| A fire safety plan is not at its best without designing a life safety plan into it.
There are ways to effectively incorporate a life safety plan to your fire safety plan. Here are some essential steps to get your life safety plan on a good foot:
1. Be aware of building codes. Codes and standards are in place for a reason. Your life safety plan should always be a top priority. As a building owner or facility manager, your building codes must comply with fire codes and life safety practices. Your fire protection plan should be evaluated and it should exceed local code requirements to provide added life safety protection.
2. Know how the building functions. This is important because your life safety plan needs to be tailored to the specific building type, how the building is used and the building structure. Some essential questions to ask about the building are as followed:
– What types of building occupants are present? – Does the building have an operating room that’s oxygen enriched? – Are there any flammable or combustible materials? – Is there a data center or telecommunication room? – Is a commercial kitchen in the building?
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3. Have Portable Fire Extinguishers. The NFPA sets the standard for portable fire extinguishers. To pick the appropriate portable fire extinguishers, you need to identify the type, size, placement and number of extinguishers required for your building codes.
4. Have Defend-in-Place Fire Protection Equipment. This type of life safety equipment is designed to protect people from the initial development of building fires. Here is defend-in-place fire protection equipment: portable fire extinguishers and standpipe fire hose stations. Defend-in-Place Fire Protection should be present in offices, dormitories, schools, hotels, hospitals and airports to lengthen time available to evacuate.
5. Have fire suppression systems designed and installed. Why? Fire suppression systems help with quick on-site protection when fires are at the earliest stages of development. For example, pre-engineered fire suppression systems work best for special hazard fire situations that occur in restaurants and industrial buildings.
6. Have a Prepared Evacuation Plan. All exit signage locations and emergency communications should be identified to users. The building should have well-lit exit signs and escape plan should be practiced on a regular basis. Primary and secondary exits should be mapped for building occupants.
Individuals should practice the following tactics during fire evacuation practices:
– Teach building occupants to stay low to the ground to avoid smoke.
– They should do their best to stay close to windows to protect themselves from smoke.
– Learn how to signal to firefighters their location. This can be done with clothing or a light.
-Have personnel trained and have in-house safety seminars throughout the year by manufacturers.
Fireline can design, furnish and install all types of Carbon Dioxide protection systems. Learn about our Fire Alarm Systems here.
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Source: http://femalifesafety.org/balanced-fire-protection-plan.html