Fire Prevention And Preparation Tips For The Employees Of The Art Store That You Own
If you own and operate an art store and sell many items that are highly-flammable, the following tips will assist with preventing a fire and preparing your employees in case they ever encounter an emergency situation that requires the assistance of firefighters.
Inform Your Employees About Storage And Handling Needs
Hold a meeting to discuss materials that are potentially dangerous and the proper way to store and handle them. For instance, when inventory arrives at your business, gloves and a face mask should be worn to reduce the risk of coming into contact with a harsh chemical if one of the products is damaged.
All products should be stored in a room that provides plenty of ventilation and smoking should be prohibited inside and outside of your business. Designate one person to inspect the inventory at the end of each work shift to determine if all of the items are stored properly.
Offer Safety Courses And Have Equipment Tested Regularly
Sign you and your employees up for fire safety courses at a local community college or adult education center. During the classes, an instructor may discuss the importance of being aware of one's surroundings at all times and how to respond if a fire were to break out. The teacher may stress the importance of trying to remain calm while attempting to exit the building and who to contact for assistance. The instructor may also discuss how to administer first-aid if someone comes into contact with a fire.
Install a fire extinguisher, alarm system, and sprinkler inside of your business and have the equipment tested yearly by a trained professional. Inform your employees about the equipment and how to utilize each item in an emergency situation.
Post An Evacuation Route And Practice Exiting The Building
Create a map of the inside of the art store and clearly mark an evacuation route on it. Make copies of the map and have them laminated, before hanging them up in various parts of the shop. Practice exiting the building with your employees at random times throughout the year. During each evacuation, watch your employees as they exit, and keep track of how long it takes everyone to safely exit the building.
After evacuating the premises, provide your staff members with feedback concerning the way they handled the drill. If necessary, provide information about ways to exit the building in a safer or shorter amount of time.
For additional information, you will want to check out a website such as http://thesafetyteaminc.com.