Fire Safety Bulletin
Something to keep in mind with this beautiful weather we’ve been having…
With the low amounts of precipitation we have received this year, Alberta is in one of its worst droughts in over 50 years. And, in many parts of Alberta forecasters are calling for the warmest temperatures in decades.
Warm weather + dry conditions create the perfect storm for fires, as well as other disasters. We can do very little for natural disasters other than be prepared.
But we can do our part to help prevent fires. Paying attention to the area in which you are working is probably the biggest factor involved.
Take caution to prevent a fire by:
- Ensuring cigarettes are fully extinguished and disposed of properly.
- Pre and post soaking an area when doing hot work (i.e. welding, cutting, grinding) around grass or other dry materials.
- Using a fire watch or spotter when doing hot work.
- Turning engines off while being parked in grass or other dry materials.
- Ensuring your engine and exhaust are clean of debris.
- Ensuring any controlled fires are out and not left smouldering.
- Paying attention to local fire bans and alerts.
It’s not just at work that we need to use caution. Many forest fires are created by 4-wheelers and camp fires. You can be held personally responsible for the costs of these fires if the authorities determine you are at fault.
Taking a little bit of extra time to ensure you are enjoying your summer safely is a lot cheaper than having to pay for the cost of fighting a fire.
This can be translated to the workplace. While at work we need to take the time to ensure we are not doing activities that have a risk of fire without taking the necessary steps to control them.
On-Track is experiencing a drought and we have to be aware of all the land and materials that are flammable. We also have some piles of wood chips that are extremely flammable and combustible, all precautions must be exercised at all times when in and around these piles.
Remember: The easiest fire to fight is the one that you prevented!
