Blog

5 Common Fire Safety Violations

June 30, 2023|fsstechnologies

For business owners, maintaining a commercial fire safety system is crucial for day-to-day protection. Ensuring your system and its components are in order is especially important when your business’ fire inspection occurs each year. Even if you do everything you can to prepare for your next fire inspection, you may only realize you missed something when the fire marshal notices the issue. Receiving citations and paying fines for fire code violations can be frustrating, so it’s essential to do everything you can to prepare for an inspection and avoid penalties. Here are 5 of the most common fire safety violations to avoid.

1. Damaged, expired, or missing fire extinguishers

For most business owners, fire extinguishers are easy to set and forget. They sit in their designated spots and can be forgotten between inspections, so checking your extinguishers for damage and potential violations before an inspection is crucial.

First, make sure that your fire extinguishers are where they are supposed to be. If a fire extinguisher is missing, you should find or replace it before the inspection. Requirements for placement can vary between states, so review your respective state’s fire codes between inspections. Wherever the extinguisher is located, ensure it is easily accessible and not blocked by other objects. You should replace your fire extinguisher if any of these signs are present:

  • The pressure gauge is decreasing
  • There are cracks or clogs in the hose
  • The handle is broken
  • The pin is broken
  • The shell is damaged

null

null

2. Blocked exits

Blocked exits are a widespread violation for businesses. It can be momentarily convenient to leave deliveries in a hallway or store goods in front of a doorway, but every exit in your business should remain unobstructed. Any blocked hallway, stairwell, or entrance should be cleared before an inspection.

In addition to obstructions around an exit, the exit itself should allow any occupants to leave the building quickly. If there are issues with a fire marshal’s ability to open an exit point, that will result in a violation that needs to be resolved promptly. Check your business’s exits and ensure all doors can be easily opened.

3. Faulty smoke or carbon monoxide detectors

Depending on the size of your business, you could have three to 30 smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your building. Once one starts beeping, it can be tempting to ignore it or even remove the battery temporarily. Faulty detectors can result in citations for your next inspection if left unaddressed. In an actual emergency, the consequences can be significant or even fatal.

Address issues with your detectors as soon as they arise. If one begins to chirp, replace the battery right away. Set a reminder to replace the batteries in your detectors every year to remain compliant and avoid fees. Replace devices if the expiration date has passed.

null

4.Obstructed emergency responder access

They look like eyesores on your building’s exterior, but fire department connections (FDCs) and fire hydrants are crucial for emergency responders. Covering or blocking any FDCs with landscaping or debris is a major mistake and a significant fire code violation. When these access points are blocked, firefighters will have greater difficulty controlling fires while avoiding injury.

Regularly check to ensure that FDCs on the exterior of your building are unobstructed and accessible. Keep fire lanes around your building clear as well. If there are any obstructions, clear them and check often to keep them clear.

5. Misused extension cords

Extension cords are an easy fix to get power where needed, but they are intended for temporary use in rooms without electricity. Continued use of an extension cord is a severe code violation prevalent among fire inspections. A significant violation involves extension cords and power strips plugged into a daisy-chain formation.

Ensure that your business only uses extension cords as a temporary solution. To avoid a citation during your next inspection, work with an electrician to add wiring and outlets to rooms without power. Confirm that the wiring is done correctly and that all electrical components have the correct plates and covers.

Keeping your business compliant with fire codes can be difficult on top of your day-to-day responsibilities, and receiving citations for violations is not something you want to have to manage and address. Our team of experts at FSS Technologies can help you prepare for inspections and maintain your systems year-round.

Explore Our Other Blogs

selfmonitoring-vs-monitoringcosts-hero

The Cost of Professional Security Monitoring vs. Self-Monitoring

We recently talked about the various codes required for your security and fire protection systems. We also talked about why monitoring is vital as part of a business’ fire safety system—mainly because the code may require it.   This blog will address the pros and cons of self-monitoring your business’ entire alarm system versus the cost of professional security monitoring.  First, what is the difference between the two? Professional vs. Self …

Continue reading
Window-Motion-Sensor-Placement-Hero

Where Should Window and Motion Sensors be Placed?

Motion and window sensors are basic parts of a security system in both residential and business applications.   The expert security team at FSS Technologies has helped thousands of business and property owners stay safe with these tools. Sensors  A motion sensor allows a system to detect movement, using waves or light to determine if someone or…

Continue reading
local-vs-national-Hero-min

Local Alarm System vs. National Home Security Company

When looking for home security, you may find yourself stuck between local alarm companies and national home security. Find out why more and more people are turning to local home security companies. Knowledge One of the biggest advantages of using a local company is that they will be familiar with local safety concerns, any jurisdiction regulations…

Continue reading
HeroWhereSmokeDe-min

Where Should Smoke Detectors Be Placed?

Smoke Detector Placement Fire can spread extremely fast. In just minutes, a building can be fully engulfed in flames. Smoke detectors are critical to give people inside homes and commercial buildings early warnings so they have time to get out. Proper smoke detector placement is also key when it comes to keeping your home or business safe.  Residential Smoke Detector Placements At a minimum, The National Fire Protection…

Continue reading
FSS_DecBlog_VideoVer_Hero-min

What is Video Alarm Verification?

Video alarm verification is a tried-and-true technology that is an underused component in residential and commercial security systems. Video alarm verification adds an extra element to your overall security by partnering your security system with an alarm monitoring center. When an alarm is triggered, video alarm verification allows monitoring center employees to view the situation…

Continue reading
AWC_security-camera-resolutions-explained_hero

Security Camera Resolutions Explained

Different Security Camera Resolutions and Which is Right for You Welcome to the 2020s—it’s finally time to pull the trigger and get a home security camera. Now what? There are a baffling number of cameras and resolutions available on the consumer market, but the math behind figuring out what you want in a security camera…

Continue reading
Hero-min

How Poor Security Can Cost Your Business

Poor security practices have hidden costs With the many expenses that business owners must juggle for day-to-day operations, security often falls by the wayside. Even though it seems like an easy way to save money, the cost of handling a break-in can surpass the money you’d spend on installing and maintaining a security system. Here…

Continue reading
Hero-afterbreaki-min

What to Do After a Break In

No one ever wants to be victimized by a burglar, but the fact is that many will encounter a theft or break-in at some point in their lifetime. A recent study by Bankrate shows that there are over 1 million burglaries in the United States each year, with a new burglary happening approximately every 26…

Continue reading
fire-inspection-faqs-hero-min

FAQs About Fire Alarm Inspections

There’s a lot of information about fire alarm inspections out there, so how do you know where to begin? We spoke to our team to find the most frequently asked questions about fire alarm inspections. What is a Fire Alarm Inspection? Fire alarm systems are life safety systems that require a fully functional and visual check…

Continue reading
weakness-diy-security-system-Hero-min

Cons of DIY Home Security Systems

When considering getting a home security system, some people might assume they can set up a fully functioning system themselves.     The reality is that DIY systems come with some significant drawbacks. Here are some of the things to consider before you decide to take on this project yourself. Not Professionally Installed  The importance of…

Continue reading
24h emergency
Secure My Space
chat with us