An essential part of your Fire Protection Strategy, and just as your ‘Risk Assessment’, Fire Alarm maintenance Contracts need to be in written form and updated regularly (at least annually)

Automatic Fire Detection System

Emergency Lights

Fire Extinguishers

Need to be checked periodically by a ‘competent’ person to ensure that its integrity is safeguarded and it is able to sound an alarm if called upon.

This process is not just liaising with your Fire Company you should also remember that you also need to:
Test the system regularly

Have a written evacuation plan, communicate it to your employees and practice it.

Have trained ‘Fire Wardens’ to help others where necessary.

Report any faults to your ‘fire emergency systems’ immediately and log the fact.

Remember also that if you have people on site with disabilities, do you need to upgrade any existing system by adding strobe lighting for the ‘hearing impaired’, do you need to add ‘induction loop’ technology to the building for employees or visitors.

The object of all these procedures is to safeguard ‘life’ and prevent injury to persons on or within the premises for which you are responsible for, and in order to achieve this they need to be alerted as soon as possible to an emergency situation and be provided with a means to escape.

The other party to these responsibilities which so far have not been mentioned are your ‘Insurers’, they are important to your business as they will be expected to make good losses arising from a ‘Fire situation’.

They will of course judge any claim made on the basis of a proper and working system being in place, and that it was working correctly at the time. They will know the legislation and standards relating to Fire systems and failure to comply may weaken your right to claim.