Regardless of what industry you work in, it is vital that, as a business owner, you understand the risks presented to you in a workplace – one of these being the risk of fire. Fires in the UK contribute to more than £8 billion worth of damage to homes and businesses in the UK annually, not to mention the countless lives that are lost every year.
The need to detect and act quickly in the event of a fire is obvious.Thankfully, there are effective fire detection systems available to give you the best possible chance of getting out unscathed in the event of a fire.
Laws
There are certain laws and legislations in place to ensure employees are protected and company buildings have the appropriate level of protection from fires, and if not followed, the company could be subject to criminal charges.
You must have a fire detection and warning system in place, and different types of detectors may be required, depending on the type of building and the work carried out in it. Furthermore, regular checks must be carried out to ensure that your fire detection systems are working, and there are no faults. Failure to comply with these rules and procedures could land you up to 2 years in prison.
Penalties
Local fire and rescue officers should visit businesses in the area to conduct fire risk assessments, and check that the fire prevention measures are appropriate. They will also offer advice to help you understand the rules and comply with them.
Depending on the severity of the breach of law, they may give out a number of penalties:
Alterations notice – This is the least severe notice and is given out when there is a chance of a high fire risk in the future.
Enforcement notice – An enforcement notice will be given out if the fire and rescue authority finds a serious risk that’s not being managed. It will outline improvements that are needed by a certain date.
Prohibition notice – Given out only in the most severe situations, where there is an immediate risk of fire in the building. This can result in the building being shut down until major improvements are made.
There are also fines of up to £5000 that can be given out to businesses that aren’t carefully following fire safety guidelines, and major penalties can be jail time of up to 2 years. With all this in mind, it’s definitely better to make sure your business is up to scratch with an effective fire detection system. But which system is most appropriate for your business?
Fire Detection Systems
There are a wide array of different systems available, and you could be forgiven for getting confused with which you’re meant to have in your company. Lucky, companies such as CDS Security & Fire can offer expert advice on which systems are best for you, as well as professionally install and test them. We have outlined a few of the most common detection systems below, but make sure that you get professional advice before making your decision.
Conventional Fire Alarms – Conventional fire alarm systems are the entry level for most fire system requirements. These alarms are suitable for small offices, nurseries, small hotels, warehouses, shops and any small business
Analogue Addressable Fire Alarm Systems – location of the fire. Addressable fire alarm systems are ideal for larger premises such as hotels, office blocks and large factories.
Remote Monitoring – The monitoring of fire signals and subsequent transmission to the relevant fire brigade authorities to ensure automatic fire brigade response can be carried out by our 24-hour monitoring and alarm-receiving centre.
