Introduction
Fire safety equipment is important to any commercial building, ensuring the safety of workers and other individuals inside in the event of a fire. However, having this equipment isn’t enough. It is essential to know when this equipment needs to be replaced so that you’re fully prepared should a fire break out.
Our checklist shows you exactly what needs to be replaced, how often it should be replaced and the most important equipment for you to regularly replace to keep your workplace as safe as possible.
Your Fire Safety Equipment
Regarding workplace safety, fire safety equipment is among some of the most important that can be present in a commercial building. Workplace fires are becoming more frequent due to the increased amount of electrical equipment in the workplace, among other factors. As a result, your equipment must be up to scratch to combat a fire should one break out.
Your commercial building should have all of the required fire safety equipment, but knowing when this equipment needs to be replaced can be challenging. Many people believe that there is no expiration date to pieces of fire equipment. Although some pieces of equipment do not have an official expiration date, they do have a window of time in which they will work at 100% capacity.
You are responsible for ensuring all your equipment is always working at this capacity. It can potentially mean the difference between life and death in some situations. But how can you know when to replace certain pieces of equipment if there's no expiration date on them? Not to worry, we've done all the hard work for you there. Below is our list of the fire safety equipment you should have on your commercial property and how often each item should be replaced.
Equipment Checklist & Replacement Schedule
When looking at your fire safety equipment, it is essential to know when you should be replacing each piece to keep them at their total capacity. Let's run through this equipment and when you should be replacing each part.
Fire Extinguisher
Fire extinguishers are the first piece of equipment that springs to mind when you think of fire safety equipment, and when well-maintained, they can save lives! Although fire extinguishers do not have an expiration date, they have an unwritten life cycle of between 5 and 10 years, depending on the type of extinguisher you have. After this period, you may find that your fire extinguisher does not perform as well as you may need it to.
We recommend replacing your fire extinguishers every 5 or 10 years (depending on the extinguisher) to keep them performing at their full capacity. When you need them, this replacement could buy you and your workers valuable time and could potentially save lives. It is also essential that fire extinguishers are inspected properly on an annual basis, and regularly maintained with monthly checks to keep them working at their optimal level.
Smoke Detectors
Smoke detectors can be a vital tool for discovering a fire early. Smoke detectors are just as necessary as other pieces of equipment. Although smoke detectors are a long-term piece of equipment, there are two ways to replace this piece of equipment. A smoke detector's batteries should be replaced annually to ensure your detector is working as it should be.
When it comes to replacing the actual detector itself, this should be done every 8-10 years if there is no sign of evident damage that causes you to replace this early. Smoke detectors are electrical equipment and have a finite life cycle. Replacing them should be crucial to your fire safety procedures.
Fire Signage
Fire Signage is critical to any commercial property. It can be a life-saving piece of equipment when placed and maintained correctly. The signage does not have a set replacement timescale, but it should be replaced should the sign become unclear or damaged. This is on a much more individual basis and should be inspected regularly to ensure all signage is clear, visible and undamaged.
If your signage does not meet the criteria listed above, you should replace it immediately. This is to ensure it can do its job properly if a fire breaks out.
Fire Doors
Fire doors are a legal requirement for the property owner to install in all buildings apart from private houses as they are designed to restrict a fire and slow down the spread. Fire doors are designed to give occupants of a building vital time to evacuate and get to a safe place. These doors are potentially critical to the safety of building occupants if a fire breaks out.
Although there is no set amount of time in which a fire door should be replaced, it should be regularly inspected (approximately every six months). If there is any damage to the fire doors or any reason they would not work as they are designed to, you should get them replaced or repaired immediately.
Fire Sprinklers
Despite this not being a legal requirement for businesses, a sprinkler system will be used in most commercial buildings. Sprinklers can put out smaller fires or have the ability to delay larger fires, giving individuals vital time to exit the building. These systems require regular maintenance and upkeep by licensed inspectors to keep them in working order.
You do not need to replace the entire sprinkler system as they are built for longevity. However, sprinkler heads do not last forever, even with regular maintenance. Sprinkler heads must be replaced approximately every five years to prevent any potential leaks or malfunctions. Doing this ensures they will distribute water properly in the event of a fire.
In addition, annual inspections of the whole system must be held to ensure no rusting or backing up of water has taken place.
How Can We Help You?
When it comes to replacing your important fire safety equipment, it is an area where quality matters. Here at London Fire Solutions, we pride ourselves on delivering industry-leading products and services to our fantastic customers. We keep our customers safe and give them peace of mind should a fire occur. We can help with:
If you'd like to hear more about how we can help you replace your fire safety equipment and have any questions for us, contact us today! Our fantastic team of fire safety experts are more than happy to answer your questions and help you take the next step to a safer working environment.
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