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| A fire alarm system must be designed in accordance with a thorough, complete and approved risk assessment of a workplace |
Mint Security is encouraging businesses across the country to be vigilant when it comes to fire safety, and get their fire alarms serviced appropriately to prevent fires and increase staff safety in the workplace. Research from the Communities and Local Government Fire Statistics bureau has found that between 2010 and 2011, there were 24,900 fires recorded in commercial or non-residential buildings across the UK. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), most fires within the workplace are preventable, which means that the businesses and companies who experienced these fire-related incidents were not following the guidelines laid down in the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
Businesses not complying with the order can be seen to be neglectful and putting their staff’s lives at risk, not to mention that businesses which don’t have sufficient fire prevention are breaking the law. Performing regular, thorough risk assessments, having detailed fire safety plans and getting fire alarms serviced by an expert can help a business to meet their responsibility for staff safety and comply with the legal procedures laid down by the government and various safety bodies, as well as ensuring that their staff members are not put at risk whilst carrying out their jobs.
In order to perform to their full potential, a fire alarm system must be designed in accordance with a thorough, complete and approved risk assessment of a workplace so that risk is minimised at every opportunity. Each workplace will be susceptible to different forms of fire, whether it is a warehouse in the manufacturing industry managing lots of complicated equipment, or an office with an abundance of paper and computers with the potential to overheat. Hospitals will need different systems from quarries, and hotels will face different fire risks than gyms or leisure centres. Getting bespoke fire alarm systems fitted by professionals ensures that, no matter the workplace, the entire premises are protected. Regular fire alarm servicing also verifies that the entire system is in working order should a fire occur at any time, in any area of the workplace.
Fire alarm systems can range from basic property protection to a fully addressable system which can offer remote monitoring and response. The advanced nature of these systems means that when it comes to the time to get them serviced, they must be checked and tested by a reputable company with particular expertise in fire safety installations.
