Fire safety is not something that should be taken lightly. A fire can break out at any time and codes are in place to ensure that everyone in your building is as safe as possible at all times. At Fire Inspections Consultant Services, we can come to your facility and perform a thorough walkthrough to ensure that you’re up to date with fire code compliance by walking you through our checklist. Below you’ll see some items that are important to have in place for safety.

Clear pathways

Even if a small fire starts in your building, most people are going to have their eyes on the exit rather than navigating their way through a maze of mess and clutter on the floor. Main pathways should be clear at all times to ensure that everyone in the building can easily and efficiently make their way to an emergency exit. This includes not piling up boxes or other debris in front of an emergency exit door.

Emergency exit lighting

An emergency exit should be well-lit so that it can be seen from anywhere in the building. This means that the exit sign can be seen through smoke or sprinkler water. This doesn’t mean that the sign needs to be readable, but the lighting should be recognizable. This will help those looking find their way safely to the exit door.

Functioning fire extinguishers

Fire extinguishers are an excellent first line of defense against a budding fire. It’s important to remember that they can still lose pressure despite some not having a specific expiration date on them, which will render them useless. Check the pressure gauge to verify that the fire extinguisher is properly pressurized.

Fire Sprinklers and water supply

Even if you have working fire extinguishers in your building, fire sprinklers are another effective method to slow the spread of a fire or even extinguish it entirely. However, it’s important to remember that your sprinkler system needs to have a water supply that is both reliable and responsive.

Fire alarm panel

Fire alarms are a necessary safety measure that needs to be taken in every building. This is designed to alert everyone in the facility that there’s a fire somewhere. In addition to alerting those in the building, your fire alarms should be connected to a panel that will automatically call the fire department for you. Verify that your fire alarm panel is functioning properly so it does its job in the event of an emergency.

Maximum occupancy limitation signage

Any room can only handle so many people before it gets overcrowded, which can be a safety hazard should there be an emergency. Figuring maximum occupancy is done by calculating the area of a room then dividing that number by 36. For example, if you have a room that’s 25 feet long by 50 feet wide, the area is 1,250 square feet. Divide 1,250 by 36 is 34.7, so the maximum occupancy for the room would be 34 as it’s best to round that number down. This number can also decrease as tables, chairs, or other obstructions are placed in the room. Signage indicating the maximum occupancy ensures that rooms aren’t overcrowded.

Schedule an appointment for a consultation

Get more expert advice from our team at Fire Inspections Consultant Services. We can help you make sure your building is current with fire code compliance so your employees and customers are safe. Contact us by phone or send a message and we’ll schedule an appointment to come see you. If there are any areas where you’re lacking, we can help you get the equipment that you need.