OSHA recommends you should, ideally, aim for two fire drills a year at your premises. However, this may vary depending on your company’s risk assessment for emergency evacuation. If you employ shift workers, appropriate arrangements should be made to ensure all staff participate in at least one fire drill per year.
Here are a few points to consider when implementing fire drills in the workplace.
How prepared is your staff?
You want your staff to respond quickly, calmly, and to be thinking clearly in a crisis. By preforming regular fire drills you can make sure everyone knows their responsibilities in time of emergency. Scheduled and announced fire drills give your staff the chance to practice new procedures in a more secure way. Unannounced fire drills on the other hand will help simulate a more realistic environment and allow you to see how your staff reacts. 10-15 minutes of employee time in a year for a fire drill can be critical in case of an emergency.
How effective is your plan?
Practicing fire drills also helps determine the effectiveness of the plan and procedures. Any issues discovered in the plan should be addressed immediately and improvements made as applicable. This dedication to life safety can bring peace of mind and a feeling of security to your staff as they know they are following an efficient procedure. Furthermore, it may be beneficial to practice fire drills simulating doors or stairwells being blocked. Prepare your staff to think calmly about different evacuation routes, or strategies for a safer exit.
Is your equipment working?
Fire drills not only test the effectiveness of your plan, but also the effectiveness of your technology! By routinely performing fire drills you can ensure your alarms are in working order and emergency exits are set to respond when opened. Although you should routinely check the status of your fire alarms anyways, fire drills give you a perfect opportunity to check device battery life as well.
How can we help?
We take fire safety very seriously at EPS Security, which means we have everything you need to have a top of the line fire alarm system installed in your workplace. We realize that fire poses a significant danger to your facility, customers, staff, and inventory. So, we are committed to providing your business with a comprehensive system, 24/7 monitoring, and continued service with any and all of your security and fire alarm needs.