Fire Safety

With the assistance of fire safety equipment from A&B Industrial Services, you can help minimise the risk posed to people and facilities by fire, and ensure efficient and effective fire response.

Our fire safety products also help you meet increasingly stringent fire regulations, so that your organisation is always ready for an inspection. Find the essentials for your office, warehouse or other facility today.

We stock fire extinguishers designed to tackle different types of fire safely, alongside fire extinguisher accessories for the discreet yet accessible storage of the equipment. You will also find a range of fire hose reels.

In our fire alarms section, we have the tools necessary for notifying everyone within your premises of an emergency. Products such as fire blankets can be found in our fire safety accessories department.

Make sure to also browse our selection of fire equipment signs and fire exit signs before placing your order, and benefit from the convenience of delivery direct to your address. Free UK mainland delivery on orders over £150 ex VAT.

Workplace fire safety

As an employer, you have a legal responsibility to ensure adequate fire safety in the workplace. Failing to comply with these requirements could result in prosecution and penalties, which could be anything from fines to up to two years in prison.

Risk assessments

If you are a proprietor, you are identified as the 'responsible person', so it is your duty to ensure your workplace is safe. As part of this role, you must carry out a fire risk assessment that will identify potential hazards and help you to prevent any emergencies from occurring. Important things to consider while carrying out a risk assessment are as follows:

• What are the hazards that could potentially cause a fire?
• Who are the people at risk of these hazards?
• How serious are these hazards? How can you remove or reduce these risks?

Carrying out a fire risk assessment in full will help you answer the following critical questions:

• Where are the emergency exits?
• What is your emergency route/evacuation plan? Does this take into consideration the needs of vulnerable people like the elderly or the disabled?
• Do you have adequate fire detection and warning systems in place?
• Do you have the correct firefighting equipment readily available and correctly stored?
• Are dangerous substances stored and removed from the premises safely?
• Do your staff, visitors and customers know the correct fire safety procedures and what to do in the event of a fire?

If any issues arise from answering these questions, it is your responsibility to rectify them. It is important that you regularly review and update your risk assessment plan, especially if your workplace has expanded, the floor plan has been altered or new equipment has been introduced.

For more advice, take a look at this fire risk assessment chart on the official government site.

Evacuation plans

Evacuation plans are vital in case of an emergency, as they clearly show the safest route your staff and visitors should follow to avoid danger. There are a number of aspects that your plans should show, including the following:

• A clear route to all fire escapes.
• The shortest and most direct route possible to all exits.
• Emergency lighting for areas of low light.
• A designated assembly point at a safe distance from the building.
• Enough exits for everyone to escape through.
• Specialist emergency fire doors.

Once you have compiled your evacuation plans, it is important that all staff members are familiar with the potential escape routes. This can be done through staff training, displaying the plans around the workplace and marking each exit clearly with a fire exit sign.

Fire safety equipment

As previously mentioned, you must have a fully working fire-detection system in place. The type of fire alarm you require will depend on the type of business you are operating: your local fire service can advise you further on this.

In addition to a fire alarm system, you'll need to have the correct fire safety equipment available. Such equipment must be stored or installed correctly, as well as being properly maintained. The type of equipment you will need will again depend on your business.

Fire extinguishers should be present in every business in case of an emergency and there are a range of different types available. You can find a brief guide to fire extinguishers in the table below:

You should choose the type of extinguisher you need based on the materials your business works with most. It is important that whichever fire extinguisher you choose, you store it correctly. You'll find a variety of storage solutions in our fire extinguisher accessories department.

Fire blankets and fire buckets are also useful additions to your workplace, as they can allow you to quickly control and extinguish a fire, should one occur.

As you'll appreciate, fire safety is not something that should be scrimped on, so shop our fire safety department today!