Fire Readiness Essentials for Any Workplace

Fire safety is a top concern for businesses of all sizes. The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) reported that the 2022 national estimates for non-residential building fires and losses were: 

• 129,500 fires 

• 140 deaths 

• 1,300 injuries 

• $3.74 billion in property damage 

Given these statistics, it's important that employers and building maintenance managers prepare for fires and have plans in place for fire emergencies. Fire safety procedures outline the actions required during a fire emergency and assign responsibility for each action. Safety Managers can customize these plans to fit the specific facility, type of work, materials, and people present. 

Effective fire safety procedures and proper employee training can reduce fire-related injuries and damage. Without the right, leading to confusion, injury, and increased property damage evacuation or emergency response, leading to confusion, injury, and increased property damage. 

Regulatory Requirements

The only OSHA regulation that specifically requires fire safety procedures is 29 CFR 1915.502 - Fire Protection in Shipyard Employment, Fire Safety Plan.  This standard addresses establishing a fire safety plan in shipyards and includes a "Model Fire Safety Plan" as a generic outline for any facility. 

More commonly, OSHA requires facilities to create written emergency action plans (EAPs) that incorporate fire safety procedures and actions for other emergencies. 

However, OSHA only mandates an EAP under certain conditions, such as: 

• Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals, 1910.119 

• Fixed Extinguishing Systems, General, 1910.160 (When the extinguishing system could pose a significant health hazard) 

• Fire Detection Systems, 1910.164 (When fire detector actuation is delayed more than 30 seconds) 

• Grain Handling, 1910.272 

• Ethylene Oxide, 1910.1047 

• Methylenedianiline, 1910.1050 

• 1,3 Butadiene, 1910.1051 

Even if OSHA doesn't require your facility to have an emergency action plan, it is a good practice to establish fire safety procedures. For instance, a small office building may not be required by OSHA to have a formal emergency action plan. However, by implementing fire safety procedures—such as conducting regular fire drills, ensuring all exits are clearly marked, and training employees on evacuation protocols—management can improve safety and preparedness, reducing the risk of injury and damage during a fire emergency. 

Gathering Information: The Fire Risk Assessment 

The first step in creating facility-specific fire safety procedures is to conduct a fire risk assessment. This assessment provides the necessary information to develop an effective and comprehensive plan. A fire risk assessment should cover:

• Identification of hazards 

• Sources of ignition 

• Identification of persons at risk from fire 

• Means of escape from the building 

• Fire warning systems 

• Fire-fighting facilities 

• Identification of fire safety procedures 

• Review of the controls in place and recommendations for improvements where necessary 

Conducting a fire risk assessment allows for potential vulnerabilities to be identified and ensures that fire safety procedures are both effective and thorough. This assessment should be carried out by a qualified professional, such as a certified fire protection specialist (CFPS), a fire safety engineer, or a fire risk assessor with appropriate credentials and experience.  

Regular reviews and updates of the fire risk assessment are also essential, especially if there are significant changes to the building structure, the nature of work being conducted, or the introduction of new materials or equipment that could impact fire safety. 

Creating Your Fire Safety Procedures 

After collecting information through a fire risk assessment, facilities should use that knowledge to develop procedures tailored to a specific worksite layout, building structural features, and existing fire emergency systems. OSHA’s requirements for an EAP offer a useful guide for creating safety fire safety procedures, which should: 

Describe what to do when a fire is discovered. 

• Establish routes and procedures for evacuations. 

• Establish areas of refuge and specific plans for evacuating those areas. 

• Provide procedures for evacuating disabled employees. 

• Establish a system to account for all evacuated employees. 

• Define conditions and processes for employees to fight a fire, if applicable. 

• Require appropriate firefighting training. 

• Require the placement of necessary firefighting equipment. 

• Establish procedures for the shutdown of critical plant equipment and evacuation of employees who stay behind for such shutdowns. 

• Identify preferred methods for alerting employees to a fire emergency. 

• Require a working alarm system throughout the workplace. 

The fire safety procedures must be combined with employee training. Employees need to know their tasks during a fire emergency, even if it's just to evacuate the building. Familiarize new employees with the fire safety procedures, and provide existing employees with periodic retraining, especially if procedures change. Facilities should make the entire set of fire safety procedures accessible for employee review. 

Should Fire Safety Procedures Include Portable Fire Extinguishers? 

OSHA does not require the use of portable fire extinguishers. The best course of action during a fire emergency is usually to evacuate the building and let professional firefighters handle the situation. However, if you want employees to use portable fire extinguishers, detail those circumstances in your fire safety procedures and provide hands-on training. For more information, see 29 CFR part 1910, subpart L. 

Fire Safety Procedures for Evacuations 

Ensuring everyone safely exits the building is a major part of fire safety procedures. OSHA requires that workplaces have enough emergency exits, suitably located to enable quick evacuation. Factors to consider when deciding the number and location of emergency exits include the type of structure, number of persons exposed, fire protection available, type of industry, and building construction. Exits must be unblocked, unlocked, and well-known to be effective in an emergency. 

Fire safety procedures should designate preferred and secondary exit routes in case normal routes are blocked. Evacuation assembly points should be established to account for all evacuated individuals. 

DuraLabel Fire Safety Solutions 

DuraLabel offers fire safety solutions designed to enhance workplace safety and compliance. This range of products includes durable, high-quality signs, labels, and printers engineered for fire safety applications. These solutions help organizations effectively communicate fire safety procedures, identify emergency exits, and mark fire-fighting equipment locations.  

The DuraLabel Kodiak Max Industrial Sign and Label Print System is a complete in-house industrial label printer that can meet all of your fire safety labeling needs. By integrating DuraLabel products into your fire safety plan, you can ensure clear, consistent, and compliant safety communication across your facility. 

Download the free OSHA Instant Action Guide to guarantee your facility is OSHA compliant. This helpful resource offers a site inspection checklist to guarantee nothing gets overlooked. 

Get help crafting a system that will provide the safety communication you need. Call 1-888-402-8820 and one of our experts will guide you through the process. 

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