Tag Archive for: fire alarms

4 Fire Prevention Tips for Your Business

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by Justin Metz

Reducing the risk of a potential fire at your business is one of the most important things you can do to help protect your customers, employees, and property.

The U.S. Fire Administration reports that more than 111,000 nonresidential building fires occurred in 2017. Those fires caused 1,200 injuries and more than $2.7 billion in damages. For business owners, these damages can extend beyond physical repairs. It could mean weeks, or even months, of lost revenue while your property is restored.

So what steps can you take to help ensure a crisis like this doesn’t happen at your business? Give these four tips a try:

1. CHECK POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARDS.

According to the American Red Cross, there are a number of common hazards in any home or business that are likely to be the source of a fire. Conduct a survey of your business and examine these potential problem areas:

  • Make sure machines and equipment are clean and well maintained.
  • Keep any combustible objects away from space heaters or furnaces.
  • Properly store flammables away in cabinets and away from ignition sources.
  • Check appliance cords and replace any broken connectors or cracked insulation.
  • Use only one extension cord for each power outlet.
  • Allow room behind any appliances to allow air to circulate and prevent overheating.

2. ENSURE YOU HAVE THE PROPER SAFETY EQUIPMENT.

Every business should have functioning fire extinguishers. But it’s also wise to consider smoke detectors, sprinklers, or a fire alarm. Remember, the life expectancy of a smoke detector is only 8-10 years.

Look into a specialized fire suppression system if your business has large operations or machinery that is capable of overheating; commercial cooking equipment; or especially flammable materials on site.

3. MAKE SURE YOUR EQUIPMENT IS UP TO DATE.

Did you know that fire extinguishers have a shelf life of between five and 15 years – even if there is no expiration date listed? Over time, these pieces of equipment can lose their pressure. So make sure your extinguisher is working properly by checking the pressure gauge every month. If the needle is in yellow or red, it may need to be repaired or replaced.

Be sure to replace your extinguisher if you notice any of these signs:

  • The hose or nozzle is cracked, ripped, or jammed.
  • The locking pin is unsealed or missing.
  • The handle is missing or unsteady.
  • The inspection sticker or service record is missing.

4. COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR STAFF.

Preparation is one of the most important elements of fire safety.  In a crisis, having an emergency plan is a critical element to successfully prevent injuries, loss of life, and property damage. To help keep your employees safe, be sure to regularly communicate your fire safety procedures.

  • Describe where they should go if evacuation is needed.
  • Explain how you will notify them of an emergency, whether it’s through voice communication or a sound like a bell, whistle, or horn.
  • Make sure your evacuation plans accommodate employees with disabilities, such as someone with hearing loss or who uses a wheelchair.
  • Provide training, such as fire drills, to practice your emergency plan.
  • Remind your employees not to store anything on stairways or along your fire escape routes.

As a business owner, you expect your insurance to be there when things go wrong. But did you know that Fire Systems Professionals is here to help you reduce risks in the first place?

Contact our team of experienced professionals with over 20+ years in the business can help your business remain up to date and safe from potential hazards. Click Here to get in touch with us today!

How The Weather Can Affect Your Business

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Weather significantly impacts businesses in different ways ranging from products, employees, customers to property. It is important for a business to stay prepared for challenging situations that could be caused by adverse weather conditions. All types of businesses can be directly or indirectly affected by bad and good weather. Below is a discussion of some of the ways your business can be affected by the weather.

By: IntelligentHQ

Effects on Customers

  • You have to know the behavior of your customers during different times of the year. This is not only important for the tourism industry but also local businesses. A good businessperson should know the impacts of weather on customer’s buying habits to optimize sales. A business should invest in extensive research as well as weather predictions to set prices and offers that meet the demands of consumers.
  • You should not only identify the impacts of weather to optimize current business operations but also predict future performance. If your business performs well in one season, there is no guarantee that the same will occur on the next one. Understanding the different types of growth helps you to prepare for undesirable weather fluctuations that may happen in the future.

Product Prices

  • The prices of most commodities fluctuate depending on weather conditions. For instance, businesses based on agricultural productions are directly affected by seasonal yields. Some raw materials are expensive when they are not easily available during certain weather conditions. If you understand and predict such fluctuations, it can help in your financial projections.
  • The energy industry is also significantly affected by the weather. For example, all businesses are affected by oil prices during certain seasons. During winter, there is a high demand for oil hence its high prices. Transportation becomes expensive as well as the cost of products being transported.

Employee Performance

  • The performance of employees is affected by weather conditions. During warm winter, layoffs do not happen frequently. If the weather is conducive and people are extremely active, a business requires to employ more staff to cater to the need of consumers. The increased number of workers means increased expenses in terms of wages and salaries. If you are not well prepared for the seasonal increase in demand, you will face employee shortage thus reduced profits.
  • The weather also plays a major role in scheduling. The consistency of business operations is determined by the way it prepares for weather fluctuations. Delays in weather could result in delayed projects and slow operations. Catching up the work that was supposed to be done could be expensive thus cutting down profits.

Destruction of Property

  • Weather could also be destructive to your business. Some of the adverse weather conditions that destroy property include floods, ice, storms, strong winds. Other hazards such as fire could result from bad weather. You have to assess risks and protect your business from such terrible situations. You may as well consider visiting WeatherStationAdvisor.com to learn more about the factors to consider when buying a personal weather station that could help you predict weather fluctuations.

As discussed above, weather plays a major role in determining the success of a business. As a business person, it is your duty to study seasonal fluctuations and come up with the most appropriate measures and plan of action to keep your business going and your customers and employees safe!

Different Types of Commercial Fire Alarms

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Different Types of Commercial Fire Alarms

Whether you are upgrading your fire protection systems in your building or need to install new fire alarms, it is important to understand the different types of commercial fire alarms available. From the automatic alarm systems to the manual alarms, there are quite a few things you should know before blindly choosing a system. Let’s take a look at some fire alarm systems you could choose for your commercial space.

The Categories: Automatic versus Manual Fire Alarms

There are two distinct types of fire alarms you can have in your commercial space. The first is an automatic fire alarm. When these alarms detect heat or smoke, they send an audio-visual alert throughout the building to alert the occupants of danger. The next type of fire alarm is a manual alarm. These fire alarms have pull stations stationed around your building. When a fire is seen or smelled by one of your employees, they simply pull the leveler and alert the occupants. Manual alarms come in a variety of designs and colors.

Types of Commercial Fire Alarms

Just as there are different categories of fire alarms, there are also different types. Let’s take a look at the types of fire alarms and the features they offer.

Conventional Fire Alarms

Conventional fire alarms include a number of different “zones” that are hardwired to your central control panel. These systems allow you to be able to put separate fire alarms in each section of your building and helps to monitor if an alarm is broken.

Addressable Fire Alarms

These fire alarms are also called “intelligent systems” as they monitor the fire alarms in your building. Addressable alarms allow you to choose between automatic and manual alarms. Each alarm installed in this system has its own address, which allows you to see which alarm is working and which are failing. Addressable fire alarms are more expensive because of the monitoring features.

Hybrid Fire Alarms

Hybrid alarms combine the hardwired zone features of conventional fire alarms with the addressable loops of the addressable fire alarms into a single panel. This combined technology fits some of the settings better than either the addressable or the conventional alarm.

When choosing a new commercial fire alarm, it is important to choose the alarm that is right for your space. Call a professional whenever working with fire systems to ensure the safety of you and your employees.

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Cited: FireLine.com