Fire outbreaks can be terrifying. The amount of damage, both physical and emotional, caused by fires every year is staggering.
According to research conducted by the National Fire Protection agency, fire departments responded to an estimated 1.24 million fires in 2013. And these instances were not isolated to simple home and residential fires. In 2013, there were 118,000 non-home structure fires reported.
There are several, simple ways to protect your businesses, your employees and yourself against workplace fires. The first step is to contact a commercial fire protection services company.
A professional fire protection company can help educate you on types of fire protection services available. They can also help you devise a fire safety plan and determine what forms of fire protection services would work best for your business. Keeping employees and the business safe should be a top priority of every business owner, something that is easily preventable, like a fire, shouldn’t be allowed to destroy a business.
Take a look at the following four helpful fire safety methods. One, or a combination of these, could provide the perfect method to help prevent and extinguish any fire concerns you may have.
Fire Extinguishers
Sometimes the most effective method is the simplest method. Fire extinguishers are small, but their impact is great. Every business, whether it be a small, independent book store or an international financial company, should be outfitted with proper fire extinguishers. A study conducted by the National Federation of Fire Equipment Distributors showed that of 13,221 reported fire incidents, portable fire extinguishers succeeded in putting out 12,505 (95%) of the fires. Fire extinguishers offer a fast, simple way to effectively put out, or at least help stop the spread of fires until other help arrives. Fire Alarms
Being quickly informed of a fire can make all the difference between safely escaping or becoming injured (perhaps fatally) from a fire. Fire alarms provide the opportunity to implement fire safety protocols and safely remove themselves from dangerous ares. It is important to regularly test the fire alarms in your business. Under the professional guidance of your local fire department, make sure, all smoke detectors and fire alarm equipment are in proper working order. Fire Sprinklers
Many businesses and organizations overlook the importance of fire sprinkler systems. Research shows that only 36% of educational properties, 24% of stores and offices, 23% of public assembly locations and 6% of homes where fire deaths occurred actually had a sprinkler system. Sprinkler systems are an excellent method to fight against fires. The localized distribution of water may be enough to extinguish fires on its own. Or, at the very least, sprinklers assist in preventing the spread of fire until the fire department can arrive. Fire Suppression Systems
Fire suppression systems are especially helpful in industrial settings, or other locations that contain large pieces of equipment. These systems use dry chemicals, wet agents, or a combination to put out fires affecting equipment. Suppression systems are highly effective at putting out fires. For example in locations with large ovens, research shows non-chemical suppression systems are successful 96% of the time. Be proactive. Contact a fire protection services company today and develop a plan that ensures your business is properly protected against fires.