How To Ensure Fire Safety In Your Retail Store
By paying particular attention to the specific aspects of fire safety in retail locations, you may be able to prevent a fire before it happens. If an accident does occur, you may be able to minimize damage, at the very least. The following tips are easily implemented and could save your store, your business, your staff, and you from disaster and devastation.
Develop a Checklist (To Be Done Daily)
Identify retail store hazards. Include these items on your checklist for inspection:
- Storms and lightning
- Vandals
- Products that are potentially flammable: paper, clothing, chemicals, etc.
- Break room/kitchen cooking appliances
- Furnace/HVAC systems and motors
- Gas lines
- Lighting
- Outlets/electrical wiring
Fire Extinguishers – Know Their Location And Condition
The basic recommendation and rules for fire extinguishers:
- Monthly inspections are required by NFPA and OSHA
- All employees should be trained on their use and they must be easily reached
- For a particular area, the appropriate extinguisher should be used
- In any direction, no one should have to travel more than 75 feet to reach an extinguisher
Employee Training
Routine quality training will help protect your staff and customers. Make sure it adheres to standards put forth by OSHA and NFPA. All employees should be taught:
- The correct use of fire safety equipment
- Evacuation procedures
- Fire safety protocol (specifically applied to retail settings)
For every shift, be sure to assign designated employees to shut off electrical power and gas in case of emergency. Everyone should be escorted from the store and 911 called by the “evacuation manager”, another position that needs to be assigned.
Sprinkler Maintenance and Inspection
The fire sprinkler and other forms of fire safety support must be maintained and regularly inspected. NFPA code mandates how often inspections must be done (i.e., annually, quarterly, etc.). A certified, experienced technician should be used when systems need maintenance or repair.
Monitoring of the Fire Alarm
You should have a fire alarm system that is monitored by the fire department. Not only will they be able to respond quickly – sometimes before an employee can pull a fire alarm – they serve another purpose, as well. If no one is in the store, and a fire breaks out, the fire department will be notified without anyone having to physically pull an alarm.
Who to Turn to If Fire Affects Your Retail Location
If your business experiences damage from a fire, it’s important to understand that you are not alone. The professionals at Stone Claims are ready 24/7, every day of the year, to help your company get back to the business of being in business!
Your property damage insurance adjustment will be and effectively and efficiently conducted by Stone Claims. We operate in Tennessee, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Oklahoma, North Carolina, New Jersey, Nebraska, Mississippi, Maryland, Louisiana, Georgia, Florida, Delaware, Virginia, Texas, and Colorado.
Why might you want to consider contracting Stone Claims for your commercial adjustment needs? Insurance adjusters work for insurance companies. We work for you. We fight for fairness.
For a free claim review, please contact us at 1-800-892-1116. You can email us at office@stoneclaims.com if you like. Or you can use our convenient online form. Fill it out, send it in, and we’ll get back to you.