You must always be prepared to get inspected by your local fire marshal since it is an integral part of your business and they arrive without even telling you. In order to do that, you must take a look at the checklist before time to see if you are okay with all the fire codes. This will not let you pay any fine and you can ensure the security of your staff and customers in this way also which is what you actually want.

You may not take it that seriously but most businesses can’t even run after being bullied by fire. For that reason, you shouldn’t overlook the rules and regulations and get prepared accordingly for any mishap.

Let’s take a look at how you can prepare yourself for such inspections in order to avoid any fines.

·                   Taking a Look at Egress

One of the fire marshals will have to go through the pathways through which people can leave in case of fire. The first code requires you to make a number of paths so that everyone goes out safely. However, if the staff isn’t capable of opening these doors even after reaching them, they may have bad luck.

The marshal will have to observe:

1. The path whether it is wide enough for everyone to leave.
2. The doors to go out are easy to open or not.
3. How are fire doors working in your area of business?

This will help them understand whether or not you are prepared for any mishap.

·                    Exit Lights Double Check

Everyone must be able to see and open the doors to exit safe and sound there. The fire may cause the power to go off but the backup batteries installed at these doors will make them visible for everyone. So, the fire marshal will take a look and test these emergency lights also to see if they are working well enough to help the people out there in case of fire.

·                    Testing the Fire Extinguishers

In case of any event of a fire, if an employee has seen it start, he/she may use fire extinguishers to avoid it from growing bigger. This will help the company in a number of ways since it will not have to face the music. For that reason, the fire marshal will look into these extinguishers closely to see if they are working well enough.

The extinguisher is one of the best things to get the job done and a suitable-sized fire extinguisher must be there at a distance of 75-80 ft, the requirements may change depending on the kind of environment in your company.  The extinguishers should work well enough or else, the company may have to pay a huge fine in terms of not servicing their equipment in a better way from time to time. The length and weight for each fire extinguisher are specified and are set on the wall to use it when needed the most.

·                    Working of Panels

The panels out there help to control fire alarms which is why they must be working well enough or else, the fire marshal may not allow the company to go any further. Take a look at the inspection tags before time and see if they are updated. If they aren’t, you may get into big trouble which may lead your business to a loss in no time. So, even if you are aware of all the codes, you should be updated in terms of equipment also.

·                    Testing the Fire Sprinklers

Testing these sprinklers is one of the most important parts of inspection which must be done before time. If it goes well, the fire marshal will consider it okay that the water will be reached at the desired place at the required time. It is better not to place any furniture or anything like that near the sprinkler head or else, you may end up violating the terms and conditions. The fire marshal will also see if a specific clearance is maintained between two consecutive sprinklers or not.

·                    Testing the Water Supply

Water supply is one of those things that must be checked regularly in order to ensure that you don’t face any issues in case if you are trying to cope with a fiery incident. The fire sprinklers will have to be good enough in this regard in order to avoid all such problems. Be careful with all the holes, valves, and connections because the fire marshal may let you pay a fine if there is any leakage out there that doesn’t allow water to reach the required destination when needed the most.

·                    Storing Combustible Material

The storage of combustible materials is not an easy task to do but you have to manage things accordingly in order to ensure the safety of all. Store them at a place where there are no signs of light or fire because a single spark can cause the company to turn into ash within no time. Fire marshals recommend making fireproof cabinets to store all such materials in order for them to not harm you in any way.

·                    Increase the Occupancy Limits

It shows the maximum number of people that can evacuate quite easily in case of fire. You have to maintain these limits or else, you may not only face a risk of losing important lives but you may get fined by the marshal also. Don’t forget to take a look at the occupancy requirements and then decide whether or not you want to save your staff and customers from any mishap.

·                    Don’t Overload Electric Sockets

If you overload electric sockets in the premises of your company, you are letting the fire believe that it can easily spread out there and destroy as many things as possible. Don’t dare to plug too many things in the same pocket also as it may cause the fire to grow bigger in case of its occurrence. If a marshal feels any kind of ups and downs in the sockets, he/she may let you pay a huge fine which is not what you want. For that reason, you must ensure that the inspection has been done well enough from your side.

·                    Electrical Wires Must be Accessible

If the electric wires running through your company are not accessible, you must do that in the first place to get to know about the cause of the fire and stop it as soon as possible. Otherwise, you may not know where did it all start and the loss will be on your side. So, you have to make these wires accessible before a marshal asks you to do it with a temporary shutdown to your company. By doing that, you won’t be at risk of any mishap.

Need Professional Guidance? Ask Brazas Fire!

Taking a look at this checklist will help you know how to go with the flow by following all the rules and regulations. The fire code keeps on changing and you have to be updated accordingly to avoid any mishap. Also, if regular inspections of all your equipment are being done, there is no way for you to be on the losing side. Also, you can ensure the safety and security of your staff as well as customers.