Picture this: your business faces a sudden crisis—maybe it's a fire, a flood, or a major IT failure. How would your team respond? In times of chaos, businesses that lack a clear, well-practised emergency plan often find themselves in greater danger than the incident itself brings. A comprehensive em…
Blog posts : "fire safety"
What is a 'Competent Person' and does my business need one?
Even the smallest businesses have the legal responsibility to manage health and safety at work and are mandated to appoint a competent person to take ownership of fulfilling this obligation.
The definition of a competent person
A competent person does not have to be a qualified and dedicated h…
What you need to know about fire safety in the workplace
Fire safety is an issue that no firm can afford to ignore. If you let risk management standards slip when it comes to this issue, the consequences could be disastrous for your personnel, premises, finances and reputation. The fact is, the majority of blazes are preventable, as long as you adopt the …
Fire Safety: Foam Vs. Dry Powder Fire Extinguishers
A fire extinguisher is one of the most important pieces of fire safety equipment you can have in your car, home, or place of work. What is vital to know is that different extinguishers work on different types of fires.
Unfortunately, all fire extinguishers are red, making it difficult to decip…
Fire Prevention Week: The most effective PPE gear
Anyone who has ever seen a fire get out of control knows what an utterly terrifying and fearsome sight it can be. Once a fire takes hold there is little you can do but get back to a safe distance and hope for the best.
However, for fire fighters, there is an obligation to protect people and propert…
What are employers' fire safety duties?
Employers, building owners and other people responsible for commercial buildings have a duty to put necessary fire safety precautions in place to all reasonable and practicable extents. This is seen in health law under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which applies to all non-domestic…
‘tis the season to be fire-ready
As we all know, Christmas is a time for jollities and japes, overindulging in mulled wine and of course, one too many mince pies. For me, the most important part of the holiday season is taking the time to relax and step back from the trials and tribulations of everyday life.
Although Christmas is …
Fire training, why is it necessary in the workplace?
The possibility of a fire breaking out at work often seems too remote to warrant much attention, and as a result many businesses tend to give insufficient thought to workplace fire safety. In fact, many employees are quite clueless as to what to do to prevent fires and how to react should a fire bre…
Assessing electrical fire risks in the workplace
Making sure that your workplace is suitable for you and your employees to spend a large majority of their time is vital. In fact, if you do not pay enough attention to this particular area of your business, you could be fined, even be taken to court. There have been many cases in the past where empl…
Improving fire prevention in the home
Fire prevention is very important to all homeowners both inside and outside of the home. More than 3,500 people are killed in house fires every year in America and over 18,000 are injured due to lack of preparation or improper maintenance of fire-preventing materials and tools (Source: USFA).
Insta…
Choosing the right fire extinguisher
Starting with a risk assessment
It can difficult to choose the right fire extinguisher for your business. A good place to start is with a risk assessment. Firstly, a risk assessment is a legal requirement. Secondly, it will help you identify hazardous areas, potential sources of fuel and the size o…
Nightclub fire safety
On Sunday 27 January, Brazil encountered its most deadly fire for over 50 years. The blaze, which took place at the Kiss nightclub in the southern city of Santa Maria, devastatingly claimed 213 lives and left a country – as well as the wider global community – angry, distressed and confused about ho…
If you’re going to smoke, do it safely
With No Smoking Day coming up (March 13th 2013), the internet is bound to be flooded with articles that stress the health risks of both smoking and being exposed to second hand smoke.
But last year’s government statistics shed light on another worrying issue.
According 2011 – 2012 statistics, sm…
The truths and myths behind automatic fire sprinkler systems
There is a common misconception in society that modern homes are more protected from fires than older properties and we as professionals can confirm that this is certainly not the case. Many contemporary homes give the illusion of safety but in reality they are just as vulnerable, which is why it wo…
The importance of a company fire safety marshal
It is well documented that fires are one of the most lethal killers in the workplace and can occur at the most unexpected of times, due to a variety of reasons. All businesses are legally required to have carried out a fire risk assessment of their premises and the risk of fatality can be dramatical…
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