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Fire Prevention Week - A Time To Observe And Improve Safety In The Workplace
As a business owner, you have a duty to your staff and customers to ensure that your workplace is safe and that it can be safely evacuated in the event of an emergency. October is a great month to review your safety procedures, identify gaps, and put appropriate resolutions in place.
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There are several reasons October is ideal for reviewing fire safety.
- As the temperature drops, it is likely that heaters will be turned on, possibly for the first time since last winter. If not checked and tested, they can release dangerous vapors. If blocked by stock or other objects, they can overheat and pose a fire risk.
- Christmas is approaching, so it is likely that customer visits will begin to rise. It is essential to ensure you understand the capacity limitations of your facility and implement appropriate measures to ensure that safe capacity levels are not exceeded.
- Fire Prevention Week is in October. This week commemorates the Great Chicago Fire that devastated the city in 1871 and led to significant improvements in building and maintenance regulations.
The United States is near the top of the global fire death rate leaderboard, with approximately 5000 citizens every year losing their lives in fires, while a further 25,000 injuries are recorded annually. To make sure your business does not contribute to these statistics, complete all necessary tests and drills ahead of winter setting in to keep yourself, your business, your staff and your customers safe.
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2023 Fire Prevention Week
The theme for this year's Fire Prevention Week is "Cooking safety starts with YOU! Pay attention to fire prevention T". This theme may initially sound like it is targeted at food businesses, but in reality, fire safety in the kitchen affects everybody, both at home and at work.
This annual safety week gives business owners a great incentive to review their workplace safety plans, have all electrical equipment maintained and safety tested, check that evacuation routes are clear, review safe capacity levels and communicate evacuation plans to staff.
It is helpful to arrange fire drills and refresher safety training for your staff so they know how to stay safe, what to do in the event of a fire, and how to prevent a fire from occurring in the first place.
By taking the time to concentrate on safety, you can look forward to a safe and busy winter period.
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