Fire Drills

12/28/2021 (Permalink)

Fire Alarm Trigger on Wall

Remember in middle school when fire drills were so much fun because you got to get out of class for a little while? Most likely you didn’t take the drill as seriously back then, and as you grow older they may seem to be a waste of time, diminishing its importance. However, you may not realize that the reason why it seems unnecessary to go through drills is because you have gone through so many and you already know what to do. Meaning, the training has done its job, and it's now just meant as a refresher. Repetition will help with automatic responses.

In the workplace, under law, employers must practice drills in case of emergencies. New hires must be made aware of the procedures, where all the emergency exists, fire extinguishers and meeting places are in the property. Drills are encouraged to be more than once a year but are only required to happen once annually. The more familiar staff is with the drills, the higher the chance they will stay safe and well during an actual emergency. 

Regular fire drills will establish the correct procedures, removing panic and uncertainty for all concerned. Practice makes perfect. On the other hand, drill will help employers realize if there are any faults to their plan, if there are any dangers or safety hazards that need to be removed or better designed.

Louisiana has no specific law or regulation requiring employers to conduct fire drills. However, federal standards set by the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act), which governs Louisiana's occupational safety and health system, require that companies with 10 or more employees have written fire prevention and emergency exit plans in place for each worksite. Employers with fewer than 10 employees may communicate the plans orally. BLR writes about Louisiana Fire Prevention Laws. You can also find the guidelines to the required action plan under OSHA laws.