Compliance is important, but is it really enough?

Right now, it’s safe to say that the vast majority of warehouse environments and the managers thereof are aware of basic fire safety regulations. In addition, it’s also likely that these regulations and standards are taken seriously, in order to ensure that the business remains compliant with current law.

Nevertheless, experts believe that it is important for more businesses to acknowledge the fact that while compliance is important, it also represents nothing more than the absolute bare minimum in terms of health and safety in the workplace. These are the primary boxes to tick to operate a safe workplace, but they do not represent the be all and end all when it comes to fire safety.

All of which is why it is a good idea to occasionally revisit a few basic yet essential warehouse fire safety tips, in order to ensure everything is as it should be. They may come across as remedial, but they are also the kinds of everyday guidelines that have the potential to save lives.

Flammable Materials

For example, when was the last time you took an objective and comprehensive look at the flammable substances and materials around your warehouse? Are you making every possible effort to ensure that they are stored and utilised safely? Or is there any chance that they could pose a fire risk in their own right?  Complacency has the potential to be a killer when it comes to things like these, which is why it is important to include them in regular health and safety audits around the warehouse.

Exits and Pathways

Over time, excessive clutter has a tendency to pile up and create inconvenient obstacles around the warehouse. The only problem being that when such obstacles in any way bar movement, they could prove to be potentially lethal should there be any emergency. It’s important to remember that in many instances of fire, visibility is reduced to near zero. In such instances, what may have appeared on the surface to be a rudimentary inconvenience could have deadly consequences.

Sprinklers and Extinguishers

It’s never a good idea to simply assume that the fire extinguishers and sprinklers installed in the warehouse can and will do their job properly, should ever be called for. Instead, they must be tested on a regular basis by those with the required experience and certification to do so.

Evacuation Plans

Even if it seems relatively obvious, it is still critically important to have concrete evacuation plans in place for your warehouse. In the event of an emergency, it is all too easy for things to descend into a state of blind panic and chaos, unless absolutely everyone knows exactly what they should be doing and how they should be doing it.

Shared Knowledge

Last but not least, the single most important pointer when it comes to fire safety in any warehouse environment is that of ensuring that each and every member of the workforce understands that it is a subject of shared importance and responsibility. Every team member must be empowered with the knowledge and confidence to deal competently with any emergency that presents itself – even one weak link in the chain could prove to be catastrophic.