A fire prevention plan is a written document designed to minimize or eliminate the risk of fire hazards. It outlines the need for specific safety procedures and essential fire-extinguishing or suppression equipment, fire extinguishers and sprinklers, respectively, and the importance of identifying potential ignition sources from which a fire can start.
Based on a list of requirements under OSHA 1910.39, a fire prevention plan should highlight potential fire hazards, provide details on how to handle flammable and combustible materials, and provide specifications on preventative actions to eliminate the risk of fire hazards.
As per OSHA, an employer must have a fire prevention plan whenever another OSHA standard requires one. When a written fire prevention program is required by OSHA, it should include the following elements:
- Title of employees responsible for maintaining equipment to prevent or control sources of ignition or fires
- The name or job title of employees responsible for the control of fuel source hazards
- A list of all major fire hazards along with handling + storage procedures, potential ignition sources, and what type of fire protection equipment should be used
- Procedures to control accumulations of flammable and combustible waste materials
- Proper handling and storage procedures for hazardous, flammable, and combustible waste
- Fire protection equipment necessary for employees
- Procedures for regular maintenance of safeguards installed on heat-producing equipment
- The written fire prevention plan should be stored in the workplace where it can be reviewed by employees at any time.
Having a fire-prevention plan can help establish a considerable degree of fire safety in the workplace, eliminating the risk of downtime, structural damage, and injury or death. To design one, the first step is to do a hazard analysis of the facility before writing the fire prevention plan. During this analysis, the employer or safety manager should identify potential fire hazards, flammable or combustible materials, heat-producing machines, and sources of ignition.
This information can then be used to determine proper procedures for hazardous materials, equipment necessary to control risk, and how else to control each major hazard identified.
