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The worst thing to happen during an emergency is panic. In the face of a life-threatening situation, panic makes the loss of life, property, and money even more likely.

Whereas prepared personnel make the most of the critical initial minutes of an emergency. A prompt warning to evacuate, a call to emergency services, and guiding evacuees towards the nearest exits can all be done competently with adequate preparation.

Devin Doyle of Newport Beach says that one of the most common hazards a business can face is fire. The National Fire Protection Association tallies that in 2021, fires caused 3,900 civilian deaths, 14,700 civilian injuries, $15.9 billion in property damage.

To prevent or minimize the threat of a fire, let’s go through the steps in developing an emergency response plan for fire preparedness:

Review Performance Objectives

Performance objectives include: quicker evacuation time, personnel familiarity with emergency procedures, or minimizing property damage.

Review Hazard or Threat Scenarios

Look for vulnerabilities that make an asset more susceptible to a fire hazard, then go through what could be done to mitigate it.

For instance, cooking was the leading cause of nonresidential fires from 2012 to 2021. Armed with that knowledge, reducing the hazard by banning cooking, or increasing safety with a dedicated kitchen fire extinguisher are viable solutions.

Assess the Availability and Capabilities of Resources

The plan should assign fire evacuation teams, detail needed equipment like megaphones and respirators, and outline procedures in the event of a fire.

A fire evacuation team is a group with tasks specific for a fire emergency – fire wardens, route guides, and floor monitors as roles for the team.

Talk with Emergency Services

Discuss with emergency services their response time to the premises. Knowing when support from first responders will arrive is crucial for coordinating efforts during an emergency.

Determine if There are Any Regulations Pertaining to Emergency Planning

Ensure that the emergency response plan complies with all applicable regulations. For example, some industries may have specific requirements for handling hazardous materials.

Develop Protective Actions for Life Safety

Evacuation routes should be clearly marked and communicated, with fire evacuation teams ready to assist during the emergency.

Develop Hazard and Threat-Specific Emergency Procedures

These are actions to be taken during an emergency, such as calling emergency services, activating alarm systems, and mobilizing the fire evacuation team.

Coordinate Emergency Planning with Emergency Services

Share relevant information about the building’s hazards, layout, and emergency protocols. For instance, floor plans and hazardous material inventories can aid the efforts of the first responders.

Train Personnel

Training for the fire evacuation team should cover evacuation procedures, the use of emergency equipment, and emergency protocols. Regular training sessions are essential to maintain preparedness.

Practice the Plan

Drills can help identify strengths and weaknesses in the plan, where personnel practice their roles in a simulated emergency. After each exercise, discuss lessons learned and areas for improvement.

With these steps, commercial building owners can develop an emergency response plan to ensure the tenants’ safety and minimize the crippling effect of fire emergencies on the building and its operations.

The US Fire Administration’s data shows commercial kitchen fires wreak around $172 million worth of havoc each year. From unbridled property damage to irreplaceable loss of life, kitchen fires are extremely dangerous, necessitating proper prevention methods.

Devin Doyle of Newport Beach says that business owners should adopt expert-given strategies, such as those outlined below, to decrease the likelihood of damage to themselves, their employees, and their properties.

Remove Grease Daily

Kitchen 101: remove grease every single day. As the number one cause of commercial kitchen fires, grease isn’t just highly flammable, but splashes easily, spreading the fire effortlessly across the establishment. Not to mention it’s often found near open flames.

Thoroughly cleaning grease and all surfaces touched by it every day is a non-negotiable. Ventilation systems designed to catch grease should be particularly cared for.

Follow Manufacturer’s Orders and Service Regularly

Improperly installed or utilized equipment is a huge fire hazard. While people may not read through manufacturer’s warnings/instructions in their personal lives, it’s imperative to do so in a commercial kitchen setting.

Deep fryers, ovens, and other equipment should be installed by a professional and used according to the manual. Naturally, cleaning and maintenance should also be conducted properly and regularly.

Short-term savings are rampant when cutting corners on installation costs. However, it only ends up costing more in the long run.

Appropriate Employee Dress and Training

Commercial kitchen owners must ensure their staff are dressed appropriately for the job — no loose clothing, aprons at all times, and sleeves rolled up. Those with long hair should tie it back, wearing a hair net at all times. Simple yet integral, proper clothing can prevent a disastrous fire.

