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Office Fires
Each year, about six
thousand fires break out in office buildings. Many office fires can be
prevented, and injury and loss can be minimized if employees follow simple
on-the-job firesafety practices.
Prevention:
Easy Steps to a Firesafe Workplace
Smoking Materials
- Cigarettes, matches, and
lighters are a major cause of fires.
- Smoke only in areas where
permitted. Do not flick cigarette ashes onto floors or into
wastebaskets. Use large non-tip ashtrays and make sure everything in
them is cold before you empty them.
- Provide visitors with
large, deep ashtrays and be sure that no one leaves a smoldering
cigarette on furniture or in a wastebasket.
Electrical Wiring
- Replace any electrical cord
that has cracked insulation or a broken connector.
- Do not exceed the amperage
load specified for extension cords.
- Do not run extension cords
across doorways or where they can be stepped on or chafed. Do not plug
one extension cord into another and never plug more than one extension
cord into an outlet.
Electrical
Appliances
- Deep heat-producing
appliances away from anything that might catch fire. Leave plenty of
space for air to circulate around copy machines, computer terminals, and
other equipment that give off heat.
- Designate an employee to
make sure all appliances - including coffee makers and hotplates are turned off or unplugged at the end of each work
day.
And remember:
Keep exits
clear. Keep storage areas, stairways, and other out-of-the-way
locations free from waste paper, empty boxes, dirty rags, and other fire
hazards.
Arson
Arson is the largest
single cause of fires in office buildings. Adhere to your building’s
security measures and help keep unauthorized people out of the building.
Doors should be kept locked after business hours. Alleys and other areas
around your building should be well lit.
Plan
Ahead to Save Lives
How you react in the
event of fire depends on how well you’ve prepared for a fire emergency.
- Know the location of the
two exits closest to your work area. Count the doors or desks between
your work area and the exits. During a fire, you may find your way out
in the dark.
- Know the location of the
nearest fire alarm and learn how to use it.
- Post the fire department
emergency number on or near your telephone.
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Evacuation plans for your
building should be posted and discussed during new-employee
orientations.
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If you have a disability
that could delay your escape, be sure that someone in authority knows
about it and plans have been made for your safe evacuation.
In the
Event of Fire:
Sound
the Alarm and Escape Quickly!
- Sound the alarm and call
the fire department, no matter how small the fire appears to be.
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Leave the area quickly,
closing doors as you go to help contain the fire and smoke.
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Go to the nearest exit that
is not blocked by fire.
- Heat and smoke rise,
leaving cleaner air near the floor. Crawl low under smoke.
- Test doors before you open
them. Feel the doorknob and the space between the door
and frame as high as you can with the back of your hand. If either is
hot, use another escape route. If neither is hot, brace your body
against the door and open it a crack. Be prepared to slam the door shut
if smoke or flame rushes through.
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Follow directions from fire
and security personnel. Once outside, move away from the building, out
of the way of fire fighters. Remain outside until the fire department
says you may go back in.
Portable Fire
Extinguishers
Most portable extinguishers are appropriate for only small, contained fires,
such as a fire in a wastebasket. Some will not work on grease fires or
electrical fires.
Call the fire
department first, and never attempt to fight even a small fire until
everybody has been evacuated. Do not fight the fire if you are unsure about
the type of extinguisher or how to use it, or if the fire is spreading or
blocking your escape.
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