps will depend almost entirely on what type of activities take place in a given facility.

Responding to a Fire

When a fire does occur it is important to ensure everything possible is done to first get everyone in the area to safety, and second, protect the facility and surrounding environment. For most people this will mean escaping the building in the safest way possible. It is almost always necessary to have multiple escape routes for all areas of a facility so that employees aren’t left trapped in an area that is cut off by the fire.

Another important piece of this part of a fire safety plan is communicating with the local fire departments. Facilities that use hazardous materials will want to notify the fire department ahead of time that these hazards are present. This will help to ensure they are able to respond and be ready for the situation should it become necessary.

Training Employees

Training employees on how to safely react during a fire is also very important. While most employees in this situation will just have to escape the building, others could have further responsibilities. If someone is in the area where the fire started, for example, they will likely need to sound the alarm to start the evacuation process. In some cases they can also grab a fire extinguisher and attempt to put the fire out themselves. Whatever the proper course of action is, employees should be aware of it so they can respond properly.