National Fire Prevention Week is October 9 – 15, 2016

In 2014, there were 1,298,000 reported structural fires, representing 2,860 deaths and 13,425 injuries. These fires caused over $9.8 billion in property loss, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Further, workplace fires can disrupt business operations and lead to costly workers’ compensation claims.

National Fire Prevention Week is designed to increase awareness of how individuals and businesses can prevent the loss of life and other costs of undetected fire.

In Homes …

Don’t Wait – Check the Date! Home smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years. To educate your employees about home fire safety, download and post this NFPA tip sheet.

After April 1, 2010, all new residential construction and replacement smoke detectors in Iowa must use dual sensor smoke detectors. For more information, please refer to the Iowa State Fire Marshal’s requirements and standards for smoke alarms.

In the Workplace …

All commercial buildings should have a reliable fire detection and warning system that is designed to the structure and specific workplace considerations, and that meets or exceeds current local, state and federal code requirements.

The Health and Safety Authority offers this checklist to help you ensure that adequate precautions have been taken in your workplace:

• Where necessary, is a fire detection and alarm system installed?
• Is all fire detection and alarm equipment regularly checked?
• Are there instructions for relevant employees about testing of equipment?
• Are those who test and maintain the equipment properly trained to do so?
• Can the existing means of detection discover a fire quickly enough to raise an alarm in time for all the occupants to escape to a safe place?
• Can the means for giving warning be clearly heard and understood throughout the whole premises when initiated from any single point?
• If the fire detection and warning system is electrically powered, does it have a back-up power supply?
• Have you told your employees about your fire warning system, will they know how to operate it and respond to it?
• Are there instructions for your employees on how to operate the fire warning system and what action they should take on hearing a warning?
• Have you included the fire detection and fire warning arrangements in your emergency plan?

If you need expert assistance with your fire alarm systems, please contact Baker Group. Learn more >>