Tag Archives: escape route

General Safety Issues

FIRE SAFETY – FIVE THINGS YOUR OFFICE SHOULDN’T BE WITHOUT (GUEST POST)

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Fire escape routes

Every workplace needs to have a clear and safe fire escape route. A diagram of the office should be drawn up, highlighting the locations of fire escapes as well as the best escape routes. Note that elevators shouldn’t be a part of your emergency escape plans. A meeting zone outside the building should be designated where everyone can assemble. Managers should be assigned to perform headcounts in this meeting zone. Finally, don’t forget to carry out regular fire drills so your employees become familiar with the evacuation routes and procedure. 

Sprinkler Systems

Automatic sprinklers are highly effective at eliminating fires in large office spaces. They are triggered by extreme heat and so are quick at detecting fires, ensuring that staff can evacuate safely. Sprinkler systems can also activate a remote alarm which notifies the local fire services. As well as being highly reliable (with an estimated success rate of over 95%), sprinklers also have the benefit of being relatively cheap to maintain. Sprinklers should not be overlooked! 

Fire Extinguishers

If a fire develops in the workplace, generally the best course of action would be to evacuate the building and let the emergency services deal with it. However, if only a small fire breaks out you should be able to eliminate it with an extinguisher. Ensure that the extinguishers are within easy reach and that different ones are available for different types of fire. Offices tend to be packed with electrical equipment such as computers and monitors – if these catch fire your best option is a CO2 extinguisher. For fires involving solid materials such as fabric, wood or paper, use a water fire extinguisher. Foam extinguishers can protect against material fires as well as fires involving flammable liquids. 

Fire Blankets

Fire blankets are often overlooked in the home, but in offices they are essential due to their many uses. They are best kept in workplace kitchens to combat small fires that may break out, and can sometimes save you from having to use an extinguisher. In the event of someone catching fire, you can wrap the blanket around them and get them to roll on the floor to extinguish the flames. Fire blankets can also be used as a protective shield during an escape where flames are in the way. 

Exit signs

The importance of a simple fire exit sign should not be underestimated. Office staff may be familiar with the workplace layout, but during a fire it can be easy to forget due to panic, especially in large multi-storey office buildings. The arrows on fire exit signs show the quickest way to safety and could prevent your employees from being trapped inside the building. If your office does not have emergency lighting installed, luminescent exit signs should be used. Remember, it is also mandatory to have signs placed on top of fire exit doors. 

This blog post was written by Hassan Ali who works for Ardent, a UK based company who are specialists in fire suppression systems.

 

 

 

 

 

General Safety Issues

HOW AND WHEN YOU SHOULD TEST YOUR EMERGENCY LIGHTS (GUEST POST)

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Areas of work, occupancy buildings and public sites are all required by law to provide an adequate escape route out of a building in times of emergency. These exit routes must not only be readily accessible but they must also be clearly illuminated by emergency lighting in the event of a power failure.

Emergency lights are required to correctly light up an evacuation route to enable all occupants to safely leave a building in times of an emergency and can be required for a duration of up to three hours or longer. Regular maintenance and testing therefore is required to ensure that all emergency lighting systems are functioning correctly. In the UK these requirements are covered by the Regulatory Reform Order and British Standard Codes such as BS 5266. The British Standard BS 5266 for example recommends that emergency lighting systems are serviced regularly.

To test any emergency lighting system, a power failure or power cut will need to be simulated, which then forced the emergency lighting and luminaires to be switched on.

It is also a good idea to keep replacement lamp bulbs, spares and legends, which can be immediately installed if required.

Manual Testing

Many emergency lights will have to be manually checked, particularly on old and legacy emergency lighting systems, although some more modern systems are now capable of automatic testing.  To manually test an individual light or circuit a test or ‘fishtail’ key is used to simulate an isolated local power failure. This will then trigger the back-up emergency lights to operate.

It is important to systematically check that all emergency lights are working, particularly in a non-maintained system. This will often involve a single walk along the escape and evacuation route.

