Fire Alarm Systems and Evacuation Plans for Businesses

In the event of an emergency such as a fire breaking out in your business premises, the last thing you would want is to be unprepared on how to respond to it. Fires are an incredibly dangerous thing that can escalate within seconds if the correct action is not taken in time. This can damage valuable business property and endanger the safety of the occupants of the building.

Emergency preparedness is detrimental to stopping the spread of fire and minimising the damage caused by it. It is extremely important to have a fire alarm system and evacuation plan in place so that the fire can be detected at the earliest and everyone in the workplace knows what to do in case of a fire emergency.

Read on to find out all about fire safety in businesses, the importance of emergency preparedness and fire alarms, and evacuation plans for businesses:

FIRE SAFETY FOR BUSINESSES

Fire safety is an important part of any business’s risk mitigation strategy, and compliance with fire safety regulations is mandatory for all businesses in the UK. Fire and safety regulations in the UK are very strict and require businesses to take appropriate action to prevent fires from occurring and minimise damages and injuries caused during the process.

These regulations include:

• The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO),
• BS 5839-1,
• BS EN 54,
• Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and
• Local Building Regulations.

You are responsible for fire safety in the business premises if you are the owner, employer, landlord, occupier, or anyone in control of the premises such as the facilitation or building manager. Your duties include carrying out a fire risk assessment, informing the people involved of the risks, putting in place appropriate fire safety measures, planning and preparing for emergencies, and providing fire safety instructions and training to staff and employees.

WHAT IS FIRE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS?

Emergencies can present themselves in several ways and can adversely impact business operations and put employees and clients in harm’s way. They could be anything ranging from natural disasters to cyber-attacks, security incidents, safety accidents, and fires.

What matters most during such emergencies is the initial action taken to mitigate risk as it determines the level of impact it will have on the business. For most businesses, emergency preparedness and planning can be what stands between recovering swiftly or losing everything.

When it comes to fires, having an emergency plan along with fire alarms installed on the premises is the best way to minimise danger.  It ensures minimal damage and helps your business recover from the incident smoothly and swiftly.

Every business property in the UK is required by the law to have proper fire safety procedures in place that are known to all those present on the premises. Proper training must be provided to all the employees and staff members, and everyone should be made aware of the emergency routes, evacuation plans, and fire exits. They should also be notified of the steps to take in case a fire breaks out.

When everyone on the premises is aware of the protocol to follow, it helps avoid confusion and panic, save lives, and minimises property damage. The main purpose of emergency preparedness is to prepare everyone for unforeseen incidents such as fires and to minimise the impact they may have on the business.

Emergency preparedness comprises the following things:

• Fire risk assessment: thoroughly investigating the business premises for all kinds of fire-related threats and the people affected by it.
• Fire detection systems: installing fire alarms for identifying emergencies at the earliest and quickly alerting everyone on the premises for immediate response.
• Emergency procedures: establishing procedures and protocols for raising manual fire alarms, calling emergency services, and using firefighting equipment if the need arises.
• Evacuation plan: having a clear and mapped-out evacuation plan in the event of a fire is crucial. This includes highlighting the evacuation routes, emergency exits, and assembly points.
• Roles and responsibilities: delegating responsibilities to employees and appointing a fire warden to undertake both preventive and reactive duties.
• Training and awareness: conducting regular fire drills to ensure all the employees and staff members are familiar with the evacuation procedures and escape routes. This also includes fire safety training and making sure everyone knows how to activate the fire alarm system and what to do after it.

IMPORTANCE OF FIRE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FOR BUSINESSES

Emergency preparedness is important for all businesses for the following reasons:

Safety and Protection

Having a proper emergency and evacuation plan in place by providing clear guidelines in case of fire ensures that your employees, staff, clients, and customers are all protected and can safely evacuate in the event of a fire-related emergency. A fire safety plan also protects your business from damages and the subsequent financial losses that follow.

