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They take a moment to ignite and just minutes to take thousands of lives and to destroy millions of dollars worth of properties each year. And the most tragic part of it is that much of this loss could have been completely avoided by preventing the dangerous hazards that created them in the first place. Fire codes are in place to help businesses avoid creating the conditions that lead to these tragedies. Violating these codes can also lead to seep fines. A fire marshal can come through a building at any time so it is important to take steps to stay code compliant and avoid fines.
Important Ways to Avoid Fines
Ensure that your street address is clearly visible on the front of your building and easily visible from the road.
If you use a fire alarm monitoring system or a fire sprinkler system, make sure that you have a key vault that will allow the fire department to access your building if a fire starts during non-business hours.
If you have fire hydrants on your property, make sure they are easily visible and not obstructed by landscaping or any other structures and have three feet of clearance on all sides.
Keep the fire lanes in front of your building are cleared of obstructions.
All walkways, hallways, stairways, and paths to exits are free from obstructions.
Doors must be able to be opened by one person without aid, easily.
If the doors are locked, they must not require complex knowledge, keys or tools to operate.
Exit doors must be able to open in one motion.
Emergency lights and exit signs must work properly in both normal and emergency power modes.
Secure all pressurized cylinders (full or empty) to prevent falling.
Fire extinguishers must remain properly charged and easily accessible in case of an emergency.
Keep all electrical outlets, junction boxes, and circuit breaker panels covered with appropriate cover plates.
If you have any openings in circuit breaker boxes
Make sure openings in circuit breaker boxes are covered by an appropriate plug to contain any sparks of arcs.
Avoid the use of electrical extension cords, especially in place of permanent wiring.
Never staple an extension cord (or any power cord) to furniture or a wall.
Provide adequate ceiling clearance for storage.
Properly store all chemicals.
Make sure work areas are properly vented.
Properly seal all openings in rated enclosures made for pipes, wiring, and ducts.
If you have questions about fire alarms systems and sprinklers, call Sentry Alarm today!
If you want to install fire safety alarms on your property to avoid fire incidents, always choose Mobile Locksmith specialists because they install the best fire safety alarms at reliable cost.