As the owner of a business, you’re responsible for making sure your premises abide by the fire safety standards set by the government. From carrying out regular risk assessments to getting employees to take part in a fire drill, there are plenty of fire safety measures to take into account. Perhaps one of the most important factors of fire prevention and safety is the installation of potentially life-saving equipment. By ensuring your business is equipped with the following tools you can reduce the likelihood of a fire and protect employees and customers from danger.

Fire detection systems

Every business must have fire detection systems in place and these must be tested every week to ensure they’re in working order. Some businesses choose to have detection systems that are automatically linked to the fire department so that help is called immediately.

Warning signs

People can understandably become panicked in the event of a fire. Some employees might forget the escape plan they were taught during fire drills and visitors to the building could become lost. For this reason, it’s crucial that you include signs around the building to instruct people to leave through the right exits. Signs must also explain where the assembly point can be found. Exit routes must be clearly marked and signs should be easy for people of any language to understand.

Emergency lighting

Some fires have an impact on the electricity supply in a building, making the premises dark and difficult to navigate. To keep both employees and visitors safe, emergency lighting is required. An emergency light fitting will include a battery as a backup power source. When the power fails, the emergency light fitting will automatically start using the battery for power.

Fire extinguishers

Every business must have working fire extinguishers to tackle small fires when they occur.

There are different types of fire extinguisher and each one tackles a different type of fire, so it’s important to get the right one for your business.

Fire extinguishers are often misused, whether it’s to prop open a door or spray a colleague as a prank. Using an extinguishers for anything other than a fire can be costly and dangerous, so be sure to remind employees not to misuse them.

Automatic sprinkler systems

Some businesses choose to have automatic sprinkler systems installed so that fires can be quickly extinguished without much intervention from humans. They’re incredibly effective and most fires that occur in businesses with sprinklers are controlled before the fire service even arrives on the scene.

Fire blankets

A fire blanket can allow you to smother small fires yourself. The type of fire blanket you’ll need will depend on your business. For example, if you own a restaurant or a business that stores flammable liquids, you’ll need a 1.8m x 1.75m blanket with a special pull tab so it can be opened quickly.