Tag Archives: planning

General Safety Issues

IT’S NATIONAL FIRE PREVENTION WEEK!

The month of October has several observances, which includes Fire Prevention Month.  October 9th through 15th is designated as National Fire Prevention Week; the 88th year that fire departments from around the entire country have observed this event.  The theme for 2011’s observance is “Protect Your Family from Fire!”  This year’s campaign focuses on preventing the leading causes of home fires – cooking, heating and electrical equipment, as well as candles and smoking materials.  Life-saving technology and planning can help us protect our homes. 

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, smoking is the leading cause of home fire deaths.  Fire can be a dangerous enemy, but if you are aware of the hazards, you will be much less likely to be one of the almost 13,000 people injured in homes fires each year.  Nearly 3,000 people die in U.S. home fires annually.  Here are some of the precautions we all should take: 

  • Have working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and change the batteries at the same time you change your clocks – twice per year.
  • Keep flammable materials away from stoves and clothes dryers.
  • Have a family escape plan.
  • Turn off space heaters before you go to sleep.
  • Don’t wear loose clothing around the stove while you are cooking.
  • Never leave foods being prepared on the stove unattended.
  • Purchase and learn how to use a fire extinguisher properly.
  • When you have completed cooking your meal, ensure that the oven and all burners are turned off.
  • Never leave candles unattended, or where children or animals can knock them over or get burned.
  • Don’t overload extension cords.
  • If your dryer takes two or three cycles to completely dry clothes, check the filter, which should be cleaned before every use.  The U.S. Fire Administration reports that dryer fires account for an average of 15,000 fires, causing approximately $88 million in property damage, 15 deaths, and 400 injuries annually.
  • Never leave your home or go to bed with your dryer running. 
  • Don’t place flammable materials (papers, etc.) near your fireplace.
  • Have your chimney cleaned every year to avoid creosote buildup.

There are numerous ways that we can protect our loved ones from fire.  As listed above, take the time to have an escape plan, and be sure that the entire family is on the same page.  Take your kids to visit a fire department.  Educating the public on fire safety is one of the many important tasks that they perform.  If we all learn more about how to prevent fires, hopefully we can make their jobs a little easier. 

A Fire Department Chief told me to remind everyone, “Beep-Beep” is a sound we can live with!  So check those detectors out, and make sure they work.  That irritating little sound could be a life-saver!

Sources: US Fire Administration, National Fire Prevention Association

Eye Protection, First Aid Safety, Head Protection, Protective Clothing, Respiratory Safety, Weather Protection

BEING READY FOR A SAFE EVACUATION

As we go to work every day, we never expect a disaster to happen.  In the event of a natural or manmade occurrence, are we really prepared?  Weather forecasts help us anticipate bad storms, hurricanes, or tornadoes, but there could be any type of problem within the walls of our workplace, or accidents near our location that make it imperative for us to evacuate the premises.  Have you thought about what you would do if an evacuation were necessary?  Has your company given you instructions? 

Preparing for an emergency evacuation is an on-going project.  Employers and employees together should establish a good plan and have every one on board before an unforeseen situation happens.  In a crisis, it’s hard to think logically, so planning in advance and imagining the worst-case scenarios will be beneficial.  Fire, floods, toxic gas releases, chemical spills, explosions, radiological accidents, hurricanes, tornadoes, civil disturbances, or workplace violence resulting in bodily harm and trauma could cause a serious emergency.  

When drafting an emergency plan, a responsible individual should be chosen to lead and coordinate the emergency plan and evacuation.  This person would have the authority to make critical decisions during emergencies.  All workers would then understand who that coordinator is and follow his instructions. 

Be certain that every employee knows the escape procedures and where safe  refuge areas are.  Duties of persons responsible for reporting the emergency; those who are to render first aid, employees who shut down operations are all parts of the chain of command that each employee should be familiar with.  Special consideration should be given to assisting employees with disabilities.  An assembly area for gathering after an evacuation should be designated.  Take a head count after the evacuation.  Give the names and last locations of the persons not accounted for to the official in charge. 

Personal protective equipment may be needed to evacuate during an emergency.  A workplace assessment can determine potential hazards in your particular workplace.  PPE may include the following: eye protection – goggles, safety glasses, or face shields; head protection – hardhats; body protection – gloves, hoods, boots, or chemical suits.  Respirators should be appropriate to the hazards in your workplace, meet OSHA standards and be certified by NIOSH.  In case of an emergency  evacuation, your safety consultant may feel that respiratory protection may be necessary if the employees must pass through toxic atmospheres, such as dust, mists, gases, or vapors. 

This is the general training to be addressed by your employees, as recommended by OSHA:

  •       Individual roles and responsibilities;
  •       Notification, warning, and communications procedures;
  •       Threats, hazards, and protective actions;
  •        How to locate family members in an emergency;
  •        Evacuation, shelter, and accountability procedures;
  •        Location and use of common emergency equipment;
  •        Emergency response procedures;
  •        Emergency shutdown procedures. 

Conducting fire drills often is very important.  The more often drills are done, the more familiar the employees will become with what is expected of them.  Hopefully, this will never affect you; however, being prepared instead of panicked could possibly save lives.