Do you know the escape time you have when a fire occurs is only two minutes or less? Whether it is your business that you’re worried about, or your home, there is no doubt that fires can be catastrophic. Besides the loss of property, these tiny accidents can even lead to something as big as loss of life. At the end of the day, nothing matters more than safety, whether it is your family or your employees. And life is too big of a cost to pay for it.
In order to avoid any bigger consequences, it is always better to ensure that a safety system is installed in your home or workplace. An early warning from a functional fire alarm added with a fire escape plan can help keep you and your loved ones safe.
There is more than just one way to prevent fires in your homes and businesses. Let’s take a look at the most primitive yet detailed ways to ensure safety at your home and workplace.
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Keeping The Electrical System In Check
Electric issues reign higher than any other reason why a fire occurs at your home or workplace. Most of us use our electric goods, forgetting to switch them off when we are done. Always double-check to see if you have left any gadget powered on. For example, straightening iron or curlers must never be left on when leaving the house.
The most common electrical violation is using extension cords as permanent wiring. Most of the time, they are also extended through ceilings, walls, and even under the rugs. These extension cords cause more accidents than one can gauge. Leaving them out can result in frayed and wearing, ergo, starting a fire. A smart decision is to use these cords only on a temporary basis. Make sure to pull them out of the primary socket after it is no longer needed.
Getting dedicated sockets with a cover is one of the best ways to prevent accidents that turn into a fire.
Maintaining Proper Equipment
Your homes and workplaces should always have fire extinguishers. However, that alone is not enough to help you fight back should one start. It is wise to consider fire suppression systems. Do your homework and research. Look through the most functional fire suppression systems. Or better yet, get in touch with a fire alarm service platform. They will help you install essential fire suppression systems for your home or your workplace, as per your need. These devices are placed in various places around your space that are most vulnerable to fire. What you should be looking out for is to install machinery that can handle overheating, most importantly, such as flammable materials and cooking equipment. These devices will trigger automatically if a significant temperature change is felt.
Also, obtain a fire alarm test certificate for all your installations.
Installing Smoke Detectors
A stitch in time saves nine. But we tend to ignore any precaution and wait for the disaster to hit us. If your ultimate goal is to keep yourself and people that coexist with you safe, installing fire detectors at your home and (or) business is crucial. Consider installing smoke detectors, fire alarms, or sprinklers in your dedicated space. Sensor technology devices let the smoke detectors monitor for heat or smoke, and even both. Allocation of the smoke detectors should be on the ceiling or a wall that is only four inches away from the ceiling.
Ensuring The Equipment Is Up To Date
Like everything else, your safety equipment, too, has a life that tends to run out. Educate yourself on the expiration dates of various tools. For example, a fire extinguisher only has a shelf life between five to fifteen years, while smoke detectors last up to eight years only. Accidents do not come announced. Hence, it is always important to be prepared. Always keep your safety equipment in check and consider replacing them regularly.
Having An Evacuation Plan
Regardless of the place you want to keep secure, whether it is your home or your office, having a strategic evacuation plan is vital. Hire fire alarm services that will help restore safety in your space. Go through the plan with the professional and ask questions that you find necessary. Also, it is important that the plan is communicated to every member that works or lives in that space. The plan should entail exits to use, more than one, and the number of steps every person might have to take considering visibility issues. Every member must also be told never to ignore the alarm ringing and strictly follow the plan as told. Don’t forget to focus on the post evacuation drills as well.
Wrapping Up
Keeping your employee staff or family member is a big responsibility. Here are some additional tips for you to ensure the processes run smoothly;
- Ensure all equipment and machines are well-maintained.
- Store flammable materials away from ignition sources.
- Remove any combustible materials from furnaces or heaters.
- Keep an eye out for appliance cords. Replace all broken connectors and fix cracked insulation.
- Don’t use more than one extension cord per power outlet.
- Keep the room airy to prevent overheating
- Make sure you obtain the fire alarm test certificate for your installations
Good luck!
