For business owners who own premises, there are lots of risk factors involved which need to be constantly evaluated to keep your employees and business safe. Fire is one of the scariest risks to any business. It can cause costly damage to your property and, worst of all, put your employees and customers in danger. For this reason, it’s essential that you create an action plan so that you and everyone else knows exactly what to do if you see a fire.
Stay Calm and Assess the Situation
When we see a fire, our bodies go into flight mode automatically. It’s important that you remain calm and don’t slip into panic mode. If you don’t maintain a level head, this could put you or others in danger.
If you see a fire, take a couple of seconds to assess the situation. Is it a small or large fire? Could you fight a small fire using the extinguisher to prevent further damage? Is anyone in danger?
Making these quick assessments will shape the next few minutes and ensure you make the right decisions.
Evacuate the Area If Necessary
For small fires you may be able to take action yourself if you already know how to put out a fire. For a larger fire that looks like it’s spreading, staying to fight it may put your life at risk. You should immediately follow the fire evacuation procedure and leave via the nearest fire exit.
Meet your colleagues at the fire evacuation point and make sure everyone is accounted for.
Call 999
Rule one of fire safety is to call for help. As soon as you are in a safe location, call 999 for assistance. You should provide the exact location of the fire, where it is in the building and how large you think it is.
It’s also important that you make the fire brigade aware if you think people are still inside the building. This will shape how they tackle the fire when they arrive.
Help Others If You Can
If you are able to help others to evacuate the building then you should do so. Each person should have a fire evacuation plan based on where they are located in the building. For people with disabilities, they may require extra assistance to leave the building.
If you are unable to assist someone with disabilities to get down stairs, for example, then you should get them to the safest place possible and immediately alert the fire brigade of where they are.
If you’re concerned about your fire evacuation plan or need some advice regarding what to do if you see a fire in your building, contact Northants Fire today.
Our specialist team are the leaders in Northamptonshire fire safety and are here to offer support and assistance to ensure your workplace is as safe as possible. Investing in fire prevention and procedures could save lives.
