If they’re a busy office manager, checking the fire safety requirements for the commercial building is normally one of the last things on their mind.
With so much to think about, like constant emails and endless calls, it can be easy for regular fire safety checks to slip off the to-do list.
fire safety best practices
Fire safety drills have slipped to one side while they finish their quarterly reporting
The hectic day-to-day, hustle and bustle of the office can mean corners are cut and fire safety best practices aren’t followed as rigorously as they should be.
The demands of office work mean this has likely happened to everyone at least once. Fire safety drills have slipped to one side while they finish their quarterly reporting.
Fire safety plan
If this is the case, don’t panic. The key is spotting when the fire safety plan for the commercial building is slacking and moving to correct the issue as soon as possible.
With so much going on, though, it can be hard to identify the warning signs they need to look out for that’ll let them know they need to sharpen up their fire safety game.
Keep an eye out for these five common fire safety mistakes they’ve listed below. Spotting any one of these is a strong indicator that the fire safety plan for the commercial building could be reviewed and refreshed.
Five common fire safety mistakes
Treating the fire safety equipment like any other piece of office furniture is a common mistake
The five common fire safety mistakes most office managers make. The equipment is everywhere and not always in the right place. If asked, could they walk straight over their office’s nearest fire extinguisher? Maybe they’ve moved it for a training session or it’s buried under a pile of coats.
Treating the fire safety equipment like any other piece of office furniture is a common mistake they see office managers’ make. Important fire protection equipment, like control panels and extinguishers, can get lost in a constantly changing office. As new people arrive and old staff leave, the floor layout can change, and this can leave the fire protection equipment in some odd places.
They can avoid this mistake by having designated fire extinguisher locations in the office. As an office manager, setting up a regular checklist when they rearrange their desks, and placing fire protection equipment at the top of the list is a good idea. That will guarantee they never forget where their fire safety equipment is, and it’ll help them keep on top of the fire safety plan for their commercial building.
Letting the office turn into a junkyard
When they’ve got clients to think about and quotas to fill anyone can be forgiven for letting their personal workspace get a bit messy. If the entire company is fixed on a quarterly goal, it can be easy to get caught up in the atmosphere, and everything outside of the computer screen becomes a blur.
This can lead to overflowing waste paper bins, piles of discarded boxes in hallways and a scattering of highly flammable adhesives and aerosols on desks and breakout areas.
Abundance of combustible materials
Combine that with exit routes blocked by rubbish, and they have a building that is a real fire hazard
One of the reasons fire spreads so quickly in offices is the abundance of combustible materials that are left lying around. Combine that with exit routes blocked by rubbish, and they have a building that is a real fire hazard.
They can’t remove this risk entirely; people have to work after all, but it can be managed and negated well with regular office-wide cleans and personal responsibility. As an office manager, a good question to ask themselves would be “Am I happy to bring a client into the office?”.
If the answer is no, then it’s likely that the rubbish and clutter around the office could constitute a fire risk.
The extension lead situation has got a bit out of hand
It’s the job of an office manager to make sure all staff have access to as many plug sockets as they need. With a considered office layout, this should mean the minimal use of extension cords, as overloading them can compromise the commercial building's fire safety plan.
That being said, it can be difficult managing staff who bring their own power cords in to charge phones, extra laptops, and other non-essential desktop appliances (no one needs a coffee machine on their desk).
Improper use of extension cords carries an increased risk of electrical shock and fire. Overloading electrical sockets can cause them to overheat and burst into flames.
Designated charging point
Alternatively, they could give every staff member a free socket on the understanding that they don’t abuse it
If they see a spike in the office’s energy bill or a multitude of glowing screens dotted around the office, this is a sign that liberties are being taken with extension cords.
As an office manager, an easy way to fix this problem is to set up a designated charging point in the office and have a strict no charging appliances at the desk policy.
That way, they can monitor who’s charging what, and they disincentivize people from bringing in their own chargers. Alternatively, they could give every staff member a free socket on the understanding that they don’t abuse it.
Not everyone knows what to do in an evacuation
Everyone knows what to do in a fire right? They’ve done fire drills since primary school. If the alarm goes off just follow the pioneer, be calm, and wait in the car park until everything blows over. It might sound straightforward enough, but in the heat of the moment, people don’t always think clearly. And besides, the fire evacuation plan should cover more than just leaving the building.
Building fire safety training into the onboarding of new staff fellows can get them up to speed with the systems
Staff member’s need to know who’s in charge of the evacuation, what they should do if that person isn’t there, are there any staff members that need assistance leaving the building, who should they call for help? These are just a few of the things the fire evacuation plan should cover. If all the staff aren’t up to speed with this information, then they have a compromised fire safety plan.
Regular fire drills are the best way to solve this problem. They are required by law at least once a year, but nothing is stopping them from doing more. Also, building in fire safety training to the onboarding of new staff members can get them up to speed with the evacuation drills quickly and efficiently.
Keep an eye on the office temperature
The office thermostat has long been a battleground between employees. One person’s hot is another person’s cold, and many work hours have been wasted by staff members taking trips to and from the thermostat. They might find that some resourceful staff members have got around this issue by bringing in their own space heaters. These small portable heaters are powered by electricity and, in some cases, gas!
Not only can they overload the sockets, but if left near flammable objects, the heat they emit can cause them to ignite after a period of time. Not to mention that they’re flammable objects themselves. If they notice that the office is feeling a bit like Spain, especially in the winter months, it would be wise to do a tour of the office and check who is using a personal foot heater.
The best way to minimize the risk from these heaters is by banning them in the office. This may lead to a small mutiny, however. If they are going to allow space heaters in the office to reduce the risk, keep them away from flammable objects, don’t allow them under desks, and always make sure they’re unplugged at the end of the day.
