Checklist for Fire Safety

03 February, 2023
2 MINUTE READ

In 2021, local fire departments responded to

1,353,500 fires in the US.
That is one every 23 seconds.
Fires caused 3,800 civilian (non-firefighter) deaths.
14,700 reported civilian fire injuries.

Update Your Facility's NFPA Compliance

The National Fire Protection Association sets the standards for fire codes, protection, and prevention. NFPA standards include hazard communication methods and evacuation routes.

NFPA compliant labels describe the hazard level for hazardous materials in a clear, simple format. This communicates dangers quickly to first responders in the event of an emergency. Numbers from 0-4 (low to high) are paired with colored bands or diamonds to rate specific dangers: health risks are associated with blue, flammability with red, and volatility with yellow. Pictograms are included to convey additional safety messages.

Checklist for Emergencies and Fire Protection

Use this checklist to ensure your workplace is ready to minimize potential catastrophe if a flame ignites.

Use our free Emergency Preparation Chart to check your facility plans. Download Here.

Emergency Preparedness
Yes ? No ?	Are building evacuation drawings (indicating exit routes and assembly areas outside the building) up to date and posted near doorways? Corrective action: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________
Yes ? No ? N/A ?	Do all employees understand their evacuation routes? Corrective action: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________ Additional inspection requirements may apply according to local regulations.
Yes ? No ?	Are all fire doors to storage, telephone equipment, and power rooms in working order, unobstructed and closed? Corrective action: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________ Open fire doors increase the speed at which fire spreads and allow smoke to circulate more freely, causing an increased risk to both occupants and equipment.
Yes ? No ?	Are emergency exits unlocked and accessible? Corrective action: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________ Additional inspection requirements may apply according to local regulations.
Yes ? No ?	Are fire extinguishers installed in appropriate locations? Are extinguishers clearly marked and unobstructed by equipment or materials? Have the extinguishers been inspected within the past 12 months? Corrective action: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________ ABC-rated dry chemical extinguishers are appropriate in most areas. They should each have attached inspection tags that indicate they have been inspected within the last 12 months.
Yes ? No ?	Are hand-held extinguishers mounted on walls as opposed to being stored on the ground or in file cabinets? Do employees know how to use fire extinguishers? Corrective action: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________ OSHA requires portable fire extinguishers to be mounted on a wall. Extinguishers stored on the ground are likely to be moved and not replaced in the same location, causing the extinguisher to not be where expected when needed during an emergency.
Fire Protection
Yes ? No ?	Are wall, floor, and ceiling penetrations for cables, wires, pipes and mechanical systems (such as ductwork) sealed to prevent the spread of fire and smoke? Corrective action: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________ Sealed wall penetrations prevent the spread of fire and smoke from one room to another. Penetrations can be sealed with drywall, fire-retardant pipe seal or firestop pillows.
Yes ? No ? N/A ?	Are flammable and combustible liquids stored in approved flammable storage cabinets? Corrective action: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________ Quantities of flammable and combustible liquids in excess of the following quantities should be stored in approved flammables storage cabinets: 25 gallons of Class IA liquids (flashpoint below73 ?F and boiling point below 100 ?F)* 120 gallons of Class IB, IC, II or III (flashpoint below 73 ?F and boiling point above 100 ?F)* *Refer to the product's material safety data sheet (MSDS) or safety data sheet (SDS) to determine its flammability/combustibility class.
Yes ? No ? N/A ?	Are "No Smoking" signs posted in appropriate areas, and no smoking rules enforced? Corrective action: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________
Yes ? No ? N/A ?	Have the facility's sprinkler and/or fire alarm systems been inspected in the past 12 months? Is the fire suppression system tagged to verify this inspection? Corrective action: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________ Additional inspection requirements may apply according to local regulations.
Yes ? No ? N/A ?	Do sprinkler heads have at least 18 inches of vertical clearance from material stored below? Corrective action: ________________________________________________ Person responsible: ________________________ Due date: _____________ This clearance is required by OSHA and is necessary for proper functioning of the sprinkler system.