Commercial Fire Safety
Comprehensive Fire Safety Solutions for Commercial Buildings
Though it may be argued that commercial buildings are not as susceptible to fire as other structures because there are fewer activities held in them, they still pose serious risks. One reason is that these structures contain valuable inventory which, if damaged or lost to a fire can cost businesses hundreds of thousands, or even billions in lost revenue. FCS makes sure that we provide the entire scope of fire safety solutions to our commercial building clients, from passive fire protection, compartmentation, and fire-stopping to fire door surveys, remediation, and replacement.
It is also worth noting that aside from hundreds of lives and millions worth of revenue at risk in case of fires in commercial structures, the costs to rebuild them is also high. So, it is no wonder why construction projects of commercial structures prioritise fire safety and protection. FCS ensures that fire safety programs for our commercial clients are implemented to the best of our abilities and in full compliance with government regulations.
Compliance and Safety Through Passive Fire Prevention
We usually judge the effectiveness of fire protection efforts in buildings, including commercial structures, based on the active fire protection solutions we see. We consider fire protection efforts substantial when we spot sprinkler systems, smoke detectors, and fire extinguishers.
At FCS we aim to raise awareness that passive fire protection (PFP) is equally important. A comprehensive fire safety strategy should also include PFP implements installed in these buildings. They may not be visible and can be overlooked most of the time, but their functions are just as crucial, especially concerning compartmentation or fire stopping efforts.
When a commercial building has PFP installed properly, fires can be contained in the portion of the building where they started, as the PFP will stop the fires from spreading further to other areas. When a fire is successfully contained, there is no need to deploy suppression systems, thus avoiding further damage to property inside the building.
In more than 20 years of championing PFP to our commercial clients, we have experienced success in proving their worth in protecting life and property. Fires that could have intensified and damaged millions of pounds in inventory were instead contained, all because of properly installed PFP in a single area of the building. With these fires contained, not only were lives and property saved – downtime was lessened, and financial losses were mitigated. It was back to business for these commercial establishments in no time instead of having to close shop because of a fire.
FCS safety services for commercial buildings include the following:
- Fire Risk Assessments (FRAs)
- Surveys for fire doors, compartmentation, and fire stopping
- Installation and remediation of PFP such as fire doors and fire-resistant glazing, among others
- Pre-Planned Maintenance
FCS provides a range of services that will help you to protect your staff, the public, and your premises. In addition to the specification, we offer specialist inspections to assess the effectiveness of your current measures and identify any necessary improvement work.
Commercial Sector Buildings: How Are They Different?
A major challenge in promoting fire safety in the commercial sector involves working hours. Surveys are almost impossible to conduct during regular working hours, where customers and employees are usually busy with transactions. In some commercial establishments, the work schedule may also include weekends and, in the case of customer contact service centres, even holidays. Our work schedule will depend on the availability of a particular client.
As commercial structures are also prone to high foot traffic, a common but usually overlooked fire risk is dust accumulating in vents and other areas. While this may not be serious at first, it can hinder the efficiency of PFPs in actual fires. FCS will also do some cleaning and ensuring that the accumulation of dust doesn’t happen in the future with the installation of barriers and other implements.
Aside from dust, data cables also pose a major risk for fires. We regularly liaise with our clients and data cable manufacturers for the installation of PFP in areas with a lot of data cables. We also make sure that clients are educated to prevent incidents where the PFP works we have done will be maintained and not be diminished in effectivity by future works that may be undertaken in the building.
Finally, there is the challenge of having to liaise with multiple clients, as most of these commercial structures host several businesses. For example, a high-rise office building contains various companies, while a mall has numerous tenants. We collaborate with all these stakeholders to properly perform our fire safety services such as inspections, surveys, and maintenance of PFP (e.g., fire doors). We firmly believe that smooth and constant communication is important to get things right the first time and ensure the satisfaction of all stakeholders.
What’s Next?
Get a No Obligation Quote
Call, email or complete the enquiry form. It will only take 24 hours for a formal quotation to be sent electronically.
Book an appointment
Once a date has been agreed, one of our expert assessors will be assigned to attend your property on the said date.
Attend site
Our assessor will be onsite on the agreed date and time. The Fire Risk Assessment will be conducted with minimum disruption to your business activities.
Report sent to client
A validated, comprehensive, suitable, and Sufficient report will be completed and distributed within five working days.
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