Why Your Team Needs Fire Safety Education

Most excessive damage from building fires is preventable. 

You just need the right tools, protocols, training, and support in place. 

But fire safety isn't always intuitive. 

• What type of fire extinguisher do you need for an electrical fire versus a grease fire?
• How do you safely operate a fire extinguisher under pressure? 
• Should you try to extinguish the flames or evacuate immediately? 

Proper, hands-on fire safety education can answer these questions and keep your people safe.

Here’s why fire safety education is so important for your business. 

Key Takeaways

• Fire safety education is a triple-bottom-line investment that protects your finances through reduced property damage and insurance costs, ensures legal compliance with OSHA mandates, and, most importantly, safeguards employee lives.
• Effective fire safety training covers four essentials: industry-specific prevention, evacuation roles, hands-on equipment use (PASS method), and clear emergency communication.
• Regular fire drills transform knowledge into instinct by making evacuation procedures automatic, revealing weaknesses in your emergency plans, and building a proactive safety culture where employees identify hazards before they escalate.
• Professional fire safety training delivers better results than videos or manuals by providing hands-on experience with actual equipment, real-world scenarios, and expert guidance customized to your facility's specific fire hazards.

Fire Safety Education Can Save You Money

In an emergency, acting quickly and decisively can dramatically reduce the amount of damage you experience. And that damage can be quite costly. The U.S. Fire Administration reports that nonresidential building fires resulted in $3.16 billion in direct property damage in 2023, with over 110,000 incidents occurring across commercial properties nationwide. 

The financial burden extends far beyond the initial property damage. Building owners face business interruption costs that can dwarf the physical repair expenses. When operations halt, revenue stops, yet fixed costs continue. Employees may need to be laid off temporarily or permanently. Customer relationships suffer from missed deliveries and broken commitments.

Insurance implications compound these challenges. Properties with inadequate fire safety programs face higher insurance premiums and more restrictive coverage terms. Some insurers may refuse to renew policies altogether following a major incident. The reputational damage can be equally devastating, particularly in industries where safety is paramount. A single fire can erode years of carefully built trust with clients, investors, and the community.

It’s an OSHA Mandate

Federal law places clear fire safety education obligations on building owners and employers. OSHA Standard 1910.157 requires employers who provide portable fire extinguishers for employee use to also provide an educational program familiarizing employees with fire extinguisher use principles and the hazards of incipient stage firefighting. 

The scope of these requirements depends on your fire safety approach. Building owners have options. 

• You can implement a complete evacuation plan with no employee firefighting, but you must still educate employees if extinguishers are present and accessible. 
• You can designate specific employees for firefighting duties (with consent), which requires hands-on training with appropriate equipment. 
• Or you can provide general education to all employees while permitting voluntary extinguisher use during emergencies.

The consequences of non-compliance extend beyond regulatory penalties. OSHA violations carry fines ranging from $16,550 per serious violation to $165,000+ for willful or repeated offenses. 

However, the greater liability emerges when untrained employees suffer injuries or deaths during fire incidents. Courts consistently find employers negligent when they fail to provide adequate fire safety training, resulting in settlements and judgments that far exceed any OSHA fine.

It’s also important to keep in mind that businesses with more than 10 employees must maintain written emergency action plans detailing fire response procedures, evacuation routes, and employee responsibilities. Building owners who cannot produce these documents during inspections face immediate citations and increased scrutiny.

It Keeps Your People Safe

The U.S. Fire Administration reports that nonresidential fires resulted in 130 deaths and 1,200 injuries in 2023 alone. Beyond the financial and legal imperatives, fire safety education serves its most critical purpose: protecting human life. 

Trained employees respond differently during fire emergencies. They recognize warning signs earlier, act decisively rather than freezing in panic, and help others evacuate safely. 

Take regular fire drills as an example. When employees participate in quarterly or semi-annual evacuation drills, the procedures become automatic rather than something they must recall under stress. 

These drills also reveal weaknesses in evacuation plans—blocked exits, confusing signage, or assembly points that prove impractical during actual use. Each drill provides an opportunity to refine procedures and improve response times.

When employees understand the difference between a small fire they can manage with an extinguisher and a larger fire requiring immediate evacuation, they make better decisions under pressure:

• A maintenance worker notices a frayed electrical cord and reports it immediately rather than waiting for the next inspection. 
• An office employee sees exit signs obscured by decorations and alerts facilities management. 

This shift from reactive to proactive thinking happens when fire safety education emphasizes that everyone shares responsibility for workplace safety.

This knowledge becomes especially vital in facilities where vulnerable populations work or visit, such as healthcare settings with patients who require mobility assistance, or educational facilities where staff must coordinate the evacuation of students.

What Your Fire Safety Program Should Include

A comprehensive fire safety education program addresses multiple competencies that work together to create workplace preparedness. 

Start with Fire Prevention Awareness

Here, employees learn to identify common fire hazards specific to their work environment. 

• In restaurant kitchens, this means recognizing grease buildup and unattended cooking equipment. 
• In industrial facilities, workers focus on hot work procedures, combustible dust accumulation, and proper storage of flammable materials. 
• Healthcare environments emphasize oxygen safety protocols and electrical equipment maintenance. 

Each industry carries unique risks that training must address specifically.

Establish Emergency Evacuation Procedures

These teach employees their roles and responsibilities during a fire alarm. Training covers primary and secondary evacuation routes, designated assembly points, and procedures for accounting for all personnel after evacuation. 

Employees learn when to evacuate immediately versus when attempting fire suppression might be appropriate. They practice using stairwells instead of elevators, assisting colleagues who need mobility support, and remaining at assembly points until authorized personnel provide the all-clear.

Administer Fire Protection Equipment Training

Proper use of fire protection equipment includes hands-on training with fire extinguishers, fire alarm pull stations, and any specialized suppression systems present in the facility. 

Employees learn the PASS method for operating extinguishers: Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle, and Sweep side to side. 

Training should also address different fire classifications and appropriate extinguishing agents for each type.

Set Strong Emergency Communication Protocols

This step helps ensure coordinated responses. Employees learn how to activate fire alarms, who to notify when a fire is discovered, and how to communicate with emergency responders. 

In larger facilities, this includes understanding the roles of fire wardens, floor monitors, and emergency response teams. 

Clear communication prevents confusion that can cost lives during evacuations.

Invest in Professional Fire Safety Education Today

Effective fire safety education goes beyond watching videos or reading manuals. 

Professional training provides hands-on experience with actual equipment, real-world scenarios, and expert guidance tailored to your facility's specific hazards. 

Contact the fire protection experts at Impact Fire to ensure you have the right systems and programs that protect your people, your property, and your business.