Any workplace without appropriate fire equipment, fire safety procedures and fire exits runs a tremendous long-term risk to its employees and financial security. Some businesses, such as professional kitchens and restaurants, are more likely to have fire equipment and evacuation procedures than others because they operate at higher risks for fires. However, even office environments with no obvious, ongoing risk factors for fire should be prepared, or they actually make themselves less safe than businesses that have established protocols for dealing with fire. All businesses should at least make use of simple portable fire extinguishers. Risks of fire may vary slightly depending on climate. However, ultimately, all business should prepare for the worst.
It is best to keep portable fire extinguishers near the exits. All employees should still be heading towards the exit in case of fire, as with any fire drill. The fire extinguishers should be in cases located approximately one meter off the ground to allow for more convenient access. The position also makes the fire extinguishers easier to keep around on a normal basis; inconvenient safety equipment is likely to be impractical to keep on hand for long periods of time.
It is important for anyone who wants to operate any manual fire extinguisher to know which extinguishers work
best for which fires. Foam fire extinguishers, which are among the most commonly used in office environments, should never be used on live electrical equipment. Chefs and kitchen workers will no doubt have substantial fire safety equipment on hand, from fire blankets to use on clothing and small burning liquid fires, to portable fire extinguishers. Many kitchen workers also receive fire safety training as part of their basic training. If kitchen fires originate from heat sources like fat fryers, the heat should ideally be turned off, and the kitchen staff should be aware of the safest means of addressing such fires. Different fires may require different precautions, but many fires can still be stopped before they cause substantial damage.