A fire protection system works by either actively or passively controlling fire damage to property. It also protects the occupants inside it in case of a fire. Whether you’ve invested in active or passive fire protection systems, there are still other measures you can take to improve the fire safety features of your property.
Read on to learn more about what to do.
Assess the Risk
A fire risk assessment will help strengthen your protection measures. This is a list of things to expect from an assessment:
- Identify fire risks such as combustible materials and possible ignition points.
- Determine who are the people at risk during a fire. These should include people working on their own, those working with combustible materials, or those with mobility problems.
- Assess how these risks can be reduced using fire protection measures.
- Include emergency planning such as establishing access for fire services and escape routes.
Implement Fire Safety Measures
Even if you have a fire protection system in your building, it’s crucial to take steps to prevent fires from happening. These are some of the steps you can do:
- Ensure proper storage of combustible and flammable materials.
- Perform proper maintenance of the installed fire protection systems.
- Educate employees or household members on the proper use of electrical equipment.
- Keep commercial kitchen exhaust systems well-maintained.
- Use fire-safe materials in decorations or furnishings.
- Never disable smoke or carbon monoxide connectors. These devices provide an early warning of a fatal event. Explain to employees that disabling or tampering with fire detection devices is a crime that’s punishable by fines and imprisonment.
- Don’t allow smoking inside the building.
Promote Fire Safety Education
Fire prevention depends a lot on people understanding the causes and effects of fire. In this step, occupants will learn how to inspect for fire, identify and eliminate fire hazards, and use active fire protection systems like fire extinguishers. It’s important to educate your employees or household members repeatedly and ensure they practice fire prevention habits.
Plan a Fire Escape
Aside from having fire protections in place, there should also be a safe evacuation route within a building. This escape route should let building occupants leave safely and quickly.
If evacuation isn’t an option, the building design should include a fire-proof area that occupants can use during a fire. A good escape route should allow mass exit and be accessible for people with reduced mobility. The escape route should also allow firefighters to get inside the property and lead towards free roads or pathways.
Main Takeaways
Fire prevention is a must for all properties. Today, most home and building owners have installed fire protection systems in place. However, there are other steps a building owner or manager can take to ensure fire safety. These include fire risk assessment, implementing fire safety measures, promoting fire safety education, and planning a fire escape.