Why a Monthly Fire Extinguisher Inspection is a Must?

Monthly fire inspections are vital for the safety of life and property. We all want to believe wholeheartedly that nothing can harm us, especially fire. But the truth is that there may be issues lurking around the corners that can become a fire hazard in seconds. Furthermore, fire inspections also detect issues in an existing fire safety system that you may not have noticed.

Identifying these issues with the help of fire protection services will help resolve them properly so they can function adequately during fire accidents. Monthly inspections are mandatory, even for buildings with functional fire extinguishers and alarms, to eliminate a single possibility of risk.

Routine inspections are the only way to uncover major and minor problems that otherwise would go unnoticed by the building management or businesses. 

What Happens During Monthly Fire Inspections?

During monthly fire inspections, fire experts comment on the general state of your business premises and the issues that can aggravate the risk of accidents. They address hazards like blocked fire exits, overgrown vegetation, and malfunctioning fire control equipment to resolve the problems.

Apart from ensuring safety, these inspections also help you to adhere to the rules and regulations set down by the government. Conforming to the fire safety codes reduces liability and will also help you with insurance claims.

Your business might be well equipped with alarms, fire sprinklers, and fire suppression agents – but these can only help when they function properly. Monthly fire inspections help keep these tools up and running to work when needed.

Why Is It Essential to Conduct Monthly Fire Inspections?

Protection of Property:

Owning and maintaining a business property is a significant financial investment. Even with insurance, downtime and productivity halts can affect your operations severely. Even a minor fire incident can suspend your business operations indefinitely. With proper fire protection systems and inspections in place, you can entirely avoid fire risks or prevent the event from becoming a major hazard.

Safety of Employees and Clients:

The responsibility for the safety of your employees lies solely on you. Therefore, you must take every measure possible to ensure they are safe while working in the office. Routine monthly inspections of alarms, extinguishers, sprinklers, and emergency exit lighting by fire protection services will help in saving lives if a fire breaks out.

Code Compliance:

Any commercial building must adhere strictly to the standards mentioned in the National Construction Code. That also includes regulations associated with fire protection materials, systems, and elements used in the building. Not complying with these regulations will break the law and impact your insurance rates and premiums. Routine fire safety inspections also fall under these codes.

Insurance Expenses:

Owning a business comes with liability, and to manage that, you need insurance. Insurance premiums become a significant part of your expenses. It is common practice to ask for fire inspection reports as proof when applying for an insurance claim. With some insurance policies, it is now mandatory to submit routine fire inspection reports along with claim applications for property damage or personal injury.

This is done so that the insurance company knows that, as a business owner, you did everything possible to mitigate fire accidents. The insurance providers can reject your application if you fail to provide these proofs.

If you think you are saving time and money by avoiding these routine inspections, think again. You may have to spend money out of your pocket to pay for the damages later, in case of a fire accident.

Mitigate Criminal Liability:

As a business owner, you would never want any untoward incidents in the building. However, if a death or injury occurs on the property due to defective fire safety systems, you would be held responsible for criminal liability. 

The only way to avoid such charges is to provide fire inspection reports. Staying compliant with the fire safety codes and carrying out monthly inspections will keep you in the clear and help you avoid such nightmares if it ever takes place.

Fire safety inspections protect life and property and save money and time in the long run. Ensure that you contact a reputed fire inspection expert to conduct the assessment to get proper opinions and suggestions. Taking fire safety as a priority is the responsibility of every good business owner.