Fire Safety in the Workplace

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, better known as 

OSHA, is the government agency responsible for enforcing safety and health legislation in the workplace. OSHA was created in response to the Occupational Health and Safety Act of 1970 in order to help employers provide a safe working environment for thei

r employees. Since OSHA’s establishment, injury and illness rates in the workplace have dropped 60 percent, and occupational deaths have dropped to their lowest annual number since 1992.

OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.38(a) requires that every worksite have a specific Emergency Action Plan, outlining employee and employer actions during an emergency evacuation. This prepared plan will ensure that employees are organized and well informed in these situations, which will reduce confusion, injury, and damage to the facility.

Creating an Emergency Action Plan is easy, and the benefits make it a worthwhile task. The firs

t step is to complete a Workplace Evaluation. In order to do this, imagine possible emergency situations and then assess whether your facility is properly equipped for such an event. Areas to consider include design and construction requirements for exit routes; maintenance, safeguards, and operational features for exit routes; emergency action plans; fire prevention plans; portable fire extinguishers; fixed extinguishing systems; fire detection systems; and employee alarm systems.

It is also important to envision how employees will react to various situations, and if your facility is equipped to handle diverse emergencies. Take into account the layout, structural features, and emergency systems. Consider the existing safety signs around the facility and whether they clearly identify exits and fire equipment.

OSHA requires that the plan contain minimum requirements that include a means of reporting

 fires; emergency evacuation procedures; emergency escape route assignments and procedures to be followed by employees who remain to conduct critical plant operations before they evacuate; procedures to account for all employees after an emergency evacuation has been completed; rescue and medical duties for those employees who are to perform them; and names or job titles of people who can be contacted for further information or explanation of duties under the plan.

Once your evacuation plan is created, it is easy to meet each requirement above. Seton.ca has a variety of fire evacuation signs, labels, and identification tags available to clearly mark exits and escape routes, outline evacuation procedures, identify fire safety equipment, and much more.

Visit www.Seton.ca to browse their large assortment of quality custom fire evacuation products, as well as Glow-in-the-Dark custom signs and labels, to meet all OSHA defined standards and regulations. Many safety products are available for same day shipping and ordering is quick and easy.