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What is a Fire Safety Plan?
A key component of a fire safety plan is ensuring all staff and management are trained on the safety procedures detailed in the fire safety plan. Strategizing with a fire safety consultant for your commercial building’s safety plan is a vital step in protecting lives and assets during an emergency. Commercial buildings must have fire alarm systems that meet fire safety code standards regulated by the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA), the International Building Code (IBC), and any other applicable state and local standards.
What is Included in a Fire Safety Plan?
Fire safety plans should be reviewed annually to ensure it has updated information and is modified if necessary. Fire safety plans must be readily available in your commercial building for residents and staff to access easily.
A complete and comprehensive fire safety plan should include the following elements:
- Fire hazards – Fire hazards should be listed, as well as related housekeeping and maintenance procedures.
- Emergency exits – Procedures for evacuation and escape routes should be easily identified. Appointing staff members who are responsible to account for employees and occupants should also be included.
- Employee responsibilities – Staff members and their designated roles during an emergency should be clearly stated, such as who is calling for emergency responders.
- Fire protection systems – A list of the building’s fire protection system should be included, along with the equipment’s scheduled maintenance, to ensure it is in proper working order.
- Reporting and notifying – A plan must be in place and documented that identifies who is responsible for reporting the fire to emergency responders and who is to notify building occupants of the emergency.
- Building plans – A copy of the building’s floor plans should be accessible in several locations throughout the building. This site plan should highlight the building’s primary and secondary emergency exits, locations of fire extinguishers and manual fire alarms, and the route the fire department will access.
Fire Safety Plan Objectives
The goal of a fire safety plan is to ensure that in the event of a fire, occupants and staff have the knowledge and training of the procedures to act swiftly and safely to save lives. Emergency responders also rely on your property’s fire safety plan to determine their response with applicable knowledge of the building’s floor plans and an updated list of any occupants who may require assistance.
Fire Prevention
Fire prevention is one of the main focus areas of a fire safety plan. Being proactive on the front end is much easier than doing damage control after a fire has broken out. A few simple fire prevention steps include:
- Ensuring flammable materials are away from all machinery
- Flammable products are properly taken care of
- Confirming all cooling vents are free and clear of debris
Fire Response
It is imperative to have multiple fire escape routes throughout commercial properties. The main priority in the event of a fire is to get all staff and occupants to safety, the second is to protect the building and its assets. Communication with emergency responders and the fire department is an equally important role for employees.
Employee Training
Training your employees on how to calmly and safely react if a fire occurs is paramount in maintaining order during an evacuation. It is easy to get anxious and scared during a fire situation, so employees must receive regular training on the building’s fire safety plan to assist and ensure everyone is evacuated and the fire department is dispatched. It is crucial to detail at what point during a fire emergency the staff should not attempt to use a fire extinguisher and should just evacuate.
High Rise Security Systems, HRSS, collaborates with clients to provide integrated fire and life safety solutions. Our experience in designing code-compliant and complex commercial fire safety systems gives our clients peace of mind that their commercial property and its occupants can continue to operate in a safe and secure environment.
HRSS provides comprehensive fire and security solutions, with complete services from system design, testing, inspection, repairs, maintenance, and 24/7/365 monitoring. Our staff of skilled technicians works with you from beginning to end to achieve your business’s unique needs. Contact us today to learn more about our integrated fire and life safety solutions and for assistance with your commercial fire safety plan.