Automatic Testing

Many site managers and in particular new builds now have installed automatic testing devices. Automatic testing is more efficient and comprehensive and is also flexible enough to test various elements and sections of a system. The cost of automatic testing against the cost of an engineer manually testing the system is also favourable over the long term.

Duration

Daily – Daily checks only apply to standard emergency lighting systems with one central back-up battery. In this instance a visual inspection of indicators is required to confirm that the system is in a suitable condition.

Monthly – Monthly checks involve checking luminaires and legends for any sign of damage. A brief test of the lights can be performed during a simulation power failure, which can be achieved few a fuse box or at a manual test box using a lighting test key.

Annually – at least every twelve months it is essential to perform a full discharge test. This involves a three hour run down test to guarantee that the battery system is able to perform for the maximum time of an evacuation period. Individual lights will need to be examined and it may also be useful to conduct an audit of the system, checking the overall effectiveness and adequacy of the emergency lighting as well as the correct use of emergency legends.

As a general rule a logbook should be kept recording the test results, whether they are carried out daily, monthly or annually. Any faults found within the emergency lighting system should be logged and fixed as soon as possible.

Martha is an expert in home and business security and pays particular attention to fire safety and prevention. For more information on fire safety including emergency lighting equipment for your business, please visit Discount Fire Supplies.
Thanks, Martha,  for reminding all businesses and facilities that they should regularly check their emergency lighting equipment.
 
 
Fall Safety, First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues, Home Safety Products

NATIONAL WINDOW SAFETY WEEK APRIL 1 – 7

There are so many health and safety observations for the month of April, it will keep us busy to describe them all.  April 1-7 is National Window Safety Week, sponsored by the National Safety Council.  The Window Safety Task Force of the NSC reminds parents that windows play a vital role in our homes, but they can also pose a risk of a fall in the home if the appropriate safety measures are not taken.   Fires and falls of all kinds are among the leading causes of injury and death in young children.  Children may climb up on furniture to reach the window, and fall out.  It is important that when windows are kept open for ventilation, such as these pretty spring days, there’s no furniture close by that they can access a window.  One study revealed that more than 5,000 kids fall out of windows every year, suffering injuries that can be severe. 

The Screen Manufacturers Association (SMA) has spearheaded industry and consumer-oriented programs dealing with screen safety issues.  SMA’s “Kids Can’t Fly” programs have gained national recognition in promoting the concept that screens are designed to furnish ventilation and keep insects out – they are not designed to keep small children in!   Children should also be taught not to play near open windows or around patio doors.  A fall through a glass door can cause a serious injury, or be fatal. 

Windows also play a vital role in home safety.  They serve as a secondary escape route in the event of a fire or other emergency.  Legislators throughout the United States have mandated building codes requiring specific windows be designated as points of escape.  The size and placement of windows designated  for escape in a residence are also governed by building codes.  The ability to easily open widows and remove insect screens without special knowledge or tools is critical to safely escaping through a window.  Many persons have died in their own burning homes, because of sealing their windows shut to prevent break-ins or worse, in dangerous neighborhoods.  This is a tragedy, when people’s safety is so threatened.  If you need more security for your home, call your local fire department or building code official to determine proper window guard placement, such as security bars, grilles or grates, that have a functioning release mechanism. 

Plan a strategic window in each sleeping and living area that will meet escape and rescue requirements.  Plant shrubs or grass beneath the windows, that could furnish a more cushioned landing space, just in case.  Every family should have an emergency escape plan.  Teach your children that a window can save their life in the event of a fire.  Practice this plan regularly.  They are taught things about fire safety at school, as well, but if you prepare them for action at home, they will understand the importance of exiting the house the right way. 

It’s always a good idea to have a first aid kit handy in every home.  Keep it stocked with the right supplies for every scenario, from scrapes and cuts to over-the-counter medications.  Remember, keep your windows locked when you shut them.  Don’t invite trouble.