Office Fire Systems

Employee health and wellbeing should be a top priority for business owners across the UK, especially when it comes to office fire systems.

 

office fire systems

EA-RS can install and manage your office fire systems.

This is true in many commercial sectors, and there is stringent legislation from the government covering one of the most regulated; office fire safety.

In this blog, EA-RS will go through the basics of this legislation and cover some of our services that can help you fulfil the criteria.

Smoke Alarms

Office fire systems start with smoke alarms. All office spaces must have a working detecting and alarm system installed, but you may require a specific device if there are any specialised processes taking place on the premises.

During the installation of any fire alarms, you must verify that they are registered. You can check this by looking for the relevant icons; if there aren’t any, it isn’t fit for purpose. Your work doesn’t stop once the installation is complete though.

Any detection system must be constantly checked to ensure it is working correctly. Regular maintenance must be carried out as necessary and even something as small as changing the batteries can make a real difference.

Fire Risk Assessments

Risk assessments are standard fare in the world of fire safety, whether it’s for a domestic property or a commercial one. In a large office building with many workers, you will have to identify specific areas of threat and also those who are most at risk.

The person overseeing this assessment is known as the responsible person and in an office, this will most likely be the owner or landlord. If the business is on a shared property, then there could be more than one responsible person.

While risk assessments are a general part of fire safety, there are certain areas in offices you may want to have a closer look at. It is estimated that 32% of all fires in the workplaces are caused by electrical distribution.

This applies to faulty electrics or when too much equipment is kept within close proximity of each other. A risk assessment will help identify these problem areas and alert you to where potential fires could come from in the future.

Its not just fire risks you need to assess though.

There may be vulnerable people on the property. Anyone with a disability or medical condition has to be taken into account, as a fire could be much more dangerous for those individuals.

Fire Escape Routes

Once you have identified the hazards and areas of threat, you need to devise a detailed, well-planned escape route. This is another legal requirement for any business and, as such, there are criteria you must meet.

  • The first thing to do is to ensure you have a suitable fire detection system. There should be a process in place for false alarms too.
  • With evacuation procedures, your staff should be properly trained and know what each individuals’ responsibilities are.
  • For example, someone alerts the emergency services while a marshal does a headcount to ensure everyone has made it out.
  • If these roles aren’t organised while you’re planning an escape route, it can lead to disaster.
  • Clearly mark all Emergency exits.
  • Keep pathways clear; there can’t be any clutter or belongings blocking them.
  • Fire doors can stop a blaze from spreading, so make sure they remain shut.
  • Escape routes should be as concise as possible, leading directly to the exit with no unnecessary detours.
  • Seconds count in a fire and your staff need to be able to leave quickly with no impediment. There should be an agreed-upon meeting point where employees can rendezvous.

 

EA-RS Can Help

Owning a business means you have a duty to ensure all of your employee’s safety. This is obviously a huge responsibility, but you don’t bear the burden all on your own.

For more than twenty years, EA-RS Fire Engineering has helped protect businesses and their staff with superior office fire systems. We are one of just five companies in Britain to provide electrical and mechanical packages in a single client order.

We will deal with everything; starting with commissioning and installation, plus any required maintenance or servicing in the future. Our services include fire detection and alarm systems that will alert your employees to fire. The suppression and water-mist extinguishers at our disposal can help tackle the blaze in your building.

Once installed, our system servicing and maintenance will provide future support and ensure your fire safety standards never drop. With technology provided by Circum Fire Engineering, we can also install quality sprinkler systems to supplement your safeguards. If you want the best tools at your disposal for a potential fire, then EA-RS can provide them.