Keeping your property safe from fire should be at the top of your priority list to ensure you keep inhabitants safe. It doesn’t matter if the building is used commercially or domestically, fire safety should always be taken seriously. Below is a list of key things that need to be considered to ensure your property is fire protected. There are certain situations where more advanced fire protection is required, for example a hotel will need fire doors that adhere to fire door regulations, but the below list has been designed to ensure your property is safe to a level where you can feel more confident in the event of an emergency.
Install A Smoke Alarm
Based on the Government’s guide on fire safety in the home, you are four times more likely to die in a fire if you don’t have a smoke alarm. With this in mind, it is key that you ensure your property has a suitable fire alarm system in place to reduce this risk. If you have two floors, it is best to have a fire alarm system whereby there is an alarm on each floor. Advanced fire systems link the two alarms together, but in most domestic instances an affordable set of battery operated smoke alarms will provide enough protection.
Have An Escape Plan Prepared
It goes without saying that in a business environment you should have a full fire escape plan that is inline with HSE regulations. The same attitude towards fire safety should also be applied to the home setting. Thinking about your fire escape and having a plan can prevent problems happening in the event of a genuine fire escape. You will want to consider the fast and safest way out of the building from both the second floor and the ground floor.
Purchase Fire Blankets
Fire blankets cost between £10 – £20 and are worth buying and keeping in your kitchen. A fire blanket can stop a pan fire safely and can stop the fire spreading.
Ensure You Have Fire Extinguishers
Having fire extinguishers is more of a requirement for businesses but in some cases, you may feel that one would be suitable for the home environment too. These can stop a fire in a safe manner when the operator knows how to use the extinguisher correctly.
Install Fire Doors
Fire doors are important and can stop a fire from spreading by blocking it from entering into another area of the buildings. Businesses need to follow this to ensure they meet regulations. In some cases it is also law for domestic properties to have fire doors such as when you have a loft conversion.
For more information on fire safety, check out the below sources:
- https://fire-extinguisher-maintenance.co.uk/blog/fire-safety-laws-business/
- https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/564803/Fire-Safety-in-the-Home.pdf
- https://www.hse.gov.uk/toolbox/fire.htm
Note: this is a paid collaboration.