They should prioritize getting themselves and others to safety, then report the fire immediately to the proper emergency contact (such as a supervisor or fire department), rather than trying to move the bin or ignore the situation.

Quick Scoop: What the Worker Should Do

In most workplace safety training, the correct first move when a fire starts—even a “small” one in a trash bin—is to evacuate to safety and sound the alarm or notify the appropriate emergency contact. This is because trash fires can hide unknown fuels (like chemicals, aerosols, or electrical items) that can flare up or explode without warning.

In short: get away, alert others, and let trained, properly equipped personnel handle the flames.

Step‑by‑Step: Safe Response

A typical correct sequence (and the logic behind it) looks like this:

  1. Move away from the fire
    • Step back to a safe distance immediately.
 * Avoid breathing smoke or fumes, which may be toxic depending on what is burning.
  1. Warn and evacuate others
    • Shout a clear warning (“Fire in the trash bin!”) so nearby coworkers can move away.
 * Guide people toward the nearest safe exit, not toward the fire.
  1. Activate alarm / call for help
    • Pull the fire alarm if available, or follow your workplace’s emergency procedure.
 * Call the designated emergency number or contact security or your supervisor right away.
  1. Do not move the burning bin
    • Picking up or carrying a burning trash bin can cause the fire to spread, spill, or flare up on you or along your route.
 * It may also expose other areas (like hallways or exits) to flames or smoke.
  1. Do not ignore it
    • Doing nothing allows the fire to grow and can quickly turn a minor incident into a major emergency.
 * Early reporting is a key part of fire safety training in workplaces.
  1. Only fight the fire if fully trained and conditions are safe
    • Many safety questions and quizzes emphasize that untrained workers should not attempt to fight fires, even small ones, without proper equipment and clear knowledge of the fire type.
 * The default correct answer in training scenarios about a trash‑bin fire is “flee to safety,” not “fight the fire.”

What Typical Safety Training Emphasizes

Workplace training scenarios almost identical to your question usually present multiple choices like: “Flee to safety,” “Pick up the trash bin and move it outside,” “Do nothing,” or “Fight the fire.” In those scenarios, safety guidance consistently selects “Flee to safety” as the correct response for an ordinary worker.

This reflects a modern, risk‑aware approach: fires can be unpredictable, and the cost of underestimating them is very high compared with the small benefit of trying to “save” a trash bin or put out a fire without proper training.

Mini Story Illustration

Imagine you are sorting papers at work when you suddenly notice smoke and small flames licking out of the plastic trash bin beside a desk. You do not know whether someone tossed in a battery, aerosol can, or solvent‑soaked rag. Instead of trying to drag the bin outside, you quickly step back, shout a warning to coworkers, and pull the fire alarm. Everyone begins moving calmly toward the exit, and trained responders arrive with the right extinguishers and protective gear to handle what could have been a dangerous hidden hazard.

Key Takeaway

  • The safest and commonly taught answer for “a fire starts in a small trash bin; a nearby worker notices the fire” is: Flee to safety and alert others/emergency services, rather than moving the bin, ignoring the fire, or personally fighting it without training.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.