Keeping your New Mexico business’s facility and employees safe is not only a legal obligation, but also a legal requirement.
The right number of working fire extinguishers are determined and installed in your building according to the National Fire Protection Association and your city and state’s local standards for fire prevention and control in the workplace.
Either New Mexico commercial building owners and managers who know what factors dictate the number of fire extinguishers needed for their building can go two ways regarding fire safety. We only know one way which is they try to theselves. The smartest thing to do is partner with a fire protection company to protect their facility and employees.
Brazas Fire is the fire safety authority in New Mexico. It’s here to help you determine how many fire extinguishers you will need in your commercial building. Read on to learn what
Factors That Determine the Number of Fire Extinguishers Required
Standards for number of fire extinguishers in public buildings are set by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), local codes, and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). According to the NFPA, a person should be able to get to a fire extinguisher in no more than 70 feet.
There are a variety of things that determine how many fire extinguishers your building needs to be both safe and efficient. There, among other things, response also depends upon what is contained in the interior of your building and what its main function is. When deciding what fire extinguishers to have to ensure your company/workplace, staff and customers are protected and comply with, you also need to factor in the type, number, size and location of fire extinguishers that you may need.
Here are some of the contributing factors that determine the requirements:
Size and Layout
As stated by the National Fire Protection Association, the size and the layout of the building should be no farther than 70 feet between fire extinguishers, and they should be available.
The fire safety code for a commercial building outlines the number of fire extinguishers needed in a commercial space based on the commercial building’s square footage and layout.
Location, placement and visibility
For containers of 6 gallons or greater of flammable liquids or gas an OSHA approved 10B rated fire extinguisher must be mounted within 40 ft. Having the right fire extinguisher in place is crucial to controllingspecific type of fire outbreaks.
It’s critical to install it in the right place, though, so it is easily accessible should a fire occur. Whatever the purpose, it should prepare fire extinguishers where it is easy to get, use in a blaze. The extinguishers should be sited along walking paths when a fire outbreak is imminent so as to be easily accessible.
The following details clarify where to place each class of fire extinguishers based on the type of emergency and maximum travel distance; this is the distance a person would have had to travel before gaining access to another fire extinguish.
- Class A extinguishers: 75-foot max travel distance
- Class B Fire Extinguishers: 50-foot maximum travel distance
- Class C extinguishers: Maximum travel distance based on class A or B hazards
- Class D Fire Extinguishers: maximum travel distance of 75 feet
- Class K Fire Extinguishers: maximum travel distance of 30 feet.
Another one of the requirements is visibility. Fire extinguishers have to be visible.
Level of Fire Hazard
The fire hazard level is the level of fire hazard that occurs in each building. Industrial and commercial facilities determine their own fire hazard rating based on how far they are from a fire station, the configuration of the building, and what it contains. The type and number of fire extinguishers for industrial and commercial facilities is determined using its fire hazard rating.
How Many Fire Extinguishers Should Be in Your Building
Beside the above factors, there are lots of considerations newbies can’t make.
The most effective way to determine what is the right amount of fire extinguishers that are to be used in a building is hiring a fire safety company that offers the services.
A fire and life protection service provider will perform an extensive survey of such factors as the size of the building, the danger from fire, fire extinguisher installation, and the buildings location. Then create a customized fire and life safety security plan. The proposal will safeguard buildings and workers from fire threats.
Final Thoughts
Make sure to engage a fire safety service provider such as Brazas Fire to prove to local regulatory enforcement agencies that your business is compliant with the fire code; otherwise, your business will need to cover all costs incurred by inspection fines. They cooperate with Albuquerque companies and companies in all places New Mexico to securely negotiate compliance to the NFPA tips codes and OSHA specs. Your business will also have its fire extinguishers numbers in correct position by the company.