It is not just a legal duty, but also a legal necessity, to keep your New Mexico company’s facility and staff secure. Proper fire prevention and control in the workplace means acquiring and setting up the required number of working fire extinguishers according to the National Fire Protection Association and the local standards of your city and state for your building.
New Mexico commercial building owners and managers aware of the factors determining the number of fire extinguishers required for their structure can go one of two ways for fire safety. One way is they can try to figure it out themself. The best move to make is to work with a fire protection service to guarantee the security of their building and staff.
Brazas Fire is New Mexico’s premier fire safety expert. It is here to help you figure out how many fire extinguishers you need for your commercial building. Read on to learn what
Factors that Determine the Number of Fire Extinguishers Needed
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), local codes, and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have established standards for the number of fire extinguishers present in public buildings. An individual should be able to reach a fire extinguisher in no more than 70 feet, according to the NFPA.
A variety of factors determines the number of fire extinguishers your building requires to be both secure and effective. The factors include what the interior of your building contains and its primary purpose. The type, number, size, and position of fire extinguishers you need to keep your company/workplace, staff, and customers protected and up to standard are all factors to consider.
The following are some of the factors that influence the requirements:
According to the National Fire Protection Association, the size and layout of the building should be no more than 70 feet between fire extinguishers, and they should be readily available. The square footage of a commercial building and its layout determine the number of fire extinguishers required to comply with the fire safety code for a commercial building.
2. Location, placement, and visibility
An OSHA-approved 10B rated fire extinguisher must be installed within 40 feet of containers holding 6 gallons or more flammable liquids or gas. It is critical to have the correct fire extinguisher in place for controlling specific types of fire outbreaks. It is also vital to install it in the right location so that it is readily available in the event of a fire. In a fire, fire extinguishers should be ready where they are easily reachable and usable. For easy accessibility, whenever there is a fire outbreak, extinguishers should be placed along walking paths.
The details listed below break down the required location for each class of fire extinguishers based on the type of emergency and the maximum travel distance, referring to the length someone may have to travel before getting access to another fire extinguisher.
– Extinguishers of Class A: It has a 75-foot maximum travel distance
– Extinguishers of Class B: It has a 50-foot maximum travel distance
– Extinguishers of Class C: Its maximum travel distance depends on the hazards of class A or B
– Fire Extinguishers of class D: It has a 75-foot maximum travel distance
– Fire Extinguishers of Class K: 30 feet is the maximum travel distance.
Visibility is also one of the requirements. Extinguishers must be visible.
- Level of Fire Hazard
The level of fire hazard that occurs in each building is its fire hazard level. Industrial and commercial facilities calculate their fire hazard rating by their distance from a fire station, the layout of the building, and what the building includes. Industrial and commercial facilities calculate the number of fire extinguishers and type using its fire hazard rating.
The Appropriate Number of Fire Extinguishers for Your Structure
It can be challenging to comprehend all the considerations that go into a facility’s fire extinguisher specifications. Building owners responsible for the security of their building and staff have a lot at stake to rely solely on the safety protocols of fire extinguishers.
The best way to figure out the correct number of fire extinguishers needed for a building is to hire a fire safety company that provides the services. A fire and life protection service provider will do a complete analysis of the building size, fire threat level, fire extinguisher placement, and building location. And then develop a custom fire and life safety security plan. The plan will protect the buildings and workers from fire hazards.
In Conclusion
To demonstrate to local regulatory enforcement agencies that your business complies with the fire code, hire a fire safety service provider like Brazas Fire. They work together with Albuquerque companies and companies throughout New Mexico to securely negotiate compliance to NFPA guidelines codes and OSHA specifications. The company will help your business with its fire extinguishers numbers and correct placement.