For construction managers, commercial property owners, and business owners, one continual concern about a construction site or a large professional building, is that of a potential fire. Whether a new building, undergoing repairs, or simply maintaining a commercial site, there is an abundance of potential inflammatory material, a lot of equipment, and constant use of electricity which can translate to a formula for disaster.
Having fire insurance coverage is a must, but also hiring fire watch services will not only help ease the mind but will protect the construction site or commercial property. There are several reasons which warrant the hiring of a fire watch guard.
Just What Do Fire Watch Guard Services Do?
They are not actual firemen, rather fire watch guards are highly-educated personnel in fire prevention. Some of what they do entails:
- Using their expertise for spotting potential problems not only through the sense of sight but also smell and touch. Fire watch guards look for what could be a fire risk before there is an actual problem.
- Providing 24-hour patrol and continually monitoring your commercial site with walkthroughs in and around it.
- Offering equipment checks to ensure that fire alarms, sprinklers, extinguishers, blankets, and the like are all in their proper place and properly functioning. Similarly, a fire watch guard will check to assure signage is properly in place along with escape plans.
- Providing and monitoring logs and fire watch guards are knowledgeable in keeping proper documentation of their patrol findings. Such logs can be reviewed by company owners or construction site managers at any time, and, should any fire occur, are needed by authorities and insurance carriers.
- Immediately contact of fire department and management should there be any sign of fire, the first call being made to the fire department. The fire watch guard will then contact property managers or owners. Potential problem spots also require contacting owners or managers.
Common Potential Fire Sources
Within any commercial facility or construction site, there are naturally some possible potential fire sources. They include:
- Chemicals and gas — Permanent or temporary storage of such things as equipment, gas tanks, and various chemicals. Lids or caps may not be secured, storage area doors may not be closed tightly, and bottles or tanks may be left in abnormal places. Not only is fluid flammable, but the fumes could also be.
- Faulty wiring — Electrical fires are not that uncommon. Lines overheating, debris getting caught, or an improper wire in the wrong place can cause sparks that can result in a fire.
- Trash and cigarettes — Any buildup of a variety of trash, including packing materials, is susceptible to catching on fire from a possible cigarette butt not completely out or other heat sources.
Professionals Ensure Proper Security and Requirements
When hiring a company to protect your company or site, you want top-level guards with the training and experience to protect your business while complying with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards, as well as local requirements within your city and state.
OSHA provides a variety of safety guidelines for which businesses must comply. Naturally, fire safety falls under these important guidelines, and professional fire watch guards must be familiar with all of them. Fire prevention plans for any workplace must be available, and posted, for any employee to review. A fire safety guard can help prepare a prevention plan for your business, and see that it is implemented while your business remains compliant.
Prevention plans must include sources of any possible fire hazards as well as procedures for handling and storing such materials. The job title of the employee responsible for maintaining equipment for prevention, and control of potential fire sources, must also be provided. Any new hire must be made aware of potential fire hazards at the onset, and all employees must be advised of any changes in possible hazards.
Fire safety service guards properly educate and train business owners, so they remain compliant avoiding possible fines or shut-downs which occur when OSHA requirements are not met. On top of that, fire safety professionals are currently on any local and/or state level government requirements.
Also, there are some locations that require fire watch guards to be on duty throughout construction projects, and until inspections are passed.
Top Reasons to Hire Fire Watch Experts
Hiring fire watch services is key to protecting any construction site or commercial property from fire. Keep in mind that fire watch guards are not firefighter personnel and do not put out fires. They instead specialize in fire prevention and, in the case of a fire occurring, their work and presence aides in minimizing damage.
So, what are the top five reasons for hiring fire watch guard services?
- Avoiding injury and loss of life to workers or visitors to the site.
- Preventing and limiting damage to commercial property or construction sites by early detection.
- Maintenance of routine logs as the evidence required by local officials and insurance companies.
- Aiding businesses in following OSHA fire prevention plan guidelines and assuring proper display of such.
- Any local requirements of a fire watch guard be on duty throughout a construction project.
There are other reasons that warrant at least temporary fire watch services. These may include:
- During a time of water interruption — this is especially important for a business that is dependent upon a sprinkler system in case of fire, or a construction site without water supply while work is being done.
- A downed fire alarm system, or pre-installation of one — whether an alarm system is required, or not if the system is non-functional a fire watch guard should be utilized. This could be during repair, replacement, or initial installation of the system.
- An abnormal abundance of fire hazardous products — during the time of a business or construction site storing an unusual amount of fuel, chemicals, or other flammable products.
Conclusion
If you are a business owner or construction site manager interested in learning more about fire protection services, or other types of security services in Maryland, Washington D.C., or Virginia, contact the team at Smart Security Pros. We want to hear your needs and concerns and are ready to discuss just how we can help. Give us a call today!
