Introduction

Occupational Safety and Health is a practical field which is concerned with the safety, health and welfare of people in their workplaces. OSH not only protects workers, but also co-workers, workers' family members, employers, customers and anyone who is expected to be affected by the workplace or experience and accident or injury there.

One of the most important aspects of OSH is emergency exits and fire protection systems. I have chosen this topic because fires can break out anytime and anywhere. The other OSH areas such as dangers of machinery, noise levels, toxic fumes or hazardous substances are to be found in specific workplaces, not all of them. Since all workplaces may experience fires, it is very important for them to have a reliable fire protection system and an adequate number of fire exits so that all workers may survive in case a fire breaks out.

In the USA only, around 6000 workplace fires take place every year and it is estimated that office fires and explosions result in more than 200 deaths and 5000 injuries each year. Statistics in the UAE are not accurate about this matter. However, high safety measures complying with the requirements of OSHA are set for companies and workplaces before they are offered the license to operate.

It has been noticed that the tragic history of all fire disasters is related to problems with fire exits and extinguishing systems which make an important part of a whole fore protection system. Of course, workplaces with fire exit problems do violate the safety requirements of Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA.

Since fire protection systems aim to eliminate fire causes and protect lives and property, it is important for employers to set fire protection plans, review those plans from time to time, and regularly maintain fire fighting exits and equipment.

A reliable fire fighting system is also one that complies with OSHA standard that requires providing employees with the necessary information and guidelines that help them recognize report and control fire hazards.

This research explains how emergency exits and an effective fire protection system can minimize deaths and injuries resulting from fires.

According to OSHA, employers are required to provide employees with a safe workplace with proper fire exits. Employers are also required to have a fire protection plan and to provide employees with sufficient emergency and fire training so that they may prevent fire deaths and injuries if they ever happen in the workplace.

1. Fire Exits

Fire exits are exits to life. They are a basic component of any fire protection plan. Their design determines the evacuation plan. A fire exit is a continuous unobstructed path that leads from any spot within the workplace to a place of safety.

Fire exits must …

-Be permanent. They must not depend on portable aids such as ropes or ladders.
-Be protected. They must also be separated by fire resistant materials.
-Be adequate to the number of employees in the workplace.
-Directly lead to an open space such as the street, a walkway or a refuge area.
-Have clear signs indicating direction.
-Have doors that can open from the inside at all times with no keys.
-Not be occupied by objects that may decrease their width and hinder movement.
-Be free of explosive or flammable decoration objects or even paint.
-Be properly equipped with appropriate and adequate marks and lights.
-Be free of decorations and signs other than the "EXIT" sign.
-Be included in the building repair plans.
-Have fire extinguishers that can be used to protect exit doors and keep them ready to be used.

2. Planning a Fire Protection System

There are two types of plans, both of which are complementary:

A. Fire Prevention Plan

A fire prevention plan has a number of elements including:

-A list of all the major fire hazards in the workplace, and their proper handling procedures.
-A list of the personnel responsible for maintenance and their job titles.
-A list of the personnel responsible for fuel source hazards and their titles.
-Training which means keeping employees aware of the possible fire hazards of the materials and processes they have to work with.
-Maintenance which is important to guarantee that the equipment and systems installed are working properly.

B. Fire Action Plan

Fire action plans usually include the following components:

-Emergency Response
Emergency response is very important because the first few minutes of a fire determine how severe a fire is and how much damage it may result in.

-Public Fire Department
The available outside support of the public fire department must be evaluated by the company before deciding on how much in-house emergency response the company is required to handle.

-In-House Fire Response Team
Depending on its size, a company may train an in-house emergency team whose members are trained to use different types of fire extinguishers and do first aid as well as do shutdown, evacuation and chemical spill control procedures.

-Emergency Evacuation Drills
Emergency response teams are mainly responsible for safely evacuating employees from the workplace. They must have a plan with evacuation drills to practice leaving the building or reaching the fire protected area in the safest way and the shortest time possible.

-Portable Fire Extinguishers
They are the first line of defense against small fires or during the first few minutes of big fires. All employees, not only the emergency teams, should be trained to use them. They are important to suppress limited fires and to protect evacuation routes and fire exits.

3. Employee training and Education

Employee training is an important element of an effective fire protection plan. All employees need to know and understand the evacuation plan, the alarm system, the shutdown procedures and the types of emergency expected.

It is recommended that training is provided to employees in different types of presentations and demonstration methods because individuals do not learn in the same way. For this reason, teaching styles must vary from direct to indirect lecturing, modeling, interactivity and action-based situations…etc.

Conclusion

Companies differ in size as well as the nature of business, so hazards differ from one workplace to another. However, fire is a workplace hazard which is likely to take place ant any time. Preparations and planning against fires varies from one company to another, but all the fire protection plans would never exclude fire exits, planning and employee training. Some companies might provide their employees and site with high safety procedures and others may only afford to provide the necessary safety measures. In all cases, the main purpose is protecting lives and minimizing loss. According to OSHA, employees should not start work on a site with no emergency exits or even before they are finished and ready for use. It is thanks to the OSHA that the numerous fires that take place on working sites only result in very few or no deaths at all. The standards of OSHA are there to protect lives rather than cost businesses money.

References:

- Gov.uk,. (2014). Fire safety in the workplace - GOV.UK. Retrieved 27 October 2014, from https://www.gov.uk/workplace-fire-safety-your-responsibilities/who-is-responsible

- PowerShow,. (2014). Exit Routes, Emergency Action Plans, Fire Prevention Plans, and Fire Protection. Retrieved 27 October 2014, from http://www.powershow.com/view/26345-MzQ4O/Exit_Routes_Emergency_Action_Plans_Fire_Prevention_Plans_and_Fire_Protection_powerpoint_ppt_prese

- Ehs.okstate.edu,. (2014). OSHA Fact Sheet: Workplace Fire Safety. Retrieved 27 October 2014, from https://ehs.okstate.edu/training/oshafire.htm

- Ball, J. (2001). EMPLOYEE FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY (1st ed., pp. 1-21). National Fire Protection Association. Retrieved from http://www.nfpa.org/~/media/Files/Safety%20information/For%20consumers/Occupancies/Evacuation.pdf