In a similar vein, employees should be adequately trained to respond to grease fires. From knowing where the extinguishers are to using the equipment properly to response methods, everybody in and around the kitchen must be fully informed to prevent substantial damage, personal injury, and loss of life.

Professional Ventilation and Extractor Systems

Extractor and ventilation systems require expert installation to stop fires from rapidly spreading.

Once flames reach the ceiling, they can flow through ducts, affecting every part of the building. So, all ventilation systems, canopy hoods, extractor fans, and baffle grease filters must be professionally installed and regularly maintained.

Always Keep a Safe Environment

Kitchens should be regularly inspected for trip hazards, frayed electrical wires, and proximity of flammable items to flames/heat sources. Even though fires can spark at any time, ensuring a safe environment is one of the easiest yet best prevention methods.

Install Fire Suppression Systems

Restaurants are more prone to fires than any other commercial space due to high heat exposure. Thus, fire suppression systems are a non-negotiable for working kitchens as they’ll prevent the fire from engulfing the entire establishment.

While there are many components of a suppression system, extinguishers and sprinklers are perhaps the most vital. Not only do they protect against fire damage, but they offer people higher chances of escaping the flames.

With these strategies, commercial kitchens can prevent fires, protect lives, and preserve properties.

All workplaces must take precautions regarding fire safety, but some industries are more prone to catastrophic fires than others. From manufacturing to freight to food, certain businesses carry an increased risk of devastating fire-caused impacts. Thus, Devin Doyle of Newport Beach explains that extra attention must be taken to assure complete safety.

NFPA data shows that 37,910 fires in manufacturing and industrial establishments took place from 2011 to 2015. This figure includes fires in defense, agriculture, mining, and utility environments. However, 65% of the most damaging disasters occurred in factories.

Such numbers emphasize the importance of fire safety in high-risk industries. Luckily, the right tools, training, and technology can improve outcomes and prevent flames in the first place.

Defining High-Risk Industries

In a fire safety context, “high-risk” doesn’t necessarily mean the most dangerous. Instead, it relates to the boosted likelihood of a catastrophic fire (i.e., increased chances of a fire occurring and being particularly damaging).

Some specifically high-risk industries and businesses in this context include:

• Manufacturing
• Oil and gas refineries
• Petrochemical facilities
• Oil storage terminals
• Offshore oil and gas exploration
• Nuclear power plants
• Renewable energy production
• Freight transportation
• Restaurants

Essentially, the more flammable material in an industry, the more at-risk it is.

Ways to Protect Against Disastrous Business Fires

With the high-risk industries in mind, company owners should attempt to follow the following four recommendations to protect their businesses from devastating consequences:

Implement and Maintain Fire Control/Suppression Systems

Fire protection, control, and suppression systems are establishments’ first lines of defense against the flames. Buildings should be fully equipped with the latest fire-related mod-cons to ensure safety.

Such systems involve:

• commercial fire sprinklers
• portable fire extinguishers
• fire alarms
• smoke detectors

Working with a qualified fire protection solutions provider is essential. These experts ensure the right equipment is installed in the right places for each business’s building.

Establish an Evacuation Plan

Fire evacuation plans must be comprehensive and detail exactly how employees should leave the building safely if a fire occurs.

Once created, management should clearly communicate the plan to all employees. Most facilities display evacuation maps on establishment walls to ensure everyone knows how to exit during a fire.

Special Hazard Systems for Heavy Machinery

What’s the top cause of manufacturing and industrial fires in the United States? Heavy machinery and large vehicles. But these devastating events can be prevented with a special hazard fire protection system.

The systems are designed to protect high-risk equipment like CNC machines, grinders, cutters, agricultural vehicles, and lathes, detecting and stopping machine fires in a matter of moments.

Not only do special hazard fire systems save money, but they also save irreplaceable lives.

Provide Adequate Fire Prevention and Response Training

Last but not least, all employees should receive sufficient fire prevention and response training. Since they’re working in a facility more prone to fire, they need to know how to work safely to prevent an accident and how to respond if a fire starts.

Moreover, all businesses should ensure a safe and efficient operation with professional fire safety solutions in place. In a high risk industry, the aforementioned safety tips can help prevent loss of inventory, and life, safeguarding a safe work environment.