The information in today’s issue is adapted from BLR’s 7-Minute Safety Trainer session, “Basic Fire Prevention Steps.”
Use and Maintain Electrical Equipment Properly
Electrical equipment causes the largest number of workplace fires. Follow these safe practices:
- Replace cords and wires that are frayed or have worn insulation.
- Don’t overload circuits, motors, fuses, or outlets.
- Make sure you have good ground connections.
- Don’t run heating equipment or machinery overnight if unattended.
- Keep bearings lubricated so they don’t run too hot.
- Keep machines and motors clear of dust and grease.
Avoid Exposing Fuels to Heat Sources
Here’s how:
- Smoke only in permitted areas. Put out cigarettes and matches carefully.
- Use space heaters only when necessary and in well-ventilated areas. Refill space heaters only when they’re turned off and cool. Place space heaters so they can’t tip over.
- Perform welding and cutting operations only in separate fire-resistant areas.
Prevent fires that result from chemical reactions by reading and following instructions and warnings on labels and safety data sheets (SDSs) so you don’t use or store incompatible substances together.
Finally, keep routes clear for fire fighting and fire evacuation. Don’t block exits, fire alarms, aisles, or sprinklers. If a fire does occur, both fire-fighting equipment and evacuation routes need to be readily accessible depending on the situation.
Discussion Points
Ask for examples of potential fire hazards in work areas and what employees could do to eliminate or minimize the risks.
Conclusion: Make Fire Prevention Part of Everyone’s Job
Workplaces present many opportunities for fuel, oxygen, and heat and ignition sources to come together and cause fire. Your hazard awareness and the proper precautions can prevent it.
Test Your Knowledge
Have your employees take the Basic Fire Prevention Steps quiz. By testing their knowledge, you can judge their ability to understand how to prevent fires and whether they need to review this important topic again soon.
Think you have no time to train? Think again. BLR’s 7-Minute Safety Trainer helps you fulfill key OSHA-required training tasks in as little as 7 minutes. Try it at no cost and see!.
For more information on National Fire Prevention Week, visit:
www.nfpa.org/safety-information/fire-prevention-week.
Need more quick-and-easy training just like this on dozens of other safety topics? BLR® has just the solution for you with 7-Minute Safety Trainer.
Effective Safety Training in Just 7 Minutes!
To help train employees in a broad range of safety and health topics, savvy safety professionals have relied on BLR’s 7-Minute Safety Trainer for years. This essential training resource allows you to provide concise, memorable training easily and effectively in just a few minutes. Materials are ready to use, and each session supplies a detailed trainer’s outline, as well as a handout, quiz, and quiz answers, to get your points across quickly—and cost-effectively.
All told, this “trainer’s bible” contains 50 prewritten meetings covering almost every aspect of safety you’d want or need to train on, in a format designed to be taught in as little as 7 minutes each. All of them are perfect for getting new employees off to a safe start, as well as keeping veteran workers alert and up to date on all your safety concerns.
Major topics in the 7-Minute Safety Trainer include:
—Confined spaces
—Electrical safety
—Fire safety and emergency response
—HazCom
—Machine guarding and lockout/tagout
—Material handling
—PPE use and care
—Housekeeping/slips, trips, and falls
—And dozens more
Download Table of Contents
Download Sample Safety Meeting
Effective, 7-minute sessions provide comprehensive safety training at an average cost of $1 a day. Get the details.
Just make as many copies as you need of the included handouts and quizzes, and you’re ready to train.
Equally important is that the program ships new meetings every quarter to respond to new and changed regulations. This service is included in the program price, which averages just over $1 a working day. In fact, this is one of BLR’s most popular safety programs.
If you’d like to personally evaluate 7-Minute Safety Trainer and see how it can build safety awareness, we’ll be happy to send it to you for 30 days on a no-cost, no-obligation trial basis. Just let us know and we’ll arrange it.