Fire protection takes many forms and includes a wide range of educational, preventive, mitigation and investigation aspects, all of which are meant to reduce the risk and potential threat of fires. Depending on the type of work and number of people that operate within a facility, the threat can vary greatly. Regardless of that however, one thing is for certain – the damage of destructive fires can be great. A fire can grow, engulf an entire property in seconds and destroy valuable habitats, not to mention endanger multiple lives. This is why prevention and safety should be of big importance for everyone.

Fire protection has few elements, all of which form an important system that can help prevent fires and eliminate threats which can potentially cause a fire.

Proper education and awareness is one of these elements. Residents and workers should be familiar with building and fire codes. This means that they must know of the threat of fires and must not increase the chance of fire in their activity. Basic knowledge of what to do in case of a fire accident should be taught at young age. Proper codes must be developed for facilities that have increased risk, such as those operating with chemicals, gas or other flammable materials, as they are prone to more threats. Ensuring a professional cleaning and special handling of such materials is often times required.
Passive fire protection includes the usage of proper building materials, such as fire-resistant walls, doors, floors and practically any part of a building and facility. There is a wide range of standards that must be followed, to ensure this element is in place. To accomplish the containment of a fire in its place of origin, many types of materials are used. Any cleaning company must be cautious to take these materials and their special requirements in mind.

Active fire protection includes the usage of systems and items that can be used to prevent and extinguish a fire. These include a wide range of detection and suppression systems, which are either manual or automatic. Manual systems incorporate fire extinguishers located in key places, as well as standpipe systems, which a person can use in case of fire. Automatic systems usually feature a sprinkler component, installed at ceiling level, which uses a reliable source to release water when extreme heat and smoke is detected. Some innovative models feature other forms of fire suppression that do not include water. Detection components, such as smoke and heat detectors, are used to locate a fire source, sound an alarm for evacuation and remove a threat before it develops. Such systems must be regularly maintained and cleaned to ensure they don’t fail or malfunction.
Fire protection is an important aspect of the safety codes of every business and building. There are strict regulations and standards that must be met in order to guarantee the safety of the property and all people inside.