Sunday, October 8, 1871. The story goes that a cow on a nearby farm in Chicago knocked over a lantern and burned everything in its surroundings.

In reality, the summer of that year was unusually hot, and as fall came, almost everyone in Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin knew the condition wouldn’t change. Instead, it transformed farms, homes, and buildings into a huge kindling.

And so the Great Chicago Fire began in the early evening of that October, destroying acres of land and ending lives. Later in the day, the smoke crossed over to the tiny towns of Michigan, rousing families to shouts of “Fire!”

It took about three days before the flame died, but the story didn’t end there. The Great Lake State has dealt more fires since then. As of May 2021, the Colfax Fire is raging in the north and destroying at least 420 acres of land.

Overall, the state experiences at least 8,000 wildfires and more home fires each year, some of which eventually make it to the headlines because of their severity. It isn’t surprising then that Michigan implements a strict fire prevention code.

For those doing business in the state, here are essential fire-related points that matter:

1. Create an Emergency Plan and Involve the Local Firefighters

According to the provisions of the construction and fire codes for enterprises in the state, a business needs to meet three requirements to have an effective emergency plan:

• Firefighter right-to-know, which means both employees and local firefighters need to be aware of the type of hazardous materials used in the establishment and their corresponding danger. In line with this, local firefighters have the right and obligation to inspect the site regularly.
• HAZWOPER, which stands for hazardous waste operations and emergency response. It obligates companies that produce or use chemicals officially labeled as hazardous or dangerous by OSHA (broadly defined as one that can cause physical harm) to prepare for any emergency and train employees in the process. Based on the code, this plan will include first aid and other types of emergency treatment, evacuation procedures and routes, and coordination with outside parties, like firefighters.
• SARA Title III, or the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act. Under this law, industries that produce or use extremely hazardous substances in volumes, which increases the risks of public exposure, may need to make their inventory or chemical data sheet public. Moreover, every county may have to set up a fund to cover emergency response and toxic waste clean-up.

2. Work with a Qualified Electrician in the State

Many fires happen because of faulty or old electrical systems. This is especially true in industries that rely on huge power lines. When they are not maintained well, they can still begin a massive wildfire as trees or branches can touch the line.

Electrical wiring is one job that no layperson can do in the state unless they are duly licensed. This means that businesses need to work with an industrial electrician in at least two situations:

• Before installing any electrical equipment in the building
• Altering the electrical system (such as adding or replacing worn wires), especially if the cost of the equipment exceeds $100

Based on the local building code, in these two scenarios, the company needs to obtain an electrical permit. But a qualified contractor can already take care of that.

However, this electrician may need to coordinate with a state-licensed engineer or architect, who has to provide signed-and-sealed building plans and specifications. These are part of the requirements for getting an electrical permit.

The only time that alterations or rewiring won’t ask for a signed plan is if it is considered “minor.” The working area is no more than 3,500 square feet, and the electrical system rating doesn’t go beyond 400 amps.

3. Obtain a Mechanical Permit

The 1972 Act 230 of the state says that a building that needs to use specific flammable equipment needs to obtain a mechanical permit. These include water heaters, chimneys and vents, cooling systems, incinerators, boilers, and air pollution control systems.

Businesses can only work with licensed contractors to get the permit. Local firefighters, meanwhile, may inspect the area and the quality and condition of this equipment regularly.

Fires cost a lot of money and endanger lives, but the good news is, in many cases, they are both preventable and controllable. If not, then companies have the means to prepare for an effective emergency action to significantly reduce human and property losses. It begins by following the state building codes and collaborating with the local fire department.

Meta title: Essential Fire Rules for Michigan Businesses

Meta desc: Every year, Michigan experiences thousands of fires. Businesses can decrease their risks of human and property losses with these three tips.

Since the concept of Remote Working has come into great effect the employers have started to panic way too much. It is also seen for a fact that the old method of going to an office and sitting on a proper desk is slowly fading away and getting replaced by distant or remote working.

Remote Working has started to be the new normal for many people. The main reason being that they find it really comfortable this way. However, as seen, the challenges for the companies have increased. The companies are in a state of confusion as to whom should they trust and whom they should not. The distance has increased the strain in the relationship between employee and employer.

However, some relief is provided to the employers due to the advanced technology and introduction of various employee monitoring software’s. These software’s help the employers in keeping a close watch on the activities and behavior of the employees.

In this article, we would be discussing one such employee monitoring software – Work Examiner. This software has proven to be the most effective and secure for usage by employers. They have expressed their full trust in this software.

Why to choose Work Examiner?

Work Examiner has been stated as the most reliable and secure employee monitoring software by its users. It provides in total various features which prove to be extremely valuable and enriching to the employers.

If your employees are distant working, then the biggest issue arises of keeping an eye on them and their progress. In a proper office setting the superior authority constantly takes a round to the desk of the employee to check whether if the task is going on as planned or not. But, in distant working, no employers know what is going on the other side.

The Work Examiner Software in a way also helps the employees psychologically because as their productivity is reduced their employer knows and then talks to his/her employees given them an emotional boost throughout.

Moreover, the job of protecting the company from external theft is also done by this software. The employer knows about the emails sent and received by the employee and also, what kind of information is shared outside the company.

The keylogging feature of this software is the most outstanding. This feature enables the employer to know about what key has been pressed by the employee and what has been typed by him/her. Moreover, the employer can also get a track of the conversations that take place between the employee and the client.

Capterra Rating for Work Examiner – 5/5

Remote Working if looked at positively is of great advantage to any company. It reduces and eliminates the extra office expenses and also increases profits. However, it should be ensured by the manager that the employees work with full heart and dedication.