5 Tips For National Fire Prevention Week, OSHA Classes

National Fire prevention week (October 7th-13th) is a good time to review fire safety plans, and make sure they follow fire safety standards…

Fire prevention week (October 7th-13th) is a good time to review fire safety plans, and make sure they follow fire safety standards.

According to Wikipedia, Fire Prevention Week commemorates the Great Chicago Fire. On the 40th anniversary (1911) of the Great Chicago Fire, the Fire Marshals Association of North America (FMANA); the oldest membership section of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), sponsored the first National Fire Prevention Day, deciding to observe the anniversary as a way to keep the public informed about the importance of fire prevention.

In May 1919, when the NFPA held its 23rd annual meeting in Ottawa at the invitation of the Dominion Fire Prevention Association (DFPA), the NFPA and DFPA both passed resolutions urging governments in the United States and Canada to support the campaign for a common Fire Prevention Day. This was expanded to Fire Prevention Week in 1922. The non-profit NFPA, which has officially sponsored Fire Prevention Week since its inception, selects the annual theme for Fire Prevention Week.

In the United States, the first national Fire Prevention Day proclamation was issued by President Woodroow Wilson in 1920.

When President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed the first National Fire Prevention Week on October 4–10, 1925, he noted that in the previous year some 15,000 lives were lost to fire in the United States.

Calling the loss “startling”, Coolidge’s proclamation stated: “This waste results from the conditions which justify a sense of shame and horror; for the greater part of it could and ought to be prevented… It is highly desirable that every effort be made to reform the conditions which have made possible so vast a destruction of the national wealth”.

• NATIONAL FIRE PREVENTION WEEK •

Five fire safety tips from the State Fire Marshal’s Office

Clear clutter

Keep enough clearance above materials when stacking them. Always check your local fire code and building code, but a good rule of thumb is to maintain at least 18 inches between sprinklers and items stored below them and to maintain at least 2 feet between storage and the ceiling in areas without sprinklers.

Clear out any items that could catch on fire, like paper, trash, and other materials, or that block access to emergency exits or equipment.

Don’t smoke

Make designated smoking areas and post signs reminding employees to put out smoking materials completely. Provide proper disposal containers. Ban open flames in the workplace.

Keep electricity in check

Maintain all machinery, tools, and wiring. Replace any damaged electrical cords, and don’t overload electrical outlets.

Control chemicals

Don’t allow the use of electrical equipment near any flammable chemicals. Store chemicals in a safe area, and provide ventilation where they are used. Understand chemicals’ hazards by reading their safety data sheets.

Have an exit plan

Post emergency-exit signs around the workplace. Develop and practice an evacuation plan twice a year. Designate a gathering spot, and come up with a system to account for all employees.

Free Downloadable Fire Safety Publications

Visit the Texas Division of Worker’s Compensation’s Free Safety
and Health Publications page to read about a wide range of
workplace health and safety topics.

    The State Fire Marshal’s website also offers a variety of free
zzdownloadable fire safety publications.

• TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE OSHA CLASSES •

Free OSHA 10-hour Construction Classes

Participants who complete the course will get a completion card. Classes are taught in English and Spanish, and are held in Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, El Paso, Houston, and San Antonio. Register, view schedule.

Low-Cost OSHA 10-Hour General Industry Class, October 29-30, 2018, in El Paso

Classes cost $30 per person, and include all class materials, practical training, and a course completion card. See OSHA 10-Hour General Industry Class for more information.

Source: State of Texas Fire Marshal, Wikipedia, Texas Department of Insurance.