Is your California restaurant fully protected from all the potential hazards that are lurking within? You might be surprised to learn that someone running off without paying their bill is definitely not the worst problem you’re likely to have. Instead, keeping your restaurant fully protected from the dangers of accidental fire top the list of calamities that you need to consider. See how you can keep your restaurant protected both now and in the future.
Running a business is time-consuming, wonderful, exhausting and exhilarating, but it can all be gone in an instant if you have a catastrophic fire. Even when you feel as though you’re doing everything right, there is always the possibility that your livelihood and even your life could be lost in a fire. Many of these dangerous fires are manageable with the right maintenance on your fire systems, while others should be preventable with education and foresight. Whether you’re a proactive fire protection guru or are not-quite-confident in your fire know-how, these statistics are sure to surprise you and your staff.
Freezing temperatures are not the only danger to pipes, as age can also take a toll on your sprinkler system. You are likely familiar with the challenges that homeowners have with their external water systems and hoses, but businesses are subject to the same problems — only on a much larger scale! Of course, the best option is to have a proactive fire protection partner regularly review your sprinkler and pipe system to ensure that everything is in solid working order. When your sprinkler pipes burst, there are several steps you’ll need to take to reduce the possibility of damage to your location and physical assets.
When you’re selecting a commercial fire alarm, the number of choices that you’ll need to make can be dizzying. There are a wide range of fire alarm solutions on the market today, but the majority of these solutions are tied to simple concepts: audio alarms that are loud enough to get attention, and visual cues that can help break through the chaos that can be caused by a fire incident. Your fire protection partner will help you understand the nuanced differences in the systems that are available for your needs. Here’s a high level overview showing why it’s important to have both visual and audio elements covered in your fire protection system.
You want to be sure that your Northern California business stays fully protected from fires. That includes regular check-ups of your fire protection gear, including fire extinguishers. Nearly everything in life has an expiration date, and fire extinguishers are no different! They may reach the end of their useful life, begin losing efficacy or have been partially discharged, but can you safely dispose of them at your local waste control facility? Generally, the answer is no — but you can safely dispose of these used fire protection devices.
Just as you’ll find with many things in business, there are the government-required number of fire extinguishers — and then you have the recommendations based on your particular business setup. Standard OSHA requirements are an excellent starting point, but they truly cannot replace the thoughtful review of a fire protection professional.
Knowing the dangers of commercial and industrial fires starts with a full understanding of exactly how often these incidents occur — and the damage that they cause in the short- and long-term. More than 113,500 fires occurred in commercial buildings in 2015 according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), a frightening number when you consider the possibility that your business can be seriously affected, too. By sharing these vital facts with your operational and human resources team, you can help raise awareness of the danger of fires and how they can be prevented.
Protecting your business with a sprinkler system helps provide you with peace of mind that your business assets, staff and customers are protected in the case of a quick-moving fire. While sprinklers may not completely put out a raging blaze, they often can mean the difference between individuals being able to safely exit the building and being trapped inside. The use of sprinklers dramatically reduces the smoke, heat and flames that are produced in a major fire situation, and are able to extinguish or control many fires that would otherwise be difficult to handle.
Correctly designed and installed sprinklers can save you as much as 50-60% of the average property loss from a fire, especially when utilized in industrial buildings or commercial property such as apartment buildings and hotels. This highly-reliable form of fire protection has been around since the turn of the century, but fire sprinklers are not completely flawless. A loss of electrical power and other situations can cause them to not trigger as needed — which is where the importance of having a backup sprinkler comes in.
Protecting your business from a fire may seem relatively straightforward. You know that you have fire extinguishers scattered around. You get them tested on a (fairly) regular basis, and you have posted rules for fire safety. However, have you taken the time to properly train your staff on the safe use of a fire extinguisher?
Here are some safety tips to share with your staff. If nothing else, they are a great refresher and reminder of when and how to safely use a fire extinguisher.
You know the story: if something happens all the time, people become immune and no longer pay attention. The last thing you want to happen is to have your staff so used to hearing a fire alarm go off “accidentally” that they don’t pay attention. This can lead to some terrifying situations or a devastation accident if not handled appropriately.
Commercial fires can spiral out of control more quickly than you may realize, leaving you and your team wondering what you could have done to prevent the fire. While dealing with false alarms may seem like a tiny annoyance, it can quickly get out of control as well as cause a massive burden on overtaxed emergency services. Here are ways to prevent false alarms on your commercial fire protection systems.
