Fire code violations may be an unwelcome response to a recent inspection, but for the sake of safety, resolving the issues is of the utmost importance. Fortunately, most violations are easily resolved and avoided with regular maintenance.
The 4 Most Common Fire Code Violations
- Emergency exits and passageways that are blocked
Emergency exits and passageways meant to lead the way to safety in the event of a fire are only helpful if they are accessible. It's very easy to get in the habit of leaving items out, such as boxes, without giving any thought to whether or not they pose a risk to safety. If during an inspection items are found that could interfere with access to an emergency exit, you will be required to resolve the issue.
Avoiding this problem is relatively simple. Be mindful of emergency exits and placement of items in your establishment. Keep passageways free of clutter and make sure there is plenty of space on either side of exit doors.
- Insufficient lighting
Odds are, your businesses emergency exits haven't seen much use. While this might be good news for your business, it's probably not the best news for your emergency exit lighting. Emergency exit lighting plays a key role in an emergency situation; in essence, it's what leads people to safety. If exit signs and passageways aren't sufficiently illuminated, your business will be in violation of fire codes.
This is also a very simple problem to solve. Include in a to-do list or planner a regular time to inspect lighting. With regular maintenance, there should seldom be a problem with proper illumination.
- Lack of or below standard fire extinguishers
A safety requirement in any establishment, fire extinguishers are a valuable tool in an emergency situation involving fire. Because they aren't regularly used, though, it's not hard to overlook how old they are. Fire extinguishers can become less effective over time. There are also different requirements, depending on the size of the building, for how many fire extinguishers there should be and where they should be located.
Should a fire marshal inspection reveal you need new fire extinguishers, determine how many you'll need and where they'll need to go. Also, make sure they are identifiable and readily accessible in an emergency.
- Smoke detectors and alarms that don't work
Smoke detectors and fire alarms are huge live-saving tools in an emergency. They improve the odds of people getting to safety and significantly lower the risk of injury and death. If for some reason these aren't working properly, a fire marshal inspection will reveal the problem.
This is another one of those problems that solved with regular maintenance. Testing detectors and alarms at regular intervals will ensure that everything is working. Even regular cleaning to remove dust can help. By testing and cleaning on a routine basis, issues can be found and resolved immediately, ensuring the continued safety of those in your establishment.
Planning ahead before your annual fire inspection is an excellent way to resolve potential code violations. You can go it alone and try to resolve the issues you're aware of on your own; or you can hire someone to provide regular maintenance for your establishment.
When it comes to maintaining your establishments' lighting and electrical needs, look no further than Lighting Services, Inc. With a superior team of certified and licensed technicians, you can rest assured that your lighting and electrical will be code compliant and safe in an emergency. Services that are specifically helpful ahead of the visit from the fire marshal are emergency lighting inspections and fire extinguisher inspections.
Let Lighting Services, Inc. help you avoid fire code violations. For more information about how we can help, please contact us.
