A fire in your facility poses an imminent threat to the health and safety of your employees and anyone else on site. Investing in measures such as up-to-date extinguishers and fire sprinkler systems helps reduce that risk, but there’s still more you can do. Implementing fire extinguisher training for employees can improve safety. Here’s how.
1. A Rapid Response Makes All the Difference
For all types of fires, the best time to respond is as soon as they start. After all, fire becomes exponentially more difficult to deal with as it spreads. As the fire grows and ignites new flames, the rate of spread accelerates until it quickly becomes unmanageable.
Most fires start small when a quick spray of a fire extinguisher could be all that’s needed. Training employees for that situation allows them to react quickly to stop the spread at the outset. If your employees are confident in their ability to use a fire extinguisher, they’re more likely to intervene at that crucial moment.
2. Training May Be Required by Law
Depending on the size and nature of your business, the law may require you to provide fire extinguisher training to employees. OSHA and other agencies mandate that businesses have an emergency plan in place in case of fire.
If your plan involves the use of fire extinguishers to mitigate small fires, you’ll have to provide effective training. You can’t expect untrained employees to handle that situation, as it puts them in unreasonable danger compared to evacuation. The right training can prepare employees to fulfill that role in your emergency plan.
3. It Can Keep Your Employees Safe
The safety of your employees — and others on the premises — is your top priority as a business owner. Even in an environment without any specific hazards, fire can lead to injury and even loss of life. If your business utilizes equipment or compounds that present a specific risk, safety is even more important.
Providing fire extinguishers and the training to use them safely can help your employees avoid risks in a wider range of situations. And with appropriate fire extinguisher placement, you can ensure that employees don’t become trapped by flames or put into other difficult situations due to your facility’s layout.
4. It Can Keep Your Business Running
While safety is the top priority of fire prevention and mitigation, you also have your business to worry about. Even moderate fires can significantly impact your business, causing you to lose critical equipment or close down for extended periods. Even with insurance, you can find yourself losing significant business.
Making fire extinguishers available and training your employees to use them can mitigate the impact of any given fire. Small fires can be dealt with immediately, reducing the risk of widespread damage.
Investing in the equipment and training for fire safety today could save your business in the future. It’s always best to reach out to professionals to find out what you can do to ensure fire safety for your facilities.
Fire Extinguisher Inspection in NJ and More
Ensuring that your employees are properly trained can help mitigate damage and ensure safety during an emergency situation. Staying prepared with the right equipment is just as important.
ACB Fire & Safety provides a full range of products and services related to fire safety and can help find a fire extinguisher in New Jersey. And remember: it is imperative that you keep your fire extinguisher in Kenilworth inspected, recharged, and tested. ACB Fire & Safety can ensure that you have the right extinguishers for your needs, along with sprinklers, alarms, emergency lighting, and other fire safety equipment.
