Your Guide to Fire Safety Equipment

No matter what your business entails or what industry you span, fire safety features on every business owner’s agenda. When it comes to keeping people safe, whether they are employees, customers or clients, no organisation can shy away from the responsibility they have. 

Regardless of the size of business premises, from warehouses and factories to smaller office environments, and as long as a company employs five or more members of staff, they are required to have an in-depth fire safety risk assessment. Under The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, businesses are legally required to manage their fire safety with a risk-based approach. 

With such protocols in place, business owners need to oversee all their work premises, guaranteeing they have all the required fire safety equipment in place to minimise the devastation a fire could cause. This equipment must be implemented and regularly maintained so, in a worst-case scenario, people’s lives can be saved. 

However, what fire safety equipment is recommended for workplaces? With our comprehensive guide, we will explain the different measures you can invest in to help alert your staff and customers, reduce the spread of fire and improve everyone’s exit from the building. By ensuring you have a range of fire safety solutions in place, you can ensure regulatory compliance with the fire safety legal requirements in the UK.

Fire Warning Equipment

Fire equipment that falls under this categorisation looks to reduce the amount of time people within your premises are unaware of a fire. Fire safety warning equipment essentially has one job – to alert people of the hazard.

When implementing warning systems, it is important to remember those who are impaired; for example, how will your business ensure that deaf and blind members of staff or customers will be alerted of the risk? For commercial places and workspaces, domestic-standard smoke alarms are not enough. Instead, discover how you can install an ungraded fire alarm system. 

Fire Alarm Systems

No business premise can be without a fire alarm system. The UK fire alarm system requirements  (BS 5839) state that all workplaces must have “an appropriate fire detection system.” The expectation is that this system must be able to notify everyone who is on your site. 

These fire alarms and fire bells must be tested weekly to ensure that they are constantly in working condition, especially if they are wireless and battery operated. Fire alarms are also available powered by mains electricity, what you choose will depend on your business and your budget. However, with mains operated fire alarms will be installed with a battery backup should a power cut occur at the time they are needed. This is something to consider when upgrading or installing your warning system. 

For those who are audibly impaired or deaf, visual alarms can also be implemented to ensure these people will be able to see the red LED technology that accompanies an audible alarm. These alarm systems are particularly useful within factories and warehouses where working conditions involve noisy machinery. 

Fire detection systems come in many shapes and sizes, and it is recommended for businesses to implement a range of monitors and devices to cover all bases. These options include:

• Fire Bells – a loud alarm will sound when the fire alarm is triggered.
• Smoke Detectors – monitor and detect the presence of smoke.
• Heat Detectors – these trigger fire alarms when the air temperature reaches a particular level.
• Carbon Monoxide Alarms – these raise an alarm when levels of CO get dangerously high.
• Manual Call Points – such as Emergency Break Glass, these enable people to manually raise the fire alarm.
• Fire Panel – all elements of a fire alarm system link back to this central hub.
• Sprinklers – in larger premises, sprinkles can be included with robust systems acting as both a warning and prevention method.

Buy Fire Warning Systems and Fire Alarms here.

Fire Extinguishing Equipment

Once everyone has been alerted to a fire breaking out and has begun their evacuation, then a business can turn its attention to preventing the spread. Fire extinguishing methods will help to increase the amount of time people have to escape while helping to reduce the damage that could be caused. 

There are a few different options that businesses can use to help control fires that start in particular places.

Fire Extinguishers

The first piece of fire safety equipment that often springs to mind is fire extinguishers. Workspaces should look to implement at least two class A fire extinguishers on each floor of a building, according to the BS 5306 Standards. However, to be most effective, you will need to ensure your area has the correct amount and different types of extinguishers available. Where premises go wrong, is by not installing the right variety of fire extinguishers. For example, there are fire extinguishers that are suitable for different causes of fire and your workplace will be prone to particular classes of fire.

There are five different types of fire extinguishers:

• Carbon Dioxide Extinguisher (black label) – recommended for electrical, oil and spirit risks, as well as around delicate materials.
• Foam Fire Extinguisher (cream label) – suitable for multi-risk usage.
• Wet Chemical Extinguisher (yellow label) – can combat burning oils, reducing flames reigniting.
• Water Fire Extinguisher (red label) – a common extinguisher appropriate for a range of uses.
• Dry Powder Fire Extinguisher (blue label) – ideal for fires consisting of wood, paper, elections and flammable liquids. They are also recommended for vehicles and commercial vans.

