Just picture the scene – you’ve closed your business for the evening with all the lights, computers and electrical devices switched off, you’re sure of it. But for the rest of the night you can’t shake this nagging, worry-stricken feeling in the back of your mind.

In the morning,your mistake plays out in front of your very eyes.

Driving slowly up to your workplace, you see plumes of smoke rising in the distance. Pressing down hard on the accelerator pad, you try to focus your eyes forward. It’s about then when you get near enough to see what your business has become – a smouldering pile of rubble.

Rushing out of your car, you’re hit with a whirlwind of ash. And, as a cordon of firefighters stops you from going any further, all you’re left thinking is, How did this happen? How could this happen to me?

Indeed, while you might think you’re fire conscious, this exact situation could happen in your business if you’re not careful.

So, here are just a few tips to make sure your workplace isn’t reduced to ashes in the wind.

Make your walls a fortress from fire

You’d be amazed at just how little punishment your walls can take without effective blast protection. With measly plasterboard strips separating you and a burnt down business, your workplace won’t stand a chance.

To beef up that property, invest in full-fireproofing for your walls. With the high potential for gas explosions in more industrial environments, the need for a good dose of blast protection is even higher.

With strong walls, fire will be more effectively contained, leading to a less ravaged home by the time the fire brigade arrive.

Make sure your staff know the score

While making sure that you’ve turned all the lights and electrical appliances off when leaving your workplace is all well and good, it won’t amount to a hill of beans if your staff aren’t in on the act,too.

Make sure that everyone you employ is well aware of fire safety and knows how to react when faced with flames. Because the more aware and proactive your employees are, the safer your building will be.

Keep well-stocked

A poor tradesman always blames his tools, or so that old saying goes. But if you have rubbish tools while fighting fire, blame won’t be the issue – your life will.

Always make sure you have high-quality fire extinguishers, smoke alarms and fire blankets dotted around your premises, putting them in easy reach of anyone trying to fend off a fire.

More than this, ensure that all your fire exits aren’t obstructed by needless junk and bric-a-brac. Not only will this stop the danger of more flammable objects, but it’ll ensure you can escape a fire if those extinguishers fail to do the trick.