Keeping your business’s equipment in good working order is vital. Consequently, you need to ensure that your business’s physical location is up to code with regular fire safety inspections. These inspections guarantee that safety elements like your sprinkler systems, smoke alarms, fire doors, fire alarms, and more all perform as they should. Read on to learn what else you can do to keep your business safe and how to ace those fire safety inspections:
How Frequent And Costly Are Office Fires?
First, it's helpful to understand the scope of the problem at hand. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), firefighters respond to an average of 3,340 fires involving office properties yearly. These fires caused an average of $112 million annually in direct property damage. These numbers showcase the risk that exists for fires and its damaging effects, which can wipe a business out due to the loss of property and damage. Therefore, maintaining a safe work environment and reducing your risk of fire is a good idea. Speaking of which, here’s what to have on hand for your next fire safety inspection…
What to Have in Place For Your Fire Safety Inspections
Many businesses can expect a visit from a fire marshal at least once a year. Public businesses with lots of customers coming and going might experience them more frequently. The following are aspects to be aware of for your upcoming fire safety inspection:
- Building Functionality Requirements: This involves what doors should remain unlocked at all times and what safety systems should be installed. It also involves storing certain materials in specific locations and abiding by the fire code.
- Fire Extinguishers: All commercial businesses are required to have a certain number of working fire extinguishers for combating fires. Make sure you have the right amount before your safety inspection.
- Gather Paperwork: It’s also a good idea to make copies of all previous inspection reports and have them on hand.
Fire Safety Tips for Your Workplace
Aside from earning passing marks on your fire safety inspection, as a business owner you most want to create a safe environment for your employees and customers. Therefore, keep the following fire safety tips in mind to ensure you are doing just that:
- Have an Evacuation Plan in Place: Create an evacuation plan for your business that will allow customers and employees to safely exit the building during a fire. This is called your emergency evacuation plan or EAP.
- Maintain Fire Safety Equipment: Ensure that your sprinklers are working properly and have been maintained and inspected as well as ensuring that your smoke alarms and fire extinguishers are in good working order.
- Conduct Routine Fire Drills: Make sure your employees know your EAP, such as how to exit the building and where to go once reaching safety. The best way to ensure all your employees have learned this life-saving information is to regularly run drills so that it's second nature how they exit the building should something happen, and they need to leave in a hurry.
- Post Clear Exit and Escape Routes: Make sure that all exit and escape routes are clearly posted. Even if you have regular drills, you can’t know that everyone present when an emergency occurs will know the plan. Also, it can be helpful even for employees who have practiced as panic can set in during a real emergency that isn’t present during a drill. Having all escape routes and exits cleared identified is a good idea.
Why a Commercial Fire Policy is Your Best Protection
Your best protection for your business in addition to maintaining good fire safety practices is to cover your business with a commercial fire policy. This will ensure that you are protected should you lose your business or the property inside a business to a fire.
Protect Your Business Against Fire Perils
Contact our team of professionals at Arnold Insurance to learn more and to find the right solution and policy for your business.
