Did you know that there were nearly 1.3 million reported fires in the United States in 2018? These fires caused nearly 15,000 injuries and $25 billion in damages. Whether you have a small or large-sized business, understanding workplace fire safety is essential to prevent loss of lives and massive damages to your building.
But what does fire safety in the workplace entail? How can you minimize the risk of fire and stop it from spreading if it happens? You must use Intumescent Fireproofing for your buildings to make them fireproof.
This article looks at the basic tools and equipment every business owner needs to ensure fire safety in the workplace, so keep reading.
Fire Extinguishers
A fire extinguisher can make the difference between life and death. There are multiple types of fire extinguishers and they could be based on water, foam, dry powder, carbon dioxide, and so on. The most versatile type is the dry powder fire extinguisher because it’s capable of putting out fires coming from paper, wood, flammable liquids and gases, and even electrical equipment.
It’s important that at least one or two fire extinguishers are placed on each floor of your building. These should be displayed in a visible place and your personnel should be instructed on how to use one effectively. The P.A.S.S. method is the simplest way to remember how to use a fire extinguisher.
Signs and Emergency Exits
Displaying a map of the building and multiple exit signs are required by law in most commercial, residential and industrial establishments. You need to add emergency exit signs on all floors of your building so that your employees know how to leave in case a fire starts. Make sure that these fire safety signage are visible from all angles and they are well-illuminated in low-light conditions.
Fire Sprinkler System
Especially if you have a large building that stores valuable IT equipment, you might want to consider investing in an automated fire sprinkler system. This type of system can quickly detect fires in the building and start the sprinklers to put them out. The sprinkler system can put out a fire just a few minutes, preventing it from spreading and engulfing other areas of your building. Adding Multi-Level Atrium Smoke Curtains will also make the fire sprinkler system more efficient.
Smoke and Heat Detectors
If your budget is not sufficiently flexible for a sprinkler system then make sure that you add a few smoke and heat detectors at least. These detectors will ring an alarm if smoke is detected in the building. This will give your employees plenty of time to evacuate before the fire spreads. The heat detectors work in conjunction with the smoke detectors to make them more accurate at detecting fires, so use both of them at the same time if possible.
Now You Know More About Workplace Fire Safety!
Ensuring workplace fire safety it’s not only about adding a few smoke detectors and fire extinguishers here and there. It’s also about educating your personnel on how to use these devices and how to remain calm in case of emergency.
Make sure that you read the other articles on our website to learn more about employee training, how to prevent fires in your building, and how to minimize damages if they occur!
