Six Fire Safety Tips for Commercial Buildings
As a commercial building owner, the safety of your tenant is on your hands, at least that is how the law in most states dictate. Besides, a fire breakout can be devastating. It is always better to be precautious now than to regret it later. And here, you will learn how to make your property much safer from fires.
1. Educate Your Employees About Workplace Fire Safety
Everyone in the building must know how to react when there is a fire. For your employees, you can conduct fire evacuation drills once in a while. And for visitors, make sure that evacuation plans are placed in visible places, and they are easy enough to understand.
2. Get High-Quality Automatic Sprinkler Systems and Fire Extinguishers
Fire protection technology is always updated. And as a responsible owner, you’d better check if your building is equipped with the latest fire alarm sensors and extinguisher systems. Always use professional services to install your fire protection system, and don’t forget to educate the building maintenance staff on how to use that system.
3. Enforce No Smoking Policies
Offices rarely have flammable equipment, yet there are cases of fires anyway. And among all possible causes, smoking is the one that you should take seriously. According the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association), 1,000 deaths and 3,000 injuries happen annually because of cigarette fires. Put noticeable no-smoking signs in your property and impose strict penalties to the violators.
4. Inspect Your Storage Routinely
Fire breakouts happen mostly in the least likely area, the storage room. You’d better not to leave the storage unsupervised for a long time. Have some guards to patrol in the premise and also maintain the fire alarm system there.
5. Maintain Smoke Alarms and Detectors
Fire alarms need maintenance, especially the smoke detectors and sensors. Don’t hesitate to call professional technicians to inspect your fire alarm system. And do this at least once a year. If any parts need replacement, do as the pros tell you.
6. Know When to Hire a Fire Watch Service
No matter how technologically advanced your fire alarm and extinguisher system is, there are always chances for them to be faulty. In that case, your last precautionary step will be to hire a fire watch service, like San Jose Fire Watch Services, for instance. Their personnel is 24/7 ready to dispatch and assist you in case of fire.
Although fire watch guards do not put the fire out themselves, they are very effective in taking precautionary actions. By having them patrolling in your commercial property, you’ll reduce the chances of any combustion to turn into fire breakouts.
