FIRE SAFETY

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Office Fire Safety

Office fire safety is important because there are actually several different risks in an office setting. For example, somebody could leave their cheese pita in the toaster oven unintended, and it could start to smoke and then start to burn. Then the toaster oven would melt and it would spread to other appliances in the break room. Toaster ovens are not the only danger in the break room. Unattended microwaves are also a problem, especially if people put something like a bag of popcorn in for far too long. Many people keep coffee warmers, coffee makers, and space heaters in their cubicles. Any of those items left unattended might also cause a fire hazard. Overloaded electrical outlets are also a major danger, and people should be very careful and conscientious about that sort of thing, or else they could start a serious electrical fire.

In case of a fire, there needs to be a clear and well-known evacuation plan, with at least two different routes planned. Everybody should participate in at least one fire drill, so everybody knows and understands the plan. Fire drills might seem very childish, but safety is never childish, and people cannot follow the evacuation plan if they don’t know what it is. Always make sure that all fire exits remain unobstructed. Sometimes it can be tempting to stack empty boxes or even full boxes in front of the door that never gets used, but it needs to be kept clear. Also be sure to promote office fire safety by having the required number of fire extinguishers and smoke alarms.