6 Benefits of Having Routine Fire Alarm & Life Safety Inspections
With ever-evolving technologies, maintaining the safest possible workplace can seem like aiming at a constantly moving target. If you want your business to remain as safe as possible, regular inspections are your best bet. Please read on to learn about six fire alarm and life safety inspection benefits.
Regular inspections not only save lives and property, but they can even add to your bottom line. After all, you can’t fix a problem until you have identified it.
Save Lives
In 2022, Ontario had the highest number of fire-related deaths in more than two decades. 133 Canadians lost their lives in Ontario fires, and properly functioning fire alarms and other life safety systems could have saved many of them.
While fire alarms are often the most effective means of saving lives from fire, All Protect Systems offers a wide selection of life safety equipment and solutions, such as:
- Gas Detection
- Emergency Lighting and Exit Lighting
- Fire Extinguishers and Fire Hoses
- Fire Safety Plans
Protect Property
Fires are extremely destructive to property. Even if your insurance covers fire damage, your policy may not cover the consequent disruptions to business operations. For example, if you have to shut down temporarily due to fire damage, most insurance policies won’t cover income losses.
Avoid Fines
The Ontario Fire Code requires regular inspections for fire alarms and life safety systems. Depending on your building’s occupancy type, you may need annual, semi-annual, monthly, or even weekly inspections.
Non-compliance with these inspection requirements can lead to heavy fines from the Ontario Fire Marshall. If your lack of inspections leads to code violations, the Fire Marshall even has the right to shut down your business until the situation is corrected.
Maintain Insurance Policy
Commercial business operations often expose owners to heavy liability, so your insurance coverage is usually a large portion of operating expense overhead. Your policy may require proof of regular fire alarm and other life safety inspections to keep your policy active.
In the event of a fire, your insurance company will request copies of the recent inspection reports. If you can’t supply them when submitting your claim for injury or property damage, your insurance will most likely reject the claim. You become responsible for the damages, and such a financial burden could result in bankruptcy.
Avoid Legal Trouble
If a severe injury or death occurs during a fire or other workplace accident, you can be sure that the authorities will request the most recent inspection reports for the fire alarms or life safety systems. If you can’t produce the necessary inspection, they may find you criminally negligent. You can easily avoid this terrifying scenario by staying current on your inspection requirements.
Spot Problems Ahead of Time
Last but not least, you can save money in the long run by spotting minor problems before they become larger ones. Regular inspections and testing of your fire alarm and life safety equipment can help you isolate defects before faulty equipment compromises the rest of the system.
Regular inspections can also increase your awareness of your equipment. Your fire alarm and life safety equipment may have been the newest and best technology when installed, but it can wear out and becomes obsolete over time. In some situations, you can update your equipment with the latest firmware, while in others, you must replace the hardware.
Concurrently, you may have made changes to your building that require modifications or upgrades to your fire and life safety infrastructure. Regular inspections force you to identify these changes and make necessary adjustments.
Many of Ontario’s top companies have delegated their fire alarm and safety inspections to All Protect Systems. They’ve been serving their community since 1996. Call them today to learn what they can do for you!