Page 38 - OHS, April 2022

FIRE SAFETY
Fire Safety Should be a Priority In and Outside of the Workplace
Safety is a system, and we all play a role.
IBY SYDNY SHEPARD
n this publication, we speak often about the kinds of hazards that can impact a worker’s safety and health at work and what that can mean for their daily life. Fire safety, however, is some- thing that an individual must be on high alert for all of the
time, not just when they are in a workplace setting.
If there is ever a chance that a safety professional can provide resources to ensure an employees’ safety, they should take it. Sometimes that means addressing how to stay safe on and off the
job.
Following some significant fires at residential buildings
in Pennsylvania and New York earlier this year, I found it advantageous to sat down with the National Fire Protection Association’s President Jim Pauley to discuss the incidents and what safety professionals can learn from them. Pauley was very candid when asked about the fires in the North East.
“Whenever there is a loss of life or property, it is significant in the eyes of NFPA,” Pauley said. “On the heels of the Philadelphia and Bronx, New York fires, we saw yet another example of fire’s impact when three firefighters perished while fighting a fire in an abandoned rowhouse in Baltimore—representing the highest number of responders killed in one fire since 2016.”
Despite the fact that each fire is a significant event to Pauley and the NFPA, it has been made clear, by the response of the public, that these headlines are just a common occurrence these days. It seems no one is shocked anymore when they see the damage, destruction and loss of life.
“The greatest challenge that NFPA, other organizations, and the more than 27,000 fire departments in the U.S. have is overcoming the complacency that exists about fire among average citizens,” Pauley said. “In fact, the American Red Cross reported that private citizens think they are more likely to be struck by lightning than to have a home fire.1 Given this level of apathy and lack of knowledge, it is difficult to get the average person to accept that fire is a real threat and preventable, let alone to inform them about what to do in case of a fire.”
Therein lies one of the biggest issues when it comes to education and training of fire safety, right? Complacency. If the average citizen believes they are more likely struck by lightning than be involved in a fire, then the chances of them learning and becoming vigilant about fire safety is pretty low.
“The over-confidence towards fire is not only evident in residential settings, it pervades occupancies of all types and presents serious risks and concerns,” Pauley said. “Individuals are responsible for their own safety, no matter where they are.”
Pauley is right. Individuals are responsible for their own safety but there are some things that employers and safety professionals can do to remind them that hazards, including fires, are something they should be aware of daily. According to Pauley, the key is communication.
“It is important for NFPA and others who work in the safety realm to meet people where they are,” Pauley said. “NFPA has been doing just that for 125 years. Our legacy and our future
34 Occupational Health & Safety | APRIL 2022
Individuals are responsible for their own safety, no matter where they are.
centers around us helping others address emerging hazards and persistent challenges. We cannot and do not do this work alone. Safety is a system, and we all play a role.”
Pauley made it abundantly clear that two of the most fatal fires in the last 40 years and the loss of three fire fighters should be a wake-up call for all, especially those who care for their employees’ well-being.
“If staff members are harmed by fire, they don’t come to work and that has all kinds of implications for employers and colleagues,” Pauley said. “It’s time to change people’s perceptions of risk and emphasize proactive strategies for fire prevention.”
There are a few basic ways that businesses can help encourage employees to practice fire safety, according to Pauley. They include:
■ Understand and follow the fire safety protocols put in place by building authorities responsible for rental, condo, high-rise, and vacation settings
■ Properly install, test, and maintain all smoke alarms in their home or hold landlords accountable for these actions
■ Develop and practice home escape plans that include www.ohsonline.com
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