Fire safety cannot be neglected anywhere, but when it comes to factories and warehouses, your business’ main assets are at risk as well as the lives of your staff. Whether it’s your stock or machinery, even a small fire could have catastrophic effects on your revenue and productivity.
Fires start for many reasons, but some of the most common causes of fire in these spaces include electrical faults, spillages, use of hazardous stock or materials, improper use of heating equipment and arson. Kitchens and staff rooms present an increased risk.
To help you prevent fires in your warehouse or factory, in line with your duty as set out by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, we’ve put together our best fire prevention tips for you, specifically tailored to these spaces. If you’d like to learn more about fire safety for your premises, please don’t hesitate to contact our team at Swift Fire & Safety.
1. Fire Risk Assessments
Fire risk assessments should be carried out frequently for maintenance and also when any major changes occur to your premises. These will provide you with an overview of the hazards, the people at risk, the training required and the steps to take to reduce risks.
2. PAT Testing
All portable electrical equipment needs to be in good condition and suitable for use. Regular PAT testing will help you identify the potential dangers so that you can resolve them before they cause any damages.
3. Frequent Equipment Maintenance
All machinery, large or small, requires regular maintenance checks in order to spot faults and prevent fires.
4. Fire Extinguishers
Imperative to any fire safety plan, you need to have the correct extinguisher class in place, and they must be in good working order, to combat the unique hazards posed in your warehouse or factory. Staff must also have regular training, so that they feel confident in choosing the right extinguisher and know how to use them when tackling small fires.
5. Fire Alarms
Fire alarms are an extremely effective way of alerting people to a fire. Early detection protects lives. A good fire alarm system will locate the source of a fire in larger buildings and can be tailored to your building’s layout.
6. Fire Doors
Fire doors help to slow the spread of fire and smoke and protect key evacuation routes. Different resistance times are available based on your requirements.
7. Fire Signage
Photoluminescent signs highlight dangers and provide instructions concerning fire safety. This provides greater awareness for your warehouse or factory staff.
8. Fire Warden Training
You must always have a nominated, competent person in your workplace to implement fire safety. Fire warden training is the best way to give them the knowledge and skills they’ll need to carry out this role out effectively as per the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
9. Sprinkler Systems
There are a number of different sprinkler systems available depending on what best meets your needs, but all types will help to manage a blaze should the worst happen.
10. Emergency Lighting
When a fire compromises your building, emergency lighting kicks in to illuminate safe exit routes, helping to save lives.
At Swift Fire & Safety, we provide a wide range of services for factory and warehouse fire prevention. For everything from fire risk assessments to PAT testing, protect your staff and your business by contacting our professional team today.