Fire Escape Planning for your Business

Fire can breakout anywhere, which is why it’s important to have a proper fire escape plan in place. That’s especially true for businesses and commercial properties. The safety of your employees and customers is your responsibility so you need to provide them with proper egress routes and facilities in case they need to escape your property. At Boston Ironworks, we recommend that you take the following steps:

1. Have Functional Fire Escapes

You need to make sure your property has well-placed and well-maintained fire escapes so people can get out of it safely. Some business owners neglect to maintain their fire escapes in Massachusetts and that makes their property unsafe. These installations should be able to handle heavy loads and foot traffic without collapsing. Make sure you inspect and maintain your fire escapes according to standards every year.

2. Clear Escape Routes

The egress routes should be clear and easily accessible. If there’s too much clutter near the exit routes and fire escapes, people might trip and fall. That can lead to injuries and even fatalities. You should ensure there are no heavy obstructions near fire escape doors and windows.

3. Fire Escape Doors

Fire escape doors are specifically designed for such situations. They’re easy to open, resilient, can withstand immense amount of heat and pressure, and are solidly anchored to the walls. They can withstand the rush from a panicking crowd easily and not cause any obstruction of movement. You need to make sure these doors remain open at all times when the building is in use. You should also check the locking mechanism regularly and open the doors at random to test it.

4. Ensure all Emergency Exits are Marked

The last thing you want to do is create confusion which can lead to accidents and injuries. Make sure all emergency exits are clearly marked and paths that lead to exits are well-lit. You should install emergency lights that work on battery power in and around the fire escapes in Massachusetts. This will also minimize the risk of accidents and other such problems. A clear path to emergency exits is absolutely essential to ensure the safety of everyone present on your property.

For questions and enquires on fire escapes in Massachusetts, you can call Boston Ironworks at 617 657 3117. You can also fill in this contact us form. We’ll get in touch with you as soon as possible.