If you're someone who has recently made the move from a home office to a commercial office space, there are a lot of things you need to remain aware of. Fire safety and preventative measures might seem straightforward, but it's important to think clearly about those issues before any kind of fire erupts, particularly if you've now got employees onsite. Using the suggestions below, your new office can be well-guarded and safer.

Choose Appropriate Extinguishers

You might assume any extinguisher will work when you need it; you may have bought one just to have it, or there may have already been one sitting in a storage closet when you arrived. However, it's essential that you understand that different extinguishers are best suited for specific fires. For example, Class A extinguishers are excellent for paper-related fires, while you might want a separate, smaller Class C extinguisher for the employee kitchen or break room because that type is best for oils and grease. You may even want to contact a fire extinguisher services company to make sure the space has the right protection.

It's also wise to check expiration dates every so often; if you see that your extinguishers are reaching that date, pick up additional models so that you are never without the most effective extinguisher for your office.

Train Employees

Rather than just sticking your fire safety policy in the employee handbook, ensure that everyone understands how to proceed if there's a problem. Employees should be aware of which exits should be used if there are fires, for instance. Provide some training for extinguisher use. Run regular drills so everyone is comfortable with getting outside. Training workers can keep everyone safe.

Reconsider Paper Usage

Paper is probably one of the most used materials inside any office, and if you're working with others, it's likely that you're often printing things out for meetings and other collaborative efforts. Of course, should a fire occur, paper is highly flammable and can make the situation worse. To lessen the risk of a spreading, dangerous fire, you may want to reconsider how paper is handled inside your new office.

For instance, you might make use of shared online file folders or other cloud applications instead of printing everything. Not only will this lessen the fire risk that paper poses, but you may discover that you're saving money on paper costs and that information can be shared faster when everyone can access documents from their own station. For those paper documents that you need hard copies off, fireproof or fire-resistant cabinets can be a smart choice.

With this information, fire safety is something that you and your employees will all be familiar with. You might contact a local firehouse for more pointers, or click here to investigate further.