Sometimes safety gets put on the back burner, but that’s not good. Commercial buildings tend to be used by a lot of different people, whether they’re office workers, delivery people, customers/visitors, etc. And no one wants a building to go up in flames and kill people. Therefore, it behooves the powers-that-be to care about fire safety in commercial buildings. And, more specifically, those in charge of the building should be familiar with some common fire safety violations best avoided, right?
Blocked Doors
What are some common fire safety violations? Well, one of the main ones is blocked doors preventing people from safely exiting a building. This happens a lot! Maybe someone leaves packages on the floor right in front of the door(s)– ugh! And, relatedly, there could be faulty emergency exit lighting that does not work when it’s needed. That’s another problem.
Malfunctioning Fire Alarm Systems and Smoke Detectors
Surprisingly, some commercial building owners or managers get lazy and rarely, if ever, test their fire alarm systems and smoke detectors. Don’t be lazy! Hire professionals to come test your systems every couple of months to ensure they’re in good working order. Have them check to see if everything looks good or not– for instance, maybe an extension cord has been used for such a long time that it’s becoming a fire hazard. Ask questions and make needed changes, and look into replacement fire alarm parts. If you have missing or damaged fire extinguishers, then it’s time to replace them.
Mismatched Sprinkler Systems
One particularly interesting fire safety “violation” could be mismatched sprinkler systems– over time, things change in buildings and codes change, etc. Maybe it’s time to update systems so they’re “up to code”. Sprinkler systems, for instance, need to be appropriate for spaces, commodities and occupancy. Sprinklers need to match a building’s current design and hazard classification.
Do you have any questions about keeping your building safe? Contact Life Safety Consultants at 1-888-557-0558.
