Fire prevention is important for nearly every workplace. Fires and smoke injure or even kill victims as well as cause substantial property damage. Suppression systems such as water from sprinklers and large quantities of water used by the fire department can significantly damage property.
In addition, company profitability can be directly affected by medical costs, operation downtime, clean up and rebuilding. Employees may not have a worksite to report to if fire damage is severe. Insurance premiums may increase following claim submission. If the company ceases to operate, the surrounding community may receive less tax income. The financial burden associated with job loss and fire response costs may further affect the community. For these reasons, operations must manage fire risk as part of their safety program.
Primarily, a fire prevention and control program is designed to protect facility occupants. It also helps protect property and prevent operational loss, helps personnel manage incidents, supports bottom-line profitability and helps control fire insurance premiums. This article reviews basic fire, life safety and fire prevention program principles that are critical to a sound fire prevention program.
