Fire Drills

Conducting a fire drill in the workplace is a great way of preparing staff for an emergency. Everyone in the building should be familiar with fire evacuation procedures, fire alarms, extinguishers and fire exits.

For your company to be able to maintain compliance with workplace safety regulations, it is essential to conduct regular fire drills.

The purpose of a fire drill is to ensure that everyone knows what they should do in an emergency situation. It helps keep people safe and staff motivated and it’s a great opportunity for your staff to bond and work together as a team.

In order for you to keep everyone safe in the event of a fire, you need to know exactly what to do, and so do your staff. Things can get quickly out of control in the event that a fire breaks out, so you must ensure everyone is on the same page.

This is achieved by planning and executing regular fire drills. According to GOV UK GOV UK Fire Drills  these must be completed at least once yearly but in areas of high risk e.g., a community pharmacy with flammable chemicals it is generally considered  best practice to do these more frequently e.g. every 3 months. 

Unfortunately, due to lack of experience and the threat of fear, many business owners are oblivious to what they should be doing in an emergency situation.

One way to assist with this is to create an Evacuation Plan.

Before you conduct a fire drill, make sure to create an evacuation plan. Your employees should be well-versed in the plan, so they’ll know exactly what to do when or if the time comes.

When you’re a small business e.g., a community pharmacy it can be difficult to make employees understand the importance of having this emergency evacuation plan. However, in reality, having a plan is critical for your employees’ safety, and for your bottom line. When employees know exactly what to do when there’s an emergency, they’re less likely to panic and more likely to help evacuate other co-workers. And that means less injury and property damage and more productivity when you’re back up and running.

Here are some steps you can take to make sure your employees are well-versed in the plan:

• Make sure they know what the plan is and what their responsibilities are. Be sure they know where they should go once evacuation has begun (if possible).
• Practice evacuation exercises with your staff so they can feel comfortable with their roles during a real-life situation. It’s also important that everyone knows what the drill sounds like, so they don’t get confused if they hear an alarm while working alone or at home late at night (this happens surprisingly often).

The evacuation plan should also include:

• The location of fire alarms
• Raising the alarm
• Where people should go during the fire drill
• The fire evacuation / muster point
• How long it will take for everyone to get out of the building
• Any obstacles that may exist inside or outside of the building (such as crowds)
• Any special equipment or tools needed for the evacuation process