A Guide To Fire Protection Equipment
Correctly implemented, quality fire protection can be the difference between life and death.
Fire protection can be defined as the measures taken to mitigate the unwanted effects of destructive fires.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 states that “every business owner in England has to make general fire precautions to ensure the safety of any of his employees”.
Every employer is, therefore, required to mitigate the risks of a fire breaking out.
Some fire protection measures could include safety planning, fire risk education, fire-resistant buildings and safety practice/drills.
In order to maintain high standards of fire protection, you are going to need quality fire protection equipment.
By doing so, you will not only protect your building but you could also save the lives of many.
In this blog, we will breakdown everything you need to know about fire protection equipment.
Our goal is to provide you with the information to make more informed decisions when it comes to your fire protection.
So, let’s get started!
What is fire protection equipment?
The Regulatory Reform Order, mentioned above, also states that all UK businesses are required to invest in sufficient fire safety equipment.
If you are still scratching your head as to what fire protection equipment is, we have you covered.
The equipment your business requires will be completely dependant on your needs and your business premises.
Although there is no one-size-fits-all approach, fire protection equipment can include:
In order to understand what fire safety equipment your business needs, you should conduct a fire risk assessment to assess fire hazards, safety issues and escape routes.
If you are looking for more information on whether you need a fire risk assessment, you can read our blog about it here.
Alternatively, if you are ready, you can book a risk assessment.
Once you understand the potential risks in your building, you are then in a much better position to purchase the equipment specific to your needs.
Why is fire protection equipment important?
In 2018/19 the fire rescue service (FRS) carried out 49,327 Fire Safety Audits in the UK.
However, only 67% of the audits were deemed satisfactory. This means that 33% of audits, or over 16,000 premises, didn’t meet the fire safety standards set by the Government.
Not only does this mean they aren’t meeting the correct standards but it also means many people’s lives are at risk.
By installing fire protection equipment, such as fire extinguishers or smoke alarms, you will help to protect your staff, customers and people located outside of your business too.
Preventing fires is just as important as fire protection. With the correct fire safety equipment, you are putting the steps in place to prevent fires from happening in the first place.
Whilst it’s crucial to have the correct equipment in place, training your employees so they are confident in your procedures and can effectively utilise the equipment is also critical.
What fire protection equipment do I need?
The fire protection equipment you will need will depend on the type and size of business you have.
However, here’s some fundamental fire safety equipment that most businesses need to have.
Warning Signs
Everyone has seen a fire warning sign at some point in their life.
And for good reason.
A warning sign can be the key to safely directing someone out of the building in the event of a fire.
Leaving through the right exits are imperative in the case of an emergency, so signs need to be easy to read and understandable for everyone.
Ultimately, a warning sign acts as a safety measure to warn passersby of a potential threat. For example, on a construction site, there may be areas to avoid that can be brought to people’s attention with a warning sign.
Emergency Lighting
In some instances, a fire may affect the electricity supply in a building.
This could then lead to the lights in the office being blown, making it even harder to navigate through the building.
Emergency lighting can solve this problem by using a battery as a backup power source, to assist a safe and quick evacuation.
As well as giving people a safer way to leave an emergency, emergency lighting can reduce businesses time and costs associated with fixing a mains power fail.
Fire Extinguishers
This seems one like a no-brainer but it needs to be mentioned nevertheless.
Every business needs to have working fire extinguishers.
With different types of fires comes different types of fire extinguishers.
Foam, wet chemical, powder and CO2 extinguishers all have their individual purposes and applications.
Having the correct fire extinguishers should be essential for every business.
Fire extinguishers will help to limit the spread of the fire which then reduces the amount of pollution and smoke caused by the incident.
To ensure you meet the legal standard for fire safety and fire protection, you absolutely need to have the correct fire extinguishers in your building.
You can find out more about different types of fire extinguishers here.
Fire Blankets
While the size of fire blankets may vary from business to business, the purpose still remains the same.
A fire blanket is a flame-resistant blanket that will allow you to smother small fires yourself, cutting off the oxygen supply from the fire.
With fire blankets, you can expect an affordable, easy to use way of putting out fires.
One of the main benefits of fire blankets is that they can put out fires on people, something that you cannot do using a fire extinguisher.
Fire blankets can also be used to wrap around someone in the case of a fire.
Fire protection equipment installation
Finding a reliable company to install your fire protection equipment can sometimes be a challenge.
But, it doesn’t have to be.
At Parr Fire Protection Services, we are a specialist fire safety company with a trusted reputation for providing high quality, reliable fire safety products and fire equipment throughout the UK.
As one of the leading suppliers of fire protection services in the UK, we can safely say we have the expertise your business requires.
We are currently based in Bolton providing fire extinguishers, fire safety equipment, fire alarms, fire doors, fire maintenance & support and fire training nationwide.
We have the coverage for larger service contracts with members of the team at every corner of the UK. We carry out annual servicing for companies both large and small from the Scottish Highlands to Cornwall.
What Parr-Group can do for your business
At Parr Group, all of our customers can expect:
1. To get their business protected for fire risks.
2. Be compliant with all current fire regulations.
3. To have the correct firefighting and fire safety equipment.
4. Quality maintenance of fire protection equipment.
5. Receive the right advice and excellent service.
So, if you are looking for fire protection equipment, fire training courses, risk assessment audits or annual servicing, Parr-Group has you covered.
For more information or a quote, please get in touch with us below and find out how we can help you with fire protection.