Commercial property losses can create millions of dollars of damage, not to mention the risk to the lives of the occupants in the buildings. According to the NFPA, business or retail commercial fires alone accounted for $852,387,668, in loss on average annually from 2013-2017. In order to prevent this type of loss, a commercial property fire protection plan is necessary.

As a commercial property owner, it is your responsibility to your occupants is to comply with the laws regarding fire safety. These following five fire protection services will reduce the chance of loss if a fire does occur in your commercial building.

Alarm System

Every commercial building should be equipped with an alarm system that will let occupants know if there is a fire in the building. In large buildings especially, people on the other side of the building might not be aware of any fire danger until they hear the alarm. They will be able to exit the building safely.  Fire alarm systems should be inspected every year to ensure they are in proper working order.

Fire Alarm Monitoring

Just having fire alarms in buildings is not enough. Fire alarms in commercial buildings should be monitored allday long in case one does go off. The system should be ULC-listed.

Emergency Lighting System

It is required by law that your commercial building has an emergency exit and lighting system to help guide occupants out of the building safely. The lighting system should be in compliance with NFPA 101, which means it needs to be checked every month and annually. OSHA requires that the system provide the correct amount of illumination for every exit. This is important so that you are not subject to fines.

Fire Extinguishers

Fire extinguishers are important because they are a visible reminder for occupants. They should be available for people to use in several locations throughout the dwelling. Optimally, they should be placed so that a person never has to walk more than 75 feet to reach one. Depending on the type of building, more than one type of extinguisher may be needed. They also need to be inspected annually to make sure they are in proper working condition.

Sprinkler System

A sprinkler system helps to cut the amount of damage and loss that a fire does by preventing the flames from travelling. It also allows people to exit the building safely. There are different types of systems, depending on the type of fire it needs to put out.

A fire in a commercial building can be catastrophic to the occupants and businesses that are in it. As the property owner, you need to make sure that your building is properly equipped to handle a fire. APFE’s full product line of fire prevention items will ensure that your building and the people in it are protected.