Legal Compliance

Fire safety is a serious matter in the UK and all businesses are required to take the necessary steps to mitigate this risk and promote a healthier and safer working environment for all their employees. Failure to do so may result in legal action and can become a roadblock in the business’s growth and success.

Reduced Liabilities and Costs

Being prepared for emergencies and having a fire strategy in place can help reduce damages and liabilities in case of a fire and show that you’ve taken the necessary steps to minimise risk and protect your employees and customers. This may also help reduce your insurance costs.

Increased Efficiency and Growth

A well-established fire emergency plan can help increase your business’s efficiency as it is directly linked to minimising disruptions. By reducing unnecessary costs, it can also help improve overall business growth and continuity.

FIRE ALARMS SYSTEMS FOR BUSINESSES

Fires are one of the most serious and dangerous types of emergencies that could befall any business. If not detected and contained at the right time, they could wreak havoc and lead to loss of valuable life and property.

For this reason, fire safety is an incredibly important part of business safety, and all commercial properties are required to have appropriate fire safety measures in place including fire detection systems.

Fire alarm systems are useful fire safety equipment that detect the earliest signs of a fire using a series of sensors and detectors and send out an alert to warn everyone of the danger. They can either be manual or automatic, or a combination of both, depending on the level of fire protection required by the business.

Manual fire alarm systems consist of pull stations that need to be activated by a human to raise an alarm for a fire. These systems do not have sensors and detectors connected to them and require the people on the premises to detect the fire and raise the alarm.

Automatic fire alarms, as the name suggests, are automated systems that use a range of sensors and detectors placed throughout the business. These sensors pick up on the earliest signs of fire including fire, smoke, heat, and gas, and automatically raise an alarm in case one is detected.

Fire alarm systems for businesses can further be divided into conventional systems and addressable systems. Both consist of the same components including a control panel, detection devices, and notification devices. The difference is in the way they are linked.

Conventional fire alarm systems are set up in zones with each initiating device linked to the control panel on its own wire. Instead of identifying which device has been activated on the system during a trigger, they identify the floor or the zone that the device is linked to.

Addressable fire alarm systems have a unique address for each detection device and each device is monitored from a central location. They can pinpoint the exact location of the activated device instead of just identifying the zone.

When choosing the best fire alarm system for your business, you need to keep in mind a few factors to make the right decision in terms of fire safety and detection. They include the size and nature of your business, the location of the building, and the specific features that you require.

If you are unsure about the right fire alarm system for your business, it is best to consult with a professional service provider such as Calder Security for recommendations on the right system and the ideal locations to install the detection devices.

WHAT IS A FIRE EVACUATION PLAN?

A fire evacuation plan is a strategy devised to ensure quick and safe evacuation of everyone on the premises in the event of a fire. Most people do not know what to do during an emergency, which leads to damages and casualties that can be prevented with emergency preparedness and the appropriate evacuation strategies.

Having a fire evacuation plan helps you gain some level of control of the situation and helps rescue services put out the fire more quickly. In short, it can save lives! It is also an important part of workplace safety compliance according to the UK fire safety legislation.

A fire evacuation plan should include the following:

Roles and responsibilities

Roles and responsibilities must be delegated throughout the organisation so that everyone knows what they are supposed to do in an emergency. This helps with better organisation, coordination, and overall better emergency preparedness.

A few examples of these responsibilities include contacting emergency services, conducting a headcount to ensure everyone is safe, and providing guidance and giving updates during an emergency.

Appointing a fire warden, also referred to as a fire marshal, is also an important part of a fire safety strategy. Fire wardens are individuals who have undergone proper training to take the necessary steps to prevent fires from erupting and are an integral part of any organisation. They also play a crucial role in case a fire breaks out by trying to minimise the damage and assisting other people with safe evacuation.

Clear escape routes and emergency exits

All businesses in the UK are mandated by law to have clear escape routes and emergency exits. Their placement must be strategically planned and there must be adequate escape routes to accommodate everyone in the building.

