One of the most reasonable precautions you can take to control your fire risk is to install a fire alarm. If your company facility does not currently have a fire alarm, consider installing one as soon as possible. Then, don’t overlook the value of continuing inspections and tests.
Many people believe that fire alarms are unnecessary, however, establishing a fire alarm system is one of the most essential fire safety precautions to consider. In the event of a fire or an emergency, the alarms notify everyone who is awake, working, or sleeping. They provide an early warning before the fire gets out of control. The early notice allows residents to respond quickly and escape harm. With a fire alarm system, you can reduce the chance of harm and loss.
Reasons to Install a Fire Alarm
- Fire alarms save lives: The most important reason to install a fire alarm is to keep your employees, customers, and renters safe. A mixture of smoke and heat detectors, sirens and bells, and strobe lights detect fires and inform building residents, providing them enough time to safely leave.
- Fire alarms prevent property damage: while strobe lights and sirens can not actively put out flames, they do notify those who can. When qualified individuals use an extinguisher to suppress a small fire, witnesses, visitors, or workers call the fire department. Fire alarm systems that are monitored immediately inform emergency personnel and fire vehicles dispatched to your area. The faster these measures take place, the sooner the fire is put out and the less damage your structure takes.
- Fire alarms save recovery time: less building damage implies less downtime before you can return to business. This reduces your fire losses even more, allowing you to resume normal operations as soon as possible.
- You may be eligible for insurance reductions if you have a fire alarm: If you have a code-compliant fire alarm system, most insurance companies will provide you with a reduction on your business insurance policy prices. In fact, some companies will not insure your business unless you install a fire alarm.
- Fire alarms keep you code-compliant: Avoid being caught up in code-compliance difficulties if you want to avoid costs and embarrassing PR concerns. Installing a fire alarm in your commercial building is one way to do this.
Don’t Forget Fire Alarm Inspections and Testing!
The installation of a fire alarm is the first step in safeguarding life and property in the event of a fire, but don’t overlook the necessity of continuous fire alarm inspections and testing. The National Fire Alarm Code demands simple visual checks on a weekly and quarterly basis, more extensive semi-annual testing, and professional yearly inspections by a licenced fire prevention business. Here’s what may happen if you ignore these crucial maintenance steps:
- Most fire alarms advise emergency personnel about the location of the fire. An uncovered flaw in this information distribution procedure might cause firefighting operations to be hampered.
- False alarms can disrupt your everyday operations and cause fire engines to be dispatched to your site, perhaps resulting in fines for repeat offences.
- In the event of a fire, the alarm may not sound correctly, putting people’s lives at danger.
- Failure to comply with fire safety rules may result in a fine.
- Your insurance company may deny your claim if you do not provide documentation of yearly fire alarm inspections.
- If you ignore your fire alarm system, your culpability for potential injury or loss of life skyrockets.
Conclusion
If the building has a code-compliant fire alarm system, most insurance companies will give a reduction on business insurance policy prices. Noncompliance with fire safety laws and regulations may also result in penalties and fines.
However, installing fire alarm systems is not sufficient. Fire alarm systems, like other types of fire prevention equipment, require periodic inspection and testing to guarantee proper operation in the case of a fire. A system breakdown might cause inhabitants and emergency responders to react slowly. Without adequate testing and inspection, the alarm may either disrupt operations due to a false alert or fail to activate. In a nutshell, defective fire alarms can endanger people’s lives.