Safety in a commercial building is a lot more difficult to pull off than it seems. When it comes to dealing with fire, in particular, having the proper fire signage can ensure that everyone gets out quickly and safely.It is just a matter of having the right fire signs for the building. If you have a say in fire safety prep for your building, then these are the most important fire signs that you should have posted around the property.
Escape Routes
Even if your first thought in a fire is to put it out, that might not be the best move. Getting people out of the building becomes the most important thing so that firefighters can arrive and worry exclusively about putting out the fire. With escape route signs, people will know exactly where to go.
The goal of escape route signs is to streamline the process so no one gets caught in a potential blaze. Escape routes are clearly outlined to keep people from getting confused. More importantly, things need to move quickly and efficiently so that everyone can get out. For the most part, you’ll find these signs in green, though that’s not necessarily universal.
Emergency Exits
Think about any commercial building you’ve been in and you will likely have seen one of these emergency exits. Most emergency exits have big, bright signage to let everyone know what they are and how to use them. The reason being is that it trips the fire alarm, alerting the rest of the building in the process.
These are essential to commercial buildings for a few reasons. It not only provides an easily accessible exit but opening it will also alert the rest of the building, allowing people to flow to the exits in a timely manner. These doors are in clear view and typically push open with a metal mechanism across the width of the door.
Fire Fighting Equipment and Alarms
Depending on the setting, another important action to take is activating alarms or finding fire equipment. For some smaller fires, getting to a fire extinguisher is critical and can keep the fire from growing and becoming too much to handle.
The key here is not only signage but training as well. Employees should know how to read these fire safety signs and where to locate fire alarms and fire fighting equipment. For a lot of the modern commercial fire systems out there, pulling the alarm will trip fire suppression systems that either reduce the path of destruction or neutralize the fire entirely. That’s not even mentioning the alarm emitting sounds and flashing lights, alerting occupants of the building to the presence of a fire.
Fire Action Signs
In any situation where there is fire, people tend to panic and that makes fