Protecting your business or commercial property from fires should always be your priority. According to ZipDo, workplace fires lead to $2.4 billion in direct property damage annually. That statistic highlights the real fire risk that many business owners have to deal with. Thankfully, various pieces of fire protection equipment available today can protect your space from that hazard. Here are four critical pieces of fire protection equipment you should have for your commercial property.
1. Fire Alarms
The first piece of equipment you need for your business is a fire alarm. Ideally, fire alarms should be set up in any part of your home where fires could quickly develop. These fire alarms don’t have to be manually triggered before they start making noise. Instead, they’ll start working when they detect smoke or other common signs of a commercial fire.
2. Fire Extinguishers
Not every fire that starts on your commercial property warrants a visit from the fire department. Sometimes a significant but manageable fire may develop due to an accident. Of course, it would only be manageable if you have some fire extinguishers. Use the fire extinguisher to smother the fire and put it out before it becomes a real threat to your safety.
3. Fire Sprinklers
Unlike other fire protection equipment, fire sprinklers are probably the most significant additions. Even so, you shouldn’t hesitate to add them to your property. In our experience, many commercial properties are required to have these in place. After all, your sprinklers could make the difference between your business suffering minor damage and burning to the ground.
Your sprinklers can prevent a large fire from getting out of hand. They can also buy valuable time for the firefighters. Just remember to keep your sprinklers properly maintained so they work as intended.
4. Backflow Prevention Systems
The last critical item you should have on your commercial property is a backflow prevention system. Unlike the equipment detailed in this article, backflow prevention will not fight, prevent, or alert you to fires. You’re adding that feature to your property because it stops the water in your sprinklers from flowing back into your supply. The occurrence of backflow could lead to cross-contamination and potential illnesses, so preventing that is a must, especially if you have a customer-facing business.
Preventing commercial fires takes more than due diligence; you also need the right equipment available for your property. Contact us at CertiPro Fire & Life Safety, Inc today, and we’ll supply the essential items needed to round out your business’s fire protection!