As a commercial business in Florida, you need to be prepared for every possibility and have the best commercial building security as part of an overall plan to keep everyone safe in the workplace. That umbrella needs to include Fire Watch Security Services as well, but unfortunately, there might be times when your building fire alarms are temporarily down and that’s when you’ll need to make sure everyone is well-versed in a workplace plan.
First off, it’s important that employees understand the nature of the fire threat and that any comprehensive fire watch will include educating people about preventing arson by locking windows and doors after business hours and keeping areas around the building free from any kind of debris that could burn. Good commercial security services will also suggest you designate one person to turn off all appliances at the end of the day or shift to prevent electrical fires. Electrical cords need to be checked for damage as well.
Response Plans
Complicating matters, there are times during unforeseen circumstances when your building fire alarms might go down and it’s important everyone understands their part in any fire response plans. For example:
- Employees need to know the location of all the stairwells and exit doors. Professional fire watch security services will also help management understand the importance of letting everyone know where the fire doors are as well as the location of fire extinguishers on each and every floor of the building.
- Commercial security services should also be adept at pointing out some of the hazards that people need to watch for in a building where the smoke alarms are unresponsive. Blocked stairways are a hazard and missing or broken safety equipment should be repaired and or replaced immediately.
- A 24-hour fire watch emergency plan needs to be updated on a regular basis whether the fire alarms are working or not. You need a proven fire watch company. For example, it’s very important that everyone who works inside the building understands where they should meet in the event of an emergency on the outside so those unaccounted for can quickly be found. A fire watch is a very important service that relies on a CCTV camera system, which is also a priority for any commercial building.
- Having a commercial building security plan should work hand-in-hand with the response plans for a fire emergency when the alarms are out. If the employees are unable to leave the building, it’s important they understand how to seal the doors shut and stay under any smoke until help arrives
The fire codes in your areas will dictate the number of fire extinguishers and the size of these units for the building where you work. People designated to be in charge of these fire response plans need to be up to date on the size and class requirements of each fire extinguisher and how many need to be operational in any building.
Commercial security services can be an invaluable help when it comes to putting together the details of a fire response plan, especially for situations where the smoke alarms are temporarily disabled. It’s a good idea to make sure all the important points are written and everyone has an updated copy for reference. Alerting others when a fire breaks in your building and phoning 911 are always two of the very first steps anyone should take.