The main purpose of escape routes and emergency exits is to provide a safe and quick exit to safety and lead to outdoor assembly points away from the threat. Everyone on the premises must be made aware of their location and should know how to access them in case of an emergency. For better understanding, diagrams of the safety routes and emergency exits can be placed all over the premises.

All escape routes must be as easy to access as possible, clearly marked with visible signs, free of any obstructions, and well-illuminated so that they always remain visible. The use of emergency lighting ensures visibility even in case of a power outage.

Communication with emergency contacts and services

Informing fire and rescue services in the event of an emergency should be the first step after the presence of a fire is detected. Fires can spread rapidly if they are not contained at the right time and can wreak havoc and endanger the safety of everyone on the premises.

Clear communication protocols must be established from the get-go and information regarding the emergency must be shared with the relevant individuals on a priority basis. This also includes having keyholders who automatically get notified in case of an emergency.

Most businesses also opt for professional monitoring services where the fire alarms are constantly monitored and responded to in an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) by safety experts. This ensures that all fire alarm activations are responded to, even after business hours, and the fire and rescue services are automatically notified and dispatched.

This reduces the responsibility of the employees and allows them to focus solely on getting themselves and their colleagues to safety as quickly as possible.

Training and fire drills

Emergency preparedness and an effective evacuation plan include training the employees and staff on fire safety and the protocols to follow. They should recognise and be able to identify fire hazards, understand fire prevention strategies, and be well informed on the procedures to follow in the event of a fire.

Proper fire safety training should be a part of every business’s safety plan, and any updates to the fire evacuation plan must be communicated to all those involved. This must be ensured by ‘the responsible person’, whether it is the owner of the business, the employer, the manager, or any other person in charge of safety.

The evacuation plan must also include information about the firefighting equipment present on site including fire extinguishers, fire blankets, sprinklers, fire buckets, fire hose reels, and fire hydrants. All employees must be aware of their location and should have the necessary training to use them in an emergency.

Fire drills must be carried out every year at the minimum to make sure everyone knows what to do in the case of an emergency and there is minimal chaos and confusion. They can be carried out more frequently depending on the level of risk present and in certain situations, such as changes to the business or a new employee joining the workforce.

These drills are not only important for emergency preparedness but can also be used to identify flaws and weaknesses in the evacuation plan. Improvements can then be made, such as changing the escape routes, updating and rearranging safety equipment, and changing roles and responsibilities, so that when an actual emergency presents itself, things are much smoother and easier to manage.

Make sure to record every fire drill, along with any adjustments and changes needed to improve the evacuation plan. Document every action and evaluate it for future purposes as well as for legal compliance.

CONTACT CALDER SECURITY

At Calder Security, we offer you a comprehensive solution for your commercial fire safety needs that includes professional installation, maintenance, monitoring, and repair.

We understand that every commercial property is different, and the specification of the system depends on several factors including the type and size of the building, the nature of the business, and the number of employees and staff.

We can help you cut through all that and advise you on the best fire detection system for your property that complies with British Standards, HSE, Building Regulations, and Fire Officer Guidelines, in addition to meeting the requirements of business insurance.

We also understand fire regulations and provide professional maintenance checks and reminders for when the checks are due to help you stay compliant with the law. We work fast to restore your fire alarm system to excellent condition and always strive to meet your expectations.

We offer various levels of monitoring via a 24-hour monitoring centre using Dualcom and BT Redcare signalling, which is the most secure alarm monitoring system and the largest supplier of intelligent alarm signalling services in the UK.

If your system starts to malfunction, you can rely on our highly skilled engineers to restore your system to full working order in one visit. We offer a 24-hour call-out service for customers and can also repair fire alarms not installed by us thanks to our extensive knowledge and experience.

Contact us here or call us at 0800 612 9799 to talk to our experts for more information on emergency preparedness, fire alarms, and evacuation plans for businesses.

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