Tag Archives: exit signs

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

DOES YOUR EMERGENCY LIGHTING MEET REGULATIONS? (GUEST POST)

By Jessica Stark

It can be easy to take your office’s emergency lighting for granted. These lights are hidden in dark corners of your building and above emergency exit doors that are rarely used, but in case of an emergency, those dusty lights that you’ve neglected for so long can help guide you and your coworkers to safety. Is your emergency lighting in proper working condition? There are many OSHA rules and regulations regarding emergency lighting to make sure you and your people stay safe. When setting up your office, be sure to adhere to these requirements to avoid potential harm and accidents for your coworkers.

However, OSHA’s requirements can be tricky to navigate due to its technical language. A wide variety of emergency lighting equipment is available, but how can you be sure what types adhere to requirements?

First, be sure that your signs are the proper height. OSHA requires that the word “EXIT” be easily legible with letters no shorter than six inches in height. Requirements vary depending on the location of the sign in relation to the exit, so an arrow directing people to the exit door may sometimes be required.

Whether an emergency exit sign is externally illuminated, internally illuminated, or photo luminescent, it must be continuously lit while the building is occupied so that it may be visible in regular lighting as well as emergency lighting.

An important thing to be sure of when working with an expert to set up or update your building’s emergency lighting is that the equipment is in place to guide people to safety. During power outages, storms, fires or other disasters, panic and self-preservation can overpower a person’s normal instincts and behaviors. Bright, effective lighting and distinctive signs can guide someone in a panic to safety and keep them from bringing harm to themselves or other people. While OSHA and other national regulators do not require that “EXIT” signs be a particular color, be sure to check local laws to see if a particular color is needed.

It is also important to use “NO EXIT” signs when appropriate. According to the NFPA, a “NO EXIT” sign is needed when “any door, passage, or stairway that is neither an exit nor a way of exit access and that is located or arranged so that it is likely to be mistaken for an exit shall be identified by a sign that reads: NO EXIT.”

The many regulations from OSHA and other governing bodies regarding emergency lighting can be tricky to follow, even with a helpful guide. However, these rules are in place to keep your employees, coworkers and guests safe in times of emergency. Whether your emergency lighting is in need of an update or you are working closely with a contractor to select the proper equipment for your newly built office, be sure to pay attention to your EXIT signs and lighting systems. Proper preparation now will prevent potential tragedies later.