Did you know October is National Fire Prevention month? What are some things businesses can do to stay fire free?
Maintain Fire Alarm Systems
First, it’s important to maintain fire prevention systems. Make sure your smoke alarms are working– test them! Does the alarm sound? If you don’t have a sprinkler system, think about installing one. They can truly protect a building from fire damage.
Next, it’s always good to check for fire extinguishers– are they in usable condition and readily available if needed? Sometimes they become an after-thought, but it’s important during National Fire Prevention month to pay some attention to the extinguishers you have on hand– and if you don’t have any, get some. Furthermore, it’s a good idea to have some training time on how and when to use extinguishers so multiple people in an office/building know how to handle them if needed.
Locate the Hazards
Look around for overloaded extension cords and plugs. You don’t want to overload and overheat a circuit. Also check for loose electrical connections. If you’ve got cords or wires running under rugs, that’s not a good thing. Take the time to look for any fire hazards you might have in the building and make corrections.
How about cleanliness? Well, the more clean your office/business, the better. If there was a fire, you don’t want people tripping over things or blocked in because stuff isn’t put away properly. Make sure emergency exits aren’t blocked. Get rid of flammable materials.
Don’t Forget the Evacuation Plan
Finally, do you have a fire evacuation plan and do all the folks who regularly use the building know about it? Fire drills are a good idea– they’re not just for school kids. There should be an assigned safety officer in the building who can lead people if and when a fire breaks out. Furthermore, people need to know what to do in case of a fire– where should they go? Where should they meet up outside?
Ideally, your business won’t experience a fire. But, just in case it does, it’s good to be prepared.
If you’re looking for reliable replacement parts for your commercial fire alarm system, the experts at Life Safety Consultants are here to help.
