Preparing for a Fire Safety Inspection

Every 63 seconds, an accidental fire starts. Even minor fires can cause major inconvenience, as well as health issues, company downtime and other problems. They cause millions of dollars in property damage. When you own a business or other public building, an annual fire safety inspection is an important part of your yearly operations. Understanding what you need to do to pass, and how the fire inspections work, can take a lot of the guesswork away.

Here’s how to prepare for your next fire safety inspection:

  • Know your local fire codes: Every state and county—and sometimes even cities—have different fire code requirements. Some may be more restrictive than others. When you own a business or public building, it’s incumbent upon you to know and comply with the fire codes. You can access them online through state or county websites. Alternatively, you might consider visiting with your local fire department or a fire prevention company to learn more about what fire codes require.
  • Know how often your inspections need to occur: While most businesses only require an annual fire safety inspection, some types of businesses require frequent inspections. Bars, restaurants, hospitals, theaters and nightclubs are all “public assembly” spots, and need to be inspected more often. If you’ve just opened for business, make sure you know exactly what’s required of you, and when.
  • Get friendly with your local fire and emergency response teams: One of the best ways to keep your employees, your patrons and yourself safe during a fire is to make friends with your fire department and emergency response team. Did you know that you can share your building’s floor plans with them? In case of an emergency, they’ll be prepared to issue a comprehensive response. It could save lives, and prevent further damage to your building. Take the time to ask them what else you can do to make their jobs easier, in the event of an emergency.
  • Post up-to-date egress plans in the building: You might have great fire safety tools, but if your patrons and employees don’t know how to get out of the building, that might all be for naught. Make sure your egress plans are completely up to date, then post them on every floor and near every major entrance and exit. You should also post them near stairwells.
  • Use free resources from fire safety organizations: Finally, make sure you take tips from your favorite fire safety organizations. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the International Code Council (ICC) all offer free resources for property owners and managers. Take advantage of these tips to help prepare for your next fire inspection—which you should pass with flying colors.

Keeping your building and its inhabitants safe in the event of an emergency is important. Make sure you keep your building up to code. Need help determining the best fire safety equipment and protocol? Get in touch with the team at AAA Fire Protection Resources, Inc. to get started today.

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