
It’s very important to make preparations for workplace emergencies, and having fire extinguishers on-site is a good start -but that’s not enough. Consider investing in the following safety products to increase your safety.
1. Fire/Smoke Alarms
Fire and smoke alarms warn employees of a fire in the building by picking up the presence of smoke in the air. Most smoke alarms will automatically sound off with a blaring noise as soon as the smoke is detected. Other fire alarms must be manually pulled to sound off. Since fires usually start out as very isolated occurrences, alarms can get people evacuated before they start spreading. A fire that has spread to major areas of a building can easily trap and kill any workers inside, so it’s crucial to notify everyone as soon as a fire breaks out.
2. Emergency Chairs
In many cases, the safest thing to do when disaster strikes is to exit the building as quickly as possible. While healthy adults won’t have much of a problem traversing stairs, elderly individuals, little kids, and physically or mentally handicapped individuals may have a tough time using them. When time is of the essence, emergency chairs can get these people to safety with the help of some Good Samaritans.
Most emergency chairs come equipped with wheels so that they can be easily pushed or pulled. They also fold up into various configurations so that they can be carried with little effort and glide effortlessly over steps when ascending or descending stairs. Users can be strapped in tightly so that the risk of falling out and getting injured is minimized. No matter what the situation, whether it’s a fire, flood, tornado, earthquake or something worse, emergency chairs can get people to safety in the nick of time.
3. Security Cameras
Another benefit of security cameras is that they can document every occurrence when left to roll 24/7. Whatever may have happened earlier–an elderly man having a heart attack, a lady getting her purse stolen, a kid stealing a candy bar, a group of teens assaulting a cashier–gets visually recorded so that first responders can do their jobs to the best of their ability. Everything caught on tape is hard evidence that can be used to bring criminals to justice or solve some unknown. Most security cameras can be viewed live from a computer monitor in a remote location either on-site or off-site. Some can be conveniently viewed from a smartphone.
4. Locks
Sometimes the most important safety products are so obvious that we overlook them. Such is the case with locks. If you don’t want dangerous men and women wandering into your workplace, it’s best to keep all doors and windows locked at all times with high-quality, heavy-duty locks. There are tons of lock types available, but even the most basic styles will get the job done.
Crossbar locks and combination locks are examples of more traditional forms, while key card locks and biometric locks are a bit more advanced. High-security workplaces, such as federal buildings and research labs, may even implement retinal scans and other lock technologies usually seen in the movies.
5. Flashlights
As humans, we are totally helpless without light. Without sight, even the safest of places can become extremely hazardous. All too often, natural disasters will knock out the power to create a blackout in the workplace. Even though many have back-up generators, it’s always a good idea to store a few flashlights in an area that’s easy to access.