Managing facility safety is a heavy responsibility. Every year, thousands of workplace fires put lives at risk and cause significant damage.
Fortunately, most of these incidents are preventable. Real fire safety in the workplace goes beyond just hanging a few exit signs.
It means knowing your specific risks and ensuring the team can react without panic. This guide covers the necessary steps to keep your workplace protected.
Identifying Common Hazards to Improve Fire Safety in the Workplace
If you want to stop fires, you have to know where they start. You might expect industrial machinery to be the main culprit, but standard office environments pose surprisingly high risks.
In New Zealand, unattended cooking and electrical faults are frequent causes of commercial fires. We are talking about simple things like overloaded multi-boxes, frayed cords, or that heater left on under a desk.
Kitchenettes and breakrooms are high-risk zones. A toaster or microwave used improperly is often more dangerous than heavy machinery.
If you manage a warehouse or industrial site, focus on hot work (welding/cutting) and combustible storage. These are fuel waiting for a spark.
Keep an eye out for warning signs like warm power points, flickering lights, or burning smells. Now that you know what to watch for, let's focus on building a program that works.
Building a Strategy for Fire Safety in the Workplace
Prevention beats emergency response every time, but you need both working together. Here is how to build a complete fire safety program.
Conducting Comprehensive Fire Risk Assessments
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA), a PCBU (Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking) must identify and manage risks.
Start by walking through your facility to identify fire sources. Specifically, check electrical equipment, heating systems, hot work areas, and chemical storage locations.
Write down your findings and create action plans to address each problem. This sets up accountability and ensures hazards don't get overlooked.
Be sure to update these assessments regularly. Do this whenever you add new equipment, change layouts, or modify operations.
Putting Good Housekeeping and Maintenance in Place
Good housekeeping is your passive defense against fire. It starts with the basics, such as keeping walkways and exit routes completely clear of clutter.
But you also need to look at invisible risks. In offices, this means regular waste disposal. In manufacturing, it implies strict schedules to control combustible dust.
Ensure your safety systems are ready to work. Check fire extinguishers regularly and get them serviced annually to NZS 4503 standards.
You should also ensure electrical appliances undergo regular "Test and Tag" procedures (AS/NZS 3760) to catch faults early.
Training Your Team for Emergency Response
Even the best plan falls apart if your people panic. That is why training is less about compliance and more about muscle memory.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) regulations require occupants to be trained in evacuation procedures. To make it stick, you need hands-on practice.
When an employee physically holds an extinguisher or walks the evacuation route, their confidence doubles. They stop thinking about what the manual said and just act.
Learning Fire Extinguisher Basics
New Zealand extinguishers typically use a colour band or label to identify their type (e.g., White for Dry Powder, Blue for Foam).
However, the operation usually follows the PASS technique:
- Pull the safety pin.
- Aim at the base of the fire.
- Squeeze the handle.
- Sweep side to side.
Remember that extinguishers work only for small, contained fires. If flames reach the ceiling or smoke fills the room, evacuate immediately.
Running Regular Fire Drills
For buildings with an approved Evacuation Scheme, trial evacuations must generally be held every 6 months.
You must report on these trial evacuations to Fire and Emergency New Zealand.
Regular training improves response times significantly. After each drill, sit down with your team to evaluate performance.
Identify what worked and where confusion happened. This feedback loop is the difference between a safe evacuation and a tragedy.
Creating a Comprehensive Emergency Action Plan
Even with strong prevention measures, you need a solid Fire Evacuation Scheme. Clear procedures save lives by removing confusion.
Designing Clear Evacuation Routes and Procedures
You must clearly mark evacuation routes throughout your facility using standard green "EXIT" signs. All exits need to be visible even in smoke.
It is also critical to post evacuation notices showing these locations. These must be compliant with FENZ requirements.
Always plan for redundancy. Having multiple exit options gives employees backup escape routes if primary paths get blocked.
Assign specific people to maintain these pathways. You must ensure they never become storage areas.
Establishing Assembly Areas and Wardens
Pick specific outdoor locations where employees gather after evacuating. In New Zealand, this is often called the Assembly Area.
These need to be far enough away to keep everyone safe from heat and falling debris.
You should also designate Fire Wardens who understand emergency procedures. Organizations with larger staff numbers typically need multiple wardens.
These leaders get specialized training. They are responsible for checking spaces before exiting (if safe) and accounting for personnel.
Final Thoughts
Fire safety requires ongoing commitment, but getting started is straightforward. Begin by checking your facility for hazards and identifying risks.
Next, create or update your Evacuation Scheme. Set up evacuation routes, assign clear responsibilities, and put regular training in place.
The preparations you make today could save lives tomorrow.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the primary causes of workplace fires in New Zealand?
Unattended cooking appliances and electrical faults are major causes. Hot work (welding/cutting) and poor housekeeping involving combustible materials also pose significant risks.
How frequently should workplaces conduct fire drills?
If your building requires an approved Evacuation Scheme, you must generally conduct trial evacuations every 6 months. You must also notify FENZ after each trial.
Who bears responsibility for workplace fire safety?
The building owner is responsible for maintaining the Evacuation Scheme. However, the PCBU (under HSWA) is responsible for the safety of workers and ensuring they are trained.
What is a Fire Evacuation Scheme?
This is a formal plan approved by Fire and Emergency New Zealand. It details how people will escape a burning building and how the building will be maintained to ensure safe egress.
Zarif Ahmed
An engineer and safety writer by profession, focusing on chemical management, regulatory development, and the patterns that shape workplace practice over time.