Business owners and managers have numerous responsibilities on their shoulders, from increasing sales and profits to retaining talented employees and handling legal issues. However, while handling all these tasks, ensuring a business premises’ safety and employees often get ignored. Neglecting the proper safety measures leads to fire occurrences, which cause loss of property and life.
One of the most important responsibilities of business owners and managers, as such, is keeping the people and property safe—not only from intruders but also from commercial fires. Various causes of fire hazards can be prevented before tragedy strikes. Whether you run a restaurant, manage a manufacturing plant, or an office, fire prevention should be an ever-present concern. To protect your commercial building and people from fire hazards, it is necessary to eliminate known hazards.
Reportedly, structural fires cause the loss of millions of dollars in the form of damaging commercial properties, equipment, and inventory, in addition to the loss of life. Despite strict building codes imposed by the law to protect buildings, property owners must enhance their existing fire protection plan by adopting sophisticated fire prevention systems. The first step in doing this is identifying the common fire hazard that encourages a fire to start and increases. By controlling these elements, potential fire incidents can be controlled. Here are a few tips to help you prevent the worst from happening:
1. Identify threats
The common causes are fire hazards include- poor housekeeping and improper storage of hazardous items such as flammable and combustible liquids, chemicals, clouds of dust, and combustible metals. It is vital to identify such elements and make proper arrangements for them. Also, to prevent electrical fires, replace or repair heating, lighting, or power equipment, corroded, stripped, or loose wiring. Ensure combustible material is never stored near electrical distribution systems and store all ignitable materials in cool places.
2. Schedule Inspections
To get the best protection against potential hazards inside building a structure, get a fire inspection done. This becomes even more necessary if you’re working in an older building that may need modern wiring. A professional will also conduct infrared thermal imaging to identify “hot spots” in your wiring. If your commercial building has suffered a fire, call an arson and fire investigator to determine the fire’s origin and cause to prevent such future incidents.
3. Develop an appropriate fire plan
An adequate fire protection plan for the structures on a commercial property helps prevent fire accidents and minimize the risk during a fire outbreak. Most of the big and responsible businesses develop a fire safety plan. However, it is important to timely review and upgrades the fire prevention and emergency plan.
The emergency plan for first responders involves appointing a safety officer, planning escape routes, and defining the evacuation process. It should also consider how to address the damage afterward and dealing with an insurance claim. In addition to this, the fire prevention plan includes installing fire alarms and a commercial fire sprinkler system in the commercial building. The fire alarms must be checked from time to time for dead batteries. Training employees on the safe handling of risky workplace equipment should also be a part of the plan.
