While no business owner enjoys dwelling on the potential for fire to break out in their commercial space, it’s important to know how you’ll protect the safety and wellbeing of employees and visitors. Regular evacuation drills are essential for businesses, ensuring your alarms are in working order, emergency exits operate as intended and employees know what to do in the event of an emergency. Here’s a brief guide explaining why fire evacuation drills are important for any business.
Regular practice reinforces important concepts
As the old saying goes, practice makes perfect. Regular fire evacuation drills for your business gets your entire team on the same page, helping them fully understand the evacuation plan. Drills give you a chance to address any questions your employees may have regarding evacuation, specifying which staircase to take, where the fire exits are located and where the outdoor meeting point will be, among other important concepts.
Overall, a regular fire drill should instill a sense of confidence in your staff. Always reinforce the fact that there is no need to panic in the event of a fire. Take the time to ensure every member of your team undergoes fire awareness training so they have all the information they need to respond appropriately, with confidence, should a fire break out on your premises.
Fire drills help you identify weak spots in your evacuation plan
Fire drills allow you to tighten up on rules and amend your risk assessment to ensure a clean and organized escape of your entire team from a burning building. There are an untold number of things that can hinder safe, efficient escape from a building. Maybe you have a hallway blocked by a delivery, or you have a door that’s been inadvertently locked for security reasons. Regular fire drills help you discover all your pain points, particularly the ones that wouldn’t normally cross your mind until an emergency situation occurs.
Presenting an opportunity to test alarms
Fire drills not only inform your employees how to safely escape your building during an emergency, they also give you an opportunity to test your fire alarms. Although alarm systems need to be tested weekly for alarm, supervisory and trouble signals, a fire drill gives you a chance to see your alarm systems in action. Your fire marshal will test every area of your premises and determine if any alarm components need attention.
Fire drills are required by law
Commercial properties are required by law to conduct fire drills, but the frequency depends on the type of business you run. In most workplaces, fire drills should be conducted every six months. For workplaces that contain significant fire hazards like flammable chemicals or difficult means of egress (like in high-rise buildings), drills should be conducted at least once every three months.
Regular evacuation drills for businesses help save lives in the event of a fire. The importance of adequate preparation cannot be stressed enough. Learn more about commercial fire safety by contacting Raider Fire Protection. Our training programs instill confidence in your employees, allowing them to effectively respond to a fire and safely escape your building.