Fire Blankets

In commercial kitchens and office kitchen areas, fire blankets are essential to help prevent small fires from developing, while also helping to extinguish a fire should someone’s clothes catch alight. Every kitchen would benefit from a fire blanket at hand. This piece of fire safety equipment allows a fire to be starved of oxygen and, therefore, comes in a range of sizes and casings. It is highly recommended to have a fire blanket alongside any electrical and gas kitchen appliances.

Buy fire extinguishers and fire blankets here. 

Fire Safety Equipment Aiding The Escape

In the event of a fire, safety measures can be implemented to help people exit your premises. Within your business’s risk assessment, certain conditions must be taken into account when evaluating the designated fire escape routes. For example, with dense smoke from a fire, people may become disoriented and unable to locate their nearest exit. Similarly, if the fire cuts the building’s electricity supply, how are they going to locate their route? Therefore, several pieces of fire safety equipment can be installed to aid their evacuation.

Emergency Lighting

One such fire safety measure is emergency lighting. In instances where the main electricity source is down, these luminous lights can be used to highlight the way to the nearest fire exit door. They are specially designed to remain alight for a few hours, regardless of whether the electricity has been cut out or not. These emergency lights can also help members of staff and customers regain their bearings if heavy smoke blocks their vision.

Due to the gravity of this fire safety equipment, they must be tested regularly to ensure people can evacuate without delay. While fire alarms must be tested weekly, it is acceptable to schedule monthly inspections for emergency lighting. These checks can be carried out and recorded using an emergency light test sheet.

Fire Exit Signs

Another way to clearly mark fire exits is to fit a fire exit sign above each, this includes every door and window along an evacuation route. These luminous signs glow in the dark to ensure that even in smoky conditions, everyone can locate their route out. Some signs are even equipped with LED lighting to guarantee that even in dense smoke, the exit can still be found. 

Places of work must have two fire evacuations routes that are well sign-posted, as a bare minimum. While the fire doors must have their own fire exit sign, there should also be fire exit signs along the route to further offer directions. 

Other Safety Signs

To accompany the fire exit signs, there is additional safety signage that can be displayed to aid the evacuation process. Signs that display general fire safety information and notices should be noticeable on walls and notice boards, allowing all staff, customers and clients to familiarise themselves with the protocols before the event of a fire. Moreover, some signage helps to explain how to use certain fire extinguishers and fire warning equipment, this information is paramount to display before the details are required. 

In addition, it is crucial for your company’s fire emergency evacuation plan and fire assembly points are also presented on signs around your establishment. Again, for familiarity before this information is needed; but, also, to offer a reminder during the panic of a real evacuation. 

Buy Emergency Lighting and Fire Safety Signs here.

Additional Fire Safety Equipment

There are additional measures your business can install throughout its premises that will be vital if a fire were to break out. Unlike some of the previously mentioned fire safety equipment, these are easy to overlook when considering the practical fire equipment that can help reduce the spread of a fire or speed up an evacuation. However, they are equally just as important. 

First Aid Kits

Perhaps a secondary risk to a fire in the workplace, first aid kits are just as essential when it comes to fire safety. Your business can have rigorous fire safety measures in place and accidents can still happen. Whether this is from the panic and chaos of the evacuation or an injury sustained by the heat, flames or smoke of the fire, a first aid kit will always come in handy. 

To ensure your first aid kit is as useful as possible, it must be packed full and stocked up. There is no use having a first aid kit on site that cannot provide the necessary equipment it is expected to contain. Therefore, your business will need to take responsibility for completing an inventory and regularly replenishing stock and replacing anything that is out of date. It is recommended to use your regular fire safety checks to also assess if everything is present with your first aid kits.

Fire Documentation Storage Cabinets

Last but by no means least, fire document storage cabinets are incredibly useful for keeping a record of all your premise’s fire risk assessments, including maintenance checks, reports and monthly tests. If all the documentation is kept in one place, when the time comes for an official inspection, you will be able to easily locate a record of your fire safety measures. Moreover, as fire risk assessments are a legal requirement, keeping this documentation in a lockable storage cabinet is advisable. 

Buy your First Aid Equipment and Eye Wash Stations here.