Who put the fire out? It better be somebody.
It’s the end of the year not the end of the world but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have solid plans for handling plans for dealing with different types of emergencies in place.
Making sure that your workers know what to do and where to go in the event of a serious problem can go a long way in keeping them safe and keeping workers compensation claims and hours lost to injury at a minimum.
Today I want to talk about a safety tool that is often taken for granted… The Fire Extinguisher. Been around forever. Quickest way to stop something before it gets out of hand. Ours is right over…” Hey! Anybody know where we put the fire extinguisher? I thought it was in this box.”
Office Safety Common Sense
A lot of this is common sense but, making sure your fire extinguisher is handy is a great place to start. Make sure your staff knows where they are. Make sure they’re not obstructed, after all when it comes to fire every second counts. The last thing you want to hear when a fire breaks out is “Where’s the fire extinguisher?” “I don’t see it! Let’s get out of here!”
Also, not everybody knows how to use it. You would think they do but in an emergency there are going to be a percentage of people who are going to freeze. The only emergency they can deal with in that state is a potty emergency. Asking them to perform a new task under that kind of stress is a sure way to wind up looking for a new location.
Demonstrate It
So take the time and demonstrate it. There are a lot of people who’ve seen them but never held one. Let them. It’s a 30 second demo that can pay big dividends. Also while training take a minute to talk about your fire alarm system in general and make sure everyone know what to do and how to evacuate.
Charge It To Prevent A Fire Sale
So now you know where the fire extinguisher is and how to use it. There’s just one thing left. How long has it been since you looked to see if it’s charged? You might have bought it years ago and thankfully never had to use it so its been gathering dust in its holder. That’s great. You’ve been lucky. Now that small fire is catching some momentum and you are standing there hitting the trigger and nothing is happening. Well something’s happening. You’re about to have a fire sale.
At Leader’s Choice Insurance, we are dedicated to helping you keep your workers’ compensation policy rates at a minimum.
{{cta(‘dbc2a183-33cb-49e1-bb71-cc69684d4706’)}}