Many fires break out every day in industrial or commercial establishments in France. Although the number of victims reported is not very high, the damage caused is considerable. These accidents can temporarily stop the activity or at worst, make it impossible by the destruction of the premises. So what are the essential steps to follow for the fire protection of your business?
Risk Assessment
As recommended by Villefranche sur Saone fire experts , the analysis of risks within the premises is essential. This company, located in Lyon, has specialized in fire protection since 2010. These professionals, attentive to your needs, will be able to guide you in all your steps:
- Compliance audit
- Facility
- Maintenance of safety equipment
The regulations provide a set of provisions to be taken into account for risk prevention. This goes through :
- Detect risky products: combustible and flammable sources, oxidants,
- Take stock of their condition of use and storage,
- Remove the causes of a fire.
Fire protection system in the company
Upstream, it is essential to design suitable premises and layouts that comply with working conditions. It is therefore important:
- to choose the right materials,
- to compartmentalize the different buildings,
- to isolate premises at risk (fire door),
- to set up clearances to facilitate evacuation and emergency access (if necessary, call a professional for the blocked door ),
- to guarantee effective smoke extraction.
Then, to limit the human and material consequences, it is important to put in place safety equipment to protect your business from fires . Facilities must be present in the premises:
- ● A fire detection system (SDI).
- ● Fire extinguishers.
- ● Armed fire valves (RIA).
- ● Evacuation plans.
- ● Emergency blocks.
- ● Smoke extraction systems.
Staff information and training
Fire protection for a company must also take into account staff awareness and prevention. In all companies, the employer must inform his staff about fire safety and evacuation instructions.
For those that employ more than 50 people, fire training becomes mandatory. This is also the case for those who specialize in handling flammable or combustible materials: people must be trained according to the positions they occupy. Safety instructions must be displayed on prominent supports in each room where the number of people exceeds 5 and in each room where flammable or explosive materials are stored.
Personnel must be trained in the use of different extinguishing media. In addition, evacuation exercises are regularly carried out to accustom them to the procedures.
The company must put in place a survival plan that will allow it to deal with the consequences of the disaster. She will need to ask herself questions such as:
- Who are the people to notify?
- How to communicate information?
- Should we stop or restart the activity?
- What materials and equipment need to be replaced?
- Should we initiate technical unemployment for employees?
