It’s the situation no business owner wants to be
faced with - a catastrophic fire on their commercial premises, leading
to loss of
life.
So if you run your own Company, or have responsibility for fire and security within the business, it’s vitally important to have a fire alarm system in place that provides adequate protection for everyone coming in or out of the property.
If it was necessary to evacuate, are you sure that all measures are currently in place to ensure the best possible chance of everyone getting out alive and without injury? Assuming there was no danger to life, would you have confidence you’d be covered for any resultant damage to the property and its contents? If not, without putting too fine a point on it, the entire business could go up in smoke.
Poorly maintained, outdated and sub-standard fire safety equipment, or a system that is simply insufficient for the size of the premises, e.g. not enough emergency lights, sprinkler heads, fire extinguishers, inadequately trained staff etc, are all issues which could endanger life.
Do you use an accredited fire alarm installer?
Time goes so fast and many years may have passed since your fire alarm system was installed. Are you confident your building adheres to the necessary fire safety standards? Are you even familiar with the company that originally installed the system and whether they were properly accredited?
Whether you have fire alarm equipment already on site, or you are looking to replace or update the current apparatus, your first priority is to check the credibility of the organisation you are commissioning to undertake the installation. There are plenty of installers out there who are not necessarily qualified to handle the work!
So it is important to check whether they have a
track record and the relevant accreditation – including appropriately
trained staff
- to correctly advise you as to exactly what’s
needed to ensure your premises are properly alarmed.
An electrician may not be the same thing as a fire safety engineer
Fire alarm systems must be fitted following the law and fire safety regulations. That means you need someone
who is properly
qualified and insured to handle the work. Just
because an electrician may have the capability to fit an electrical
system, it doesn’t
automatically follow that they will have the
design qualifications, relevant insurance or knowledge to install a fire
alarm system
in line with current standards. By planting your
faith in an electrician – however, experienced they may be – could leave
you unwittingly
vulnerable.
Focus on BAFE and NSI accreditation
As far as the UK’s fire and security industry is concerned, the two fire safety accreditations you should seek are BAFE and NSI. Companies with one or both of these initials to their name are what you are looking for. These are the letters to give you comfort as a client that you are dealing with a professional organisation that works to the highest industry standards – who is recognised by all the emergency services, together with the insurance industry.
BAFE is the independent registration body for third-party certified fire protection companies across the UK. They hold a national independent register of quality fire safety service providers and develop schemes to support quality standards for fire protection companies, in order to become third-party certified. This acknowledges their competency to provide specific fire protection services.
Like BAFE, NSI (which stands for National Security Inspectorate) is recognised as the leading certification body for the security and fire protection industries in the UK.
NSI-approved companies operate at either a Silver or Gold level. Silver means they have been audited against the applicable industry standards and have demonstrated that they operate in line with industry best practices.
Gold companies, like Justice Fire and Security, not only adhere to all the criteria of the Silver scheme, but they have gone the extra mile by implementing and operating a full ISO9001 management system.
You’ll see both of these logos on our website, which
really is the best way that we can demonstrate our commitment to
maintaining the
highest industry standards.
What assurances does this give you?
Plenty! It will give you complete peace of mind that your fire alarm system has been installed by a team of engineers who are fully qualified, highly experienced and properly insured to undertake the work - carried out using only the most robust and reliable products.
Keeping your premises and people safe is a
serious business. A second-rate fire alarm system, fitted by unqualified
installers is not
something you should take shortcuts with. It
could be the difference between life and death. That’s why it always
pays to work
with a properly accredited commercial fire alarm
installer.
So what can we do
As one of the UK’s leading suppliers and installers of high-quality Fire Detection and Alarm systems,
we help businesses of all descriptions stay protected
– whether you are in a busy High Street location or tucked away on an
industrial
estate. It could be a warehouse, office, shop or
Garden Centre - we have extensive experience in advising clients across a
broad range
of commercial premises.
Our Fire Alarm specialists can tailor a solution that’s appropriate to your premises and proportionate with your budget expectations.
For more specific information about the most suitable alarm monitoring device and security system for your business or residence, please contact our experienced support team on 0845 468 0927.
If you're still not sure why not download our FREE guide on Fire Detection and Alarm systems by clicking the button on the right or here
