Fire Safety Tips in the Workplace

A workplace fire would be catastrophic for any company. As of 2017, according to government statistics, approximately 25,000 fires occur in England and Wales each year. Often, businesses don’t recover from a fire, so it’s important that the correct measurements are in place to help prevent them. Install Fire Detection Systems It a legal requirement for any business operating in the UK to install fire detection and alarm systems. Some are set off automatically and others may need to be manually operated. If the latter is the case, ensure your employees know how to use it. All alarm and detection systems…

Factory Fire Safety Checklist

In order to prevent a fire from occurring at work, particularly in larger industrial premises with more potential risks, organisation and preparation is key. In light of this, this month the team at Protect & Detect will be providing a thorough checklist for your factory, so you can identify and eliminate any dangers. Tidiness From stray materials to poorly labelled containers, failing to keep your factory in order can lead to disastrous consequences. Here are some tips to keep your premises risk free: Make sure that the premises is kept clear of combustible process waste and refuse. This will help to…

Evacuation Procedures for People With Disabilities

A hugely important part of any businesses fire strategy is ensuring their employees know exactly how to respond to a fire, after all, a speedy and organised evacuation can save lives. So, to make sure your business and employees are fully prepared for a fire, it’s vital that you have the proper evacuation procedures in place. Of course, these procedures must be able to accommodate everyone, so creating different escape strategies for the disabled is absolutely vital. In light of this, in this article the Protect & Detect team will outline some important evacuation procedures for people with disabilities. Mobility Impairment…

How To Evacuate People With Disabilities

When there’s a fire in a building, the first instinct many people have is to panic and run out of the building via the quickest route they know. However, when working with people who have physical disabilities, it’s important they are not left behind in the panic. Statistics show that many people believe that leaving a disabled person at a ‘refuge point’ (which are often in evacuation plans) is the correct thing to do, so they can wait for the fire service to collect them. This is a dangerous myth and has led to people being left in unsafe places. A…

How To Buy A Fire Alarm

Fire alarms are fundamental to guaranteeing our safety, many lives could be saved and significant damage could be prevented as a result of their installation and subsequent maintenance. Here, we’ve presented you with the different systems you can buy, along with some cost and alarm maintenance advice. Types of Fire Alarms Analogue Fire Alarms This fire alarm system is best suited to large buildings. The analogue control panels have the ability to send and receive signals to and from connected devices. In turn, health reports can be gathered and any system faults can be flagged, ensuring maximum safety. If the alarm…

A Guide to the Fire Safety Act

What is the Fire Safety Act? The Fire Safety Act (Regulatory Reform Order) 2005 states that any responsible person with a level of control over a business or commercial property must ensure that reasonable steps are made to ensure the risk of fire is reduced, and that anyone in the building is able to escape safely should a fire occur. Who Does The Fire Safety Act Apply To? The act applies to anyone with control of a commercial premises, public space or structure. This can include the employer, manager, occupier of a premises, or anyone else with a level of responsibility…

How Often Should You Carry out a Fire Risk Assessment?

Fire risk assessments are the most important safety procedure you have to carry out on your premises. An assessment ensures that your property meets all current fire safety standards. Its focus centres on the status of your fire extinguishers, the accessibility of fire exits and the location and status of your fire alarms. But how often should you carry out a fire risk assessment? Here, we’ll be providing the answer, as well as outlining once again the importance of fire risk assessments. Who Is Responsible For a Fire Risk Assessment? If you are the employer, owner, landlord, occupier, or a person…

Important Fire Safety Advice For Retail Business Owners

As a retail business owner, you have a responsibility to the public and your staff to reduce the risk of fire hazards, and to implement a clear fire evacuation strategy should a fire break out. As the owner of the premises, you must carry out fire risk assessments of your premises to ensure any hazards are identified and reduced as risks. You can also nominate a responsible person to undertake this task, providing they have a good understanding of what conditions could lead to a fire, what materials pose a fire risk, and the consequences should a fire break out. This…

A Guide To Being a Fire Marshal For Your Company

Fire can occur in any company at any time and the duties of a responsible fire marshal can be vital. Their role is to assess risks which could lead to a blaze starting and take appropriate action if one does; in worst case scenarios, the actions of the marshal can be the difference between life and death. If you are thinking about becoming a fire marshal for your company, you must fully understand your duties and work within the framework provided by the organisation. The key requirements of a marshal are to: identify and report risks assess potential hazards fight fire…

The Pros and Cons of a Wireless Alarm System

These days, it seems as though all technology is going wireless. From wireless headphones and speakers to printers and wireless charging, we’re doing everything we can to ditch the cables. When it comes to fire alarms, we’ve had this choice for a good while now, and many homes and businesses have made the switch. Before making this decision, however, there are various factors that need to be taken into account, for example, the overall cost and where the alarms will ultimately be placed, as they will affect your end-decision. So, to help you make that decision, the team at Protect &…