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Are Fire Alarms Essential At Work?

By April 12, 2022No Comments

Are Fire Alarms Essential At Work?

As per the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, fire alarms in the workplace are mandatory. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 states that as a business owner you need to ensure that the premises are, to the extent that it is appropriate, equipped with appropriate fire-fighting equipment and with fire detectors and alarms. As a business, this needs to be adhered to at all times.

It’s important to note that while the law doesn’t demand that fire alarms are installed within every business and that fire alarms are essential at work, they are mandatory to ensure lives are safeguarded.

There is one situation where fire alarms being essential at work can be argued. If for example, you have less than five members of staff working in the business. If these five or less staff members work in a small space where an alert of a fire can quickly be raised by shouting to each other, due to the small space, then are fire alarm may not be seen as essential at work.

However, this is a relatively rare case in this day and age. Many offices and workplaces will have staff members spread across different areas of the business premises. This could be different rooms and separate areas for example. Staff members could even be spread across multiple buildings. This is where fire alarms become essential at work and in the workplace.

Fire alarms are important legally. As a business owner it is your duty to meet fire safety regulations. However, the installation of fire alarms in the workplace should go beyond the legalities. There are two main reasons that you consider fire alarms as an importance in your workplace. We go into more details about these two main reasons below.

  • Safeguarding Of Lives

Fire alarms in the workplace are important for the early detection and warning of a fire in the business premises. The sound of a fire alarm will alert anyone within the building of the fire. This will allow them to evacuate the building quickly and safely, saving precious minutes.

  • Loss Prevention

A fire within a workplace can be devastating to a business and it’s operations. However, the earlier a fire is detected the more chance there is of the fire being put out before it’s too late. Fire alarms are important because they can help ensure that the fire is detected as soon as possible so it can be dealt with quickly with an appropriate fire extinguisher or the emergency services.

 

Do you have fire alarms in your workplace? We can help you assess your fire safety and fire fighting equipment to ensure your workplace is safe if there was a fire. Call us now to find out more.