Fire...In the Workplace

In Hamlet, NC, a 1991 factory fire killed 25 employees because the exits were blocked (more recently, on December 8, 1994, 325 people--mostly students--were killed in a theater fire in China; again, the culprit was blocked exits). Every year in the U.S., some 30,000 people are killed or seriously injured in fire; in fact, among industrialized countries, America leads the world in the annual rate of deaths by fire. Fire in the Workplace, a handsomely produced and riveting program, features California State Fire Marshall Ron Goldman pointing out the realities of fire, explaining the three main causes of fire in the workplace (electrical, arson, and smoking materials [i.e. cigarettes and cigars]), and offering tips on how owners and employees can reduce their chances of being involved in a fire, as well as suggestions for what to do in the event a fire breaks out. The program also looks at home offices (where extension cords are a common hazard) and planning for the safe exit of disabled employees. An excellent training tape for businesses, small or large. Highly recommended. (R. Pitman)