Fires are a devastating reality that affect hundreds of thousands of residential and commercial structures as well as forest areas every year, leaving families and businesses with the sad aftermath of loss and devastation as a result of property and personal damage, or loss of life.
According to the most recent NFPA Journal Fire Loss, a fire department responds to a fire somewhere in the US every 24 seconds, and there is a fire in a structure at the rate of one every 63 seconds. With these far too frequent fire occurrences, consider implementing these five NFPA fire prevention strategies to prevent your commercial building from being included in these staggering statistic.
1. Up to Code
Fire safety NFPA fire safety code compliance is key to prevent fires from destroying your business or hurt its occupants. There are numerous codes business managers must know about and in order to train their employees to implement for employee and customer safety. These codes are important safety standards everyone should know to keep fire safety measures top of mind. Make sure you have the latest codes to keep up with the updated standards.
2. Keep Your Staff In the Know
Businesses are tasked with the responsibility of keeping their staff up to speed with the latest information about code compliance for their jobs. This not only keeps them safe, but the customers and clients they serve as well. A properly-trained workforce that knows how to keep themselves, others, and their work environment safe is an important way to prevent fires in commercial structures.
3. Be Ready, Just In Case
Fire preparedness is so important in helping to mitigate property damage or loss of life, in case of a fire emergency. Be as ready as you can be with training, escape plans and emergency response readiness so your business team will know how best to respond when fire danger strikes your commercial property. Plan and post your escape plan for your staff. In addition, make sure your plan is clear and visible at all exit points for all building occupants throughout your commercial structure.
4. Fire Safety Messaging
We all remember Smoky the Bear as a long-standing household mascot for fire safety and prevention for how to avoid forest and household fires. Fire safety messaging keeps your employees aware of the best ways to protect themselves and their families from the risk of fire damage or death.
5. Keep First Things First
Fire safety measures should be a top priority for commercial business owners to protect all employees and customers from imminent or potential fire dangers. Fire hazards, such as faulty electrical wiring, can be a recipe for disaster for all building occupants, so a commitment to NFPA standards and codes in all parts of the commercial structure is a way to ensure fire protection for its occupants.
These five NFPA-supported fire prevention strategies: code compliance, training, preparedness, messaging, and a solid investment in fire safety and prevention are solid fire protection tips to protect your team and commercial structure safety.