Tag Archives: sprinkler systems

General Safety Issues

FIRE SAFETY – FIVE THINGS YOUR OFFICE SHOULDN’T BE WITHOUT (GUEST POST)

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Fire escape routes

Every workplace needs to have a clear and safe fire escape route. A diagram of the office should be drawn up, highlighting the locations of fire escapes as well as the best escape routes. Note that elevators shouldn’t be a part of your emergency escape plans. A meeting zone outside the building should be designated where everyone can assemble. Managers should be assigned to perform headcounts in this meeting zone. Finally, don’t forget to carry out regular fire drills so your employees become familiar with the evacuation routes and procedure. 

Sprinkler Systems

Automatic sprinklers are highly effective at eliminating fires in large office spaces. They are triggered by extreme heat and so are quick at detecting fires, ensuring that staff can evacuate safely. Sprinkler systems can also activate a remote alarm which notifies the local fire services. As well as being highly reliable (with an estimated success rate of over 95%), sprinklers also have the benefit of being relatively cheap to maintain. Sprinklers should not be overlooked! 

Fire Extinguishers

If a fire develops in the workplace, generally the best course of action would be to evacuate the building and let the emergency services deal with it. However, if only a small fire breaks out you should be able to eliminate it with an extinguisher. Ensure that the extinguishers are within easy reach and that different ones are available for different types of fire. Offices tend to be packed with electrical equipment such as computers and monitors – if these catch fire your best option is a CO2 extinguisher. For fires involving solid materials such as fabric, wood or paper, use a water fire extinguisher. Foam extinguishers can protect against material fires as well as fires involving flammable liquids. 

Fire Blankets

Fire blankets are often overlooked in the home, but in offices they are essential due to their many uses. They are best kept in workplace kitchens to combat small fires that may break out, and can sometimes save you from having to use an extinguisher. In the event of someone catching fire, you can wrap the blanket around them and get them to roll on the floor to extinguish the flames. Fire blankets can also be used as a protective shield during an escape where flames are in the way. 

Exit signs

The importance of a simple fire exit sign should not be underestimated. Office staff may be familiar with the workplace layout, but during a fire it can be easy to forget due to panic, especially in large multi-storey office buildings. The arrows on fire exit signs show the quickest way to safety and could prevent your employees from being trapped inside the building. If your office does not have emergency lighting installed, luminescent exit signs should be used. Remember, it is also mandatory to have signs placed on top of fire exit doors. 

This blog post was written by Hassan Ali who works for Ardent, a UK based company who are specialists in fire suppression systems.

 

 

 

 

 

General Safety Issues

WAREHOUSE SAFETY & FIRE PROTECTION (Guest Post)

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Understanding and applying proper warehouse fire protection and safety procedures means having the right amount of protection for workers and company assets, as well as providing safety training regularly. Too little protection can mean a catastrophic loss of property or goods and putting employees in danger. Going too far, however, could create an aura of fear and hinder employees’ job performance. 

How do I know what I need? 

Become familiar with the local fire codes and then hire a professional who can audit your facility and tell you what you need to add or replace. This task cannot be done with just a little research. Codes can seem vague or use draconian language, making it difficult for you to casually read. Find a specialist with a background in your industry so they can make recommendations based on the codes that apply to you.

What kinds of requirements do I have to follow?

Specific requirements are spelled out in your local codes. There are a few requirements for any warehouse: 

  • Warehouses of all sizes must have an automated sprinkler system.
  • There is a minimum space required between storage (e.g., pallets) and sprinklers.
  • Aisles that result in a dead end at a wall have a maximum length.
  • For material stored in unconfined piles, there must be an aisle every few feet.
  • Restrictions about smoking, including designated locations and signage.
  • Propane fuel tanks and aerosol containers must meet specific requirements.
  • Plastics have many storage and packaging requirements.
  • Anything that falls into the hazardous material category (e.g., gasses, explosives, flammable liquids) have substantial storage and fire protection requirements. 

What is the purpose of fire codes and requirements?

Fire codes have evolved over time and are designed to help businesses prevent fires and, in the event of a fire, contain it until it can be safely extinguished. These rules minimize property losses and prevent injuries. The better the prevention, the better the chance of minimizing any fire damage. 

How do I protect workers? 

