Fires can have a devastating financial impact upon businesses of all sizes, destroying the livelihood of business owners, operators, and employees, and in many cases leading to bankruptcy. Whether large or small, a fire can cause irreparable damage to a business' infrastructure and stock, resulting in significant losses to productivity and profit. Statistics show that a large portion of businesses that suffer a fire do not continue operating after the incident.
Therefore it is critical for business owners and their insurers to implement all fire prevention methods available and to ensure that properties and people are protected against a fire loss. This can be achieved by installing suitable fire alarm systems and extinguishers, and by establishing and maintaining a fire safety policy.
We conduct fire safety audits that involve an examination of the premises, fire alarm systems, and firefighting equipment, as well as examination of the relevant documents regarding the management of fire safety on the premises. Our engineers conduct walk-through inspections and talk to members of staff to confirm their level of fire safety awareness.
We employ our thorough understanding of fires and their root causes to provide a valuable assessment of occupants’ ability to prevent a fire ignition, and utilise our many years of experience investigating fires across different types of properties to assess the occupants’ ability to mitigate and control the spread of fire.
During our audits, we request for the occupants to demonstrate that they have met the fire protection requirements mandated by local codes and agencies. We also verify the adequacy and effectiveness of the following fire protection systems:
- Fire alarm and firefighting equipment
- Emergency procedures used to instruct on what to do in the event of fire
- Records of staff training and fire drills
- Records of testing and maintenance of the fire alarm system
- Records of testing and maintenance of the emergency lighting
- Records of testing and maintenance of firefighting equipment, such as fire extinguishers
Our fire safety audits will typically conclude with a walk around the premises to highlight findings and confirm the validity of everything discussed.
These audits have been utilised by business owners wishing to ensure their compliance with applicable local codes and regulations, as well as by insurers seeking validation of policy warranties.
Our priority is not to catch violations or document deficiencies, but instead to inform and educate the responsible person on the premises about how to meet their required local codes and standards, and the insurance policy terms and conditions.
