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Business Fire Safety
Arson
Smoking Materials
Wiring & Appliances
DEVELOP A FIRE RESPONSE PLAN
WHEN A FIRE HAPPENS
Remember your emergency number: 9-1-1
Close doors when exiting
Never use elevators during a fire emergency
Establish an employee-meeting place
Fire Extinguishers
Each year in the United States, over 6,000 fires occur in the
workplace. Take steps to insure that the business is a safe
one for all employees. The following are the leading causes of workplace
fires.
Arson
Pay close attention to security measures. Keep doors and windows
locked after business hours. Keep areas around the building - especially
alleys and loading docks - well lit and clear of combustibles. Pay
attention to housekeeping within the building.
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Smoking Materials
In areas where smoking is allowed, use large, non-tip ashtrays and
make sure everything in them is cold before they are emptied. Be
sure that no one leaves smoldering cigarettes on furniture or in
a wastebasket.
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Wiring & Appliances
Designate an employee to turn off or unplug all appliances - including
coffee makers - at the end of each working day. Do not overload
outlets, and make sure to replace any broken or cracked electrical
cords.
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DEVELOP A FIRE RESPONSE PLAN
Develop a well thought out plan that takes into consideration the
unique features of each building and its occupants. This plan should
be in writing, and easily available to all employees. This includes
those who work weekends and off-shifts. The plan should be kept
current through periodic updating.
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WHEN A FIRE HAPPENS...
Treat every alarm as though it is a real emergency, even if the
initial source is unknown. If the alarm sounds, or a fire is suspected,
call the Fire Department immediately. After calling the Fire Department,
if it's determined that there is no fire, but rather a malfunction
of the equipment or a false alarm, call 911 and relay this information.
Never wait to investigate the situation before notifying the Fire
Department. Any delay will allow a fire to grow and further endanger
the building occupants and property. DO NOT silence the alarm
until given permission to do so by Fire Department personnel or
by the emergency operator. DO NOT reset the alarm until the
Fire Department arrives and has investigated the source of the alarm.
All fire alarms are to be investigated by the Fire Department.
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Remember your emergency number: 9-1-1.
It's important for employees calling 911 to be able to give the
following information: nature of the problem, location, address,
nearest cross street, any specifics known. The caller should not
hang up until told to do so by the emergency operator.
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Close doors when exiting.
By closing doors, the spread of smoke and fire throughout the building
will be limited to a smaller area. Doors should be closed by employees
as they leave, and by floor wardens assigned to check the floor
during an alarm.
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Never use elevators during a fire emergency.
The reason is three fold:
1) Elevators often fail during a fire, trapping occupants.
2) Elevator shafts may fill with smoke.
3) The elevator has to be available for the use of arriving firefighters.
Occupants must exit by way of stairwells only.
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Establish an employee-meeting place.
It is important to establish an employee-meeting place so that all
employees can be accounted for after a building evacuation. The
meeting place needs to be away from the building, both so that the
area is clear for arriving Fire Department personnel and also so
that occupants are away from any glass or debris that may fall from
the building.
If unable to leave the building, create an area of refuge.
- Seal the room. Use wet cloth to stuff around cracks in
doors and seal up vents to protect against smoke
- Do not break windows. Flames and smoke can come back
in from the outside. If air is needed, open the window a crack.
- Stay low under smoke. The freshest air is near the floor.
Keep a wet cloth over the nose and mouth, breath only through
the nose.
- Signal for help. Use the telephone, or hang something
in the window.
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FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
Fire Code requirements specify the size, number and location of
fire extinguishers within each facility. These requirements help
establish a protection level appropriate for the hazard class of
a building. Make sure to know the types, sizes and maintenance requirements
of extinguishers, as well as the basics of extinguisher operation.
For more information call the Chula Vista Fire Prevention Division
at 619-691-5055.
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