Month: October 2014

Oct 29, 2014

By: Chelsea Haley, DKI Ventures, LLC

Halloween can be a ton of fun, resurrecting witches and zombies or dressing as your favorite superhero! Without proper precaution, though, Halloween can also be a dangerous time of year.

Did you know?

• The United States sees an overall increase of fires on Halloween with 15,500 fires and $92 million in property loss per year. (U.S. Fire Administration)
• Out of 900 reported home fires each year, decorations are the first thing to catch fire. And, two of every five of these fires are caused by a candle. (National Fire Protection Association)

Here are some tips from DKI to ensure you have a fun and safe holiday:

• Keep your Jack O’ Lanterns away from steps, doorways or flammable materials, such as drapes or decorations.
• Don’t overload your electrical outlets with lighting decorations.
• Note that crepe paper and cornstalks are highly flammable. Keep these away from any heat sources.
• Keep all exits clear of decorations.
• Purchase flame-resistant costumes, wigs, accessories, etc. Avoid long trailing fabrics.
• Keep children and pets away from candles and electrical outlets.
• Ensure your walkways and porches are well lit and free from obstacles.
• Repair any damaged or wobbly handrails and steps.
• Consider using battery-operated candles or flashlights to light your Jack O’ Lanterns.
• Test your smoke alarm, or replace its batteries.

And, don’t forget to have FUN!!

Oct 17, 2014

By: Chelsea Haley, DKI Ventures, LLC

Each year, in the United States, there are approximately:

• 6,000 fires in the workplace
• 200 workers’ deaths and 5,000 injuries from office fires and explosions

(Cited from OSHA facts https://www.osha.gov/)

Read our blog How to Prevent That Spark for tips to prevent an office fire. But, in the event a fire at your workplace does occur, you should know how to get back on track to minimize your business losses.

Prep Employees to Work Remotely

Don’t be in a hurry to return to the office following a fire. Set your employees up to be able to work from home or at an alternative workplace. Keeping your employees healthy and safe should be your first priority. There may be lingering smoke within the building, which can have immediate consequences to an individual’s health.

Set up a Plan of Communication

Set up a website, or company page with the following information:

• Timesheets or a place employees can time-in and out with their work hours
• Discussion Boards (General Q&A, and Emergency Updates)
• A place employees can update their own individual statuses and availabilities

Communication is crucial during an emergency. Be sensitive toward your employees during this time, and let them know you are doing your best to get things back to normal. Coordinate a work schedule with them, as some may not be able to hold their normal office hours.

Collect Contact Information

Keep an emergency file of all employees’ contact information, including:

• Cell Phone Number
• Landline or Alternative Number
• Personal Email
• Emergency Contacts

Keep this information in an offsite area. It might also be beneficial to include this information in one list to hand out to all employees, for them to keep at home.

Back it Up

Although it’s convenient to have everything stored on your computer, this may be destroyed in the event of a fire or other emergency.

Document the following (and more):

• Inventory of supplies
• Website Contacts
• Passwords
• Software Information
• System Processes

Store this document in an offsite area, along with your employees’ emergency contacts, so that you may access it in the event your computer is destroyed.

Having a plan of action is vital to a business’ ability to survive and succeed after a disaster. Helping your employees prepare for disaster will help them to return to work faster, and, in turn, help restore your business more quickly and efficiently.

Oct 13, 2014

By: Chelsea Haley, DKI Ventures, LLC

So far this month, we have covered which items to have around your office or building, having an evacuation plan, and how to use one of the main tools to combat a small fire – the fire extinguisher.

Here are some everyday tips to prevent an office fire:

Tidy up

Throw away all waste papers, trash and other combustible items. Do not leave these loose on your desk, where they can add fuel to a fire.

In addition, organize your supplies and papers to properly be filed or stored, so as to not contribute to clutter blocking doorways and escape routes.

Check your circuits

Ensure cords are not out in the open to easily be stepped on, vacuumed over, or caught on something that may damage or deteriorate the outside coating. Replace all faulty or stripped cords.

Also, be sure to limit the number of plugs in your outlets. If you notice that appliances are not working properly, you may have overloaded the circuit, which could cause a fire. Electrical fires are very common in homes and workplaces.

Turn it off

Not just to reduce electricity costs, but to prevent fires, ensure every appliance is turned off before you leave the office. Most appliances are not meant to be unattended for long periods of time, and can overheat. Even some appliances, such as computers, copy machines and coffee makers quickly overheat and must be monitored and maintained.

In the case a fire does occur, call DKI for all of your repair needs.  DKI contractors are available nationwide 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Oct 1, 2014

By: Chelsea Haley, DKI Ventures, LLC

In the case of a fire at work, be aware of your surroundings. Ensure you know the location of each of the following fire alarms:

Designate a group of safety wardens and hold routine fire drills. This number will vary due to office and building size. If you’re a small company, one to two safety wardens is sufficient, but you may need one to two per department for larger offices. Each employee should know the office’s evacuation plan, as well as be aware of alternative exit routes.