If you are an employee or a business owner, you should take security seriously while you are at work. Knowing fire safety and fire protection measures can help out protect a business and its employees from a fire that may have dangerous costs.

Good Fire Protection Practices for Your Business

Create an Evacuation Plan

Develop a plan on how to evacuate the building during a fire. Ensure each employee is well-informed on evacuation routes. You have to post the evacuation plan around your building in visible locations. Have rehearsal fire drills to ensure that each one in your business is ready if a fire takes place.

Have Fire Extinguishers

Setting up fire extinguishers at your place of business – whether it’s a school, apartment building, retail store, etc – can help put out small fires from becoming large overwhelming fires. Train workers on how to use extinguishers and confirm they know every extinguisher locations. Check fire extinguishers stay in suitable condition by having them inspected following the fire code.

Install Fire Protection Systems

Depending on your nature of the business, you may need to choose and install fire protection systems. A fire suppression system or fire sprinklers should be mounted in your building to look after against the variety of hazards your business might have. Set up routine inspections and service for your fire protection systems to be always ready for use if a fire breaks out.

Teach Fire Safety

Creating a company guideline for fire safety can go a long way in preventing fires. Instruct the workforce about using electrical tools or other equipment that can be a fire hazard. Ensure appliances and cords are unplugged when not in use and used correctly. Have elected smoking areas and ensure cigarette butts are correctly disposed of.

4 Significant Examples of Fire Protection Equipment You Need for Your Business

One of the tasks of operating and owning a business is to guarantee your employees work in a secure environment. That means maintaining and selecting the right kind of fire protection device. Together with knowing what type of fire alarm and fire extinguisher to choose, there are other equipment options you should think about carefully. Here are four examples to consider.

Fire Extinguishers

While you may know what kind of fire extinguisher is perfect for your place of business, do you know how many you have to provide sufficient protection? One general rule of thumb is to have a minimum of two extinguishers advantageously placed on each floor of the building. Depending on the number of workers on each floor and the number of exits, more extinguishers would be an excellent idea. A professional can calculate the layout and the number of workers to come up with an accurate number. That same professional can aid you in optimizing the position of each extinguisher.

Safety Guards

The function of safety guards focuses on keeping unauthorized personnel from reaching areas where they could make a fire hazard. Guards are also valuable to avoid accidents if the buildings need to be evacuated due to a fire. There are barriers intentionally created to block outline escape routes, access to corners, and delineate areas that should steer clear of at all costs. A professional can assist you in deciding the right guards for your building layout and business type.

Signs and Emergency Exit Lighting

Signs that can be obviously seen even if smoke is filling the space aid employees go to the nearby exits. Combine them with a battery back-up emergency exit lighting. Place those lights over the doorways properly. The safety guards, the exit lighting, and the signage, all of your employees have an improved chance of getting out of the building with no injuries.

Fire Sprinkler Systems

While you do desire to pay focus to fire extinguisher placement and selection, never see those extinguishers as substitutes for an efficient fire sprinkler system. The correct system detects heat and smoke. Once the detection is established, the system triggers the sprinkler heads to discharge water or some fire retarding chemical to bring the blaze restrained. The best systems consist of manual overrides that you can use if the automatic controls are unsuccessful for any possible reason.

Slowing down the fire’s progress is critical, and that’s where the correct type of sprinkler system makes a vital impact. When properly maintained and installed, the system offers more time for workers to reach the extinguishers and maintain a clear path to the nearby exits.

There are other types of fire protection equipment that should be part of your security planning. Work with a professional to come up with an inclusive plan that works well for your type of business operation. All it takes is one fire to understand how much of a difference the right choices make for your employees, your business, and for you.