Importance of Smoke Alarms in Workplaces

You’ve got very little time to save an individual when a fire arises. Thus every second count.

This is even more important with business owners who put great consideration not only to the lives of their staff but with their property investment. No wonder it is important for businesses to take appropriate measures to ensure both the safety of their employees and the business as well.

This is well posted in BUSINESS QUEENSLAND:

“You must make sure your staff know what to do in the event of a fire or other emergency. You must provide regular evacuation training for staff so they understand emergency procedures, including evacuation instructions, assembly point locations and use of fire alarms and equipment.”

So if you are still wondering if you need to install appropriate numbers of smoke alarms in your building and offices, this is DEFINITELY A MUST.

As a starter, you can begin by observing the following:

• Ensure a working and well-maintained smoke alarm system
• Place a written fire escape plan in the walls where the staff can see it.
• Avoid stocking piles of flammable materials together
• Practices fire drills

What would you potentially lose when a fire suddenly abrupts in your workplace? Here are some of them:

• Loss of lives
• Injury to staff
• Damage to property
• Damage to assets
• Damage equipment
• Information loss
• Environmental damages
• Community harm
  

The damages and loss from a fire can be any of these forms. However, avoiding these can be easy if you know how important fire alarms are.

Typically smoke alarms are placed in the centre of the passage where everyone will be able to hear it. Thus it is typical for these to be placed one in the head of the stairways at every level of the building.

But why am I not seeing smoke and fire alarms near office lights?

Smoke alarms are installed at a safe distance from the office lights. If they are too close to the lights, it might get a false alarm from the light’s reflection. The same goes for the placement of fire alarms. It shouldn’t be placed near ceiling fans or AC vents because it can prevent the devices from properly detecting smoke or heat.

What is the role of business owners and building managers? 

Business owners and building managers must see to it that the fire alarms and smoke alarms are properly installed. It is important to know that all the devices are operating and can serve its purpose in case a fire happens.

Make sure that at every level of the building, there is fire safety equipment in it such as fire extinguishers and fire hydrants. Always check if the fire escapes are free of things that can block people from passing in it.

These are just some of the preventive methods you can to do to ensure the safety of your workers and your assets at work.

To help you ensure that your building is safe and fire-proof ready, consult a professional now. Professional help from expert electricians can provide you with a proper smoke alarm system. They can help test your smoke alarms and keep it in good operating status.