Fire Extinguishers And Safety

Fire safety is important everywhere but especially in the workplace and schools where a lot of people could be put in danger if a fire or any other hazard is not treated properly. Here are a few guidelines that should be followed if you encounter any form of harmful hazard…
 
Fire extinguishers should be located in every working environment. Fire extinguishers can help save lives by tackling dangerous hazards, as well as preventing the destruction of buildings. Most businesses usually purchase their fire extinguishers from the local fire station. When a new employee is hired – by law – they must be taught the company’s fire safety regulations; this is for the general safety of them along with all other employees, as everyone knows what they should be doing. Fire extinguishers are recognised by most people as bright red cylinders however, not all are used to fight fires. Some are used for chemical spillages while others are used to treat burning cooking oils.  A fire extinguisher should only be used if the fire is able to be tackled, if it is too big leave it to the fire brigade.

A lot of schools and learning centres will invite fire fighters to go in and talk to children about the dangers of fires, what they should do if they encounter one and safe ways to use a fire extinguisher if necessary. This is helpful as it gives young people a better understanding of fire hazards, as well as an idea on how to combat them. Some educational premises also use videos as a form of education of fire safety. Any working or educational environment should inform people about fire risks and the procedure to follow if a fire did occur. Different types of fire extinguisher are required for different hazards, so people should be sure to use the correct extinguisher for whatever hazard they face.
 
It is beneficial to learn the differences between all of the fire extinguishers and their uses; it is also beneficial, in the work place, to have the appropriate fire extinguisher for any hazards that you may come up against, e.g. don’t just have an extinguisher that can put out wood or paper fires, also have one for electrical fires etc. The most important thing, if you encounter a fire or any other hazard, is to ensure your own safety along with- if possible – everyone else’s. As soon as a hazard is spotted you should be sure to break a fire alarm in order to notify everyone else in the building to evacuate. Although a fire may seem small, they can grow extremely quickly so you shouldn’t put yourself or anyone else in danger by trying to fight it.
 
The article was written by Wendy Sampson at www.cheapextinguishers.co.uk, experts in Fire Extinguishers from cheapextinguishers.co.uk