Fire Safety Tips For Office Christmas Parties

CONTENTS

• Keep an eye on your Christmas decorations
• Have the correct fire safety equipment in place
• Be careful with the electrics
• Routinely test fire alarm systems
• Other tips to bear in mind
  • Office capacity
  • Be cautious with alcohol
  • Naked flames
• We're ready to help

To celebrate the festive season, workplaces across the country are getting ready for Christmas. This includes organising Secret Santa, planning an office party, or preparing for social events. If you're hosting a party at work, we have some handy tips for you.

At ICE Cleaning, we are fire damage cleaning specialists. We use the latest industry equipment to clean fire and smoke damage, working hard to return the building to a safe condition. We operate 24/7, 365 days a year and provide a free quote/survey when you get in touch.

In this blog, discover some fire safety tips that can keep you and your colleagues safe at office Christmas parties.

Keep an eye on your Christmas decorations

Decorating your office at Christmas time is an opportunity to get into the Christmas spirit. It also encourages team building.

However, make sure the decorations aren't obstructing emergency exits or dragging across the floor. When you're finished with work for the day, have the last person who leaves turn all electrics off to save energy and prevent fires.

Ensure Christmas lights are working correctly, looking out for faulty wiring or broken bulbs. If you find any issues, it might be time for a new set of lights. Where possible, try purchasing decorations that are flame-retardant and have a good shelf-life.

Closely monitor your outdoor decorations too, as you may opt to string up lights in front of the office to add a warming atmosphere. Before decorating, make sure all your ornaments are safe for outdoor use and switched off when the office closes.

Have the correct fire safety equipment in place

According to Gov UK, the fire safety equipment you require depends on your workplace. Examples of equipment you need include fire extinguishers, fire blankets, evacuation chairs, and effective working fire and smoke alarms.

Provide fire safety training to your employees wherever required, and ensure staff know how to use fire extinguishers and understand its different uses. A fire risk assessment must also be conducted in workplaces, with the responsibility delegated to a specified person. 

Regular checks should be performed on safety equipment to make sure it is working. This will help you feel prepared for your work Christmas party, knowing that everything you need in an emergency is ready.

If you do find yourself the victim of a fire, call in the specialists immediately. Our technicians can arrive on site within the hour to begin fire damage restoration in emergencies, using their expertise to treat soot, ash, and all other smoke residue. We can even dispose of belongings for you if they are beyond repair.

To find out more information about the biggest fire hazards you can find in offices, have a look at our blog. 

Be careful with the electrics

A useful tip for office Christmas parties is to be careful with your electrical system.  Sockets should not be overloaded with plugs, as this could cause a fuse to blow. Covering wires with a runner can help keep the wires secure.

When hosting the Christmas party, keep drinks away from electrics. Have a designated area for drinking that is a safe distance away from them.

Routinely test fire alarm systems

Routinely testing your fire alarms is an important safety procedure for any organisation. The Fire Protection Association states that this should be conducted weekly.

Having working fire alarms can mean the difference between life and death in the event of a fire, helping protect your property from serious harm by catching a fire in its early stages. This allows the emergency services to reach you quicker to put the fire out.

Keep a record of when your fire alarms have been tested, and get a professional out to fix any issues you find. 

By ensuring everything is in working order, you minimise false alarms occurring. This can decrease productivity in the workforce, while increasing a sense of worry in your staff that they are in danger. 

Other tips to bear in mind

Office capacity

To keep everyone safe and to prevent overcrowding, stick to your office's capacity. This means the evacuation process will be manageable and less stressful

Before the celebrating commences, tell everyone attending your safety procedures, including where the nearest evacuation point is as well as the location of emergency fire doors. 

Be cautious with alcohol

Even though office parties are a time to relax and have fun with your team, it is important this is done in a safe way. Implement measures like limiting the number of drinks a person can have, or offer some non-alcoholic drinks on the bar menu.

Also when there is a fire, people may find it harder to follow safety instructions or find the fire exits after a few drinks. Being careful with consumption will help everyone have a good time. Put on entertainment or nibbles as another form of socialising - this usually goes down well.

Naked flames

It is best to avoid naked flames when hosting parties, as the chances of an accident happening is high. Instead, there are so many options out there that you could use as alternatives. For example, LED lights are a popular choice for consumers.

If you have a real Christmas tree in the office, candles near it could react with the tree and set the whole thing on fire. This could have disastrous consequences for your office space.

Stick to a flame-retardant artificial tree where possible. They are not completely fire-proof, but are more resistant to fire than real Christmas trees.

We're ready to help

To book our fire damage cleaning services, reach out to our team today on 0208 066 0360 or enquiries@icecleaning.co.uk. A member of our dedicated customer service team will answer any questions or concerns you have.

You might also be interested in our fire smoke odour removal solutions too, as unpleasant smells often remain in the aftermath of a fire.