Fire inspectors look for hazardous situations that affect the workers as much as the merchandise. Some things an inspector looks for during a fire inspection include: 

  • Aisles and doors that are blocked, preventing people from escaping
  • Sprinkler systems that do not work
  • Missing or inoperative fire extinguishers
  • Emergency lights or signs that are missing or not working
  • Overloaded or otherwise unsafe electrical wiring or extension cords

When properly addressed, precautionary measures can prevent injury and fatalities in the event of a fire.

An organized approach to fire protection and prevention

A good model for maintaining a high level of protection in the warehouse is to adopt the 5S approach: 

  • Sort – Sort through everything. Keep only what is needed and get rid of the rest.
  • Set – Set up an appropriate place for everything and keep it there.
  • Shine – Do proper maintenance and cleaning in the warehouse and on equipment.
  • Standardize – Create standard procedures and educate workers about their use.
  • Sustain – Evaluate each of the above steps and make changes to improve the process. 

Don’t just follow the rules 

Passing fire inspections and keeping your facilities up to code will not completely erase the potential for a fire. Don’t assume that your warehouse and your workers are safe; instead, be proactive. Schedule regular drills and inspections and keep track of all safety measures, making sure to replace safety hardware when it’s nearing the end of its useful life. Remain dedicated to fire safety to prevent your company from becoming another statistic. 

Jessica is a freelance blogger and an admin for Instructions Optional. Her interest for construction and large scale projects has stemmed from DIY and home improvement projects as well as working for a commercial water damage restoration company. She enjoys learning about worksite safety and keeping up with the industry on Twitter (@jessstark9).

General Safety Issues, Home Safety Products

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FIRE ALARMS AND SMOKE ALARMS? (GUEST POST)

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Alarms are the first line of defence in the event of a fire. They act as an early warning sign giving you the chance to evacuate premises and escape any fire-related danger.  Everyone wants to protect their homes and by law, any facility used for a commercial purpose must protect those that work inside it, but there is often some confusion as to the difference between a fire alarm and a smoke alarm.

Well, the clue really is in the title. One detects smoke, and the other detects fire. But as the saying goes, there is no smoke without fire, so both are equally important. In fact, more people will suffer from inhalation of smoke than they will from fire burns. Here’s why the two are so different and where they are best suited:

Smoke alarms

What are they?

Smoke alarms are devices that are able to detect smoke or fire, giving an audible alarm as a result. They are fantastic at detecting a fire in its early stages, allowing you adequate warning to evacuate before inhaling any harmful gases.  Smoke inhalation is the primary cause of fatality when it comes to fire-related deaths. In fact, in the majority of cases, the victims are asleep when the smoke enters their lungs, cementing the absolute requirement for smoke alarms.

What are the benefits?

Because they are simple yet effective, they are ideal for domestic use. Ideally, one should be placed on each level of the home, and in particular where you can hear it from the bedroom. It is advisable not to place them in areas that may cause frequent activation such as the kitchen or bathroom.

Many of these can be combined with carbon monoxide detectors. Carbon Monoxide is an odourless, tasteless and invisible gas, meaning you can be killed by it before you even know it existed. Combined smoke alarms can protect from this as well as smoke particles. 

Smoke detectors are the most basic device available on the market and are cheap additions to a building considering their vital role. They are best suited for homes, where people can exit the property quickly and easily. 

Fire alarms

What are they?

A fire alarm detects the presence of fire by monitoring the changes in environment associated with combustion. This can include the detection of smoke which is why they are commonly confused with smoke alarms.

In commercial environments, where fire alarms are best suited, if you employ more than five people, you need to have a written record of your fire assessment by law. This will affect how many fire alarms are required and what fire precautions should be made in order to protect the facility and its staff.

What are the benefits? 

Fire alarms can be linked with other systems making for an efficient and safer system. For example, when a fire alarm is triggered, sprinkler systems can be activated, or the local fire station can be alerted.

For this reason, and for their ability to be more complex, fire alarms are generally not used in domestic environments.   

When you consider how much damage could be prevented, and how many lives are saved a year from their simple installation, their cost is minimal in comparison. 

Author Bio: 

Karen Asbury is Firemart’s Fire Safety Expert. Firemart are an online fire safety equipment retailer in the UK.

 We appreciate this informative article regarding the importance of  fire alarms  in large buildings, hospitals, nursing homes, hotels, schools, theaters, and places of work where many lives are involved.  Let this also be a reminder to keep your smoke detectors working, by checking the batteries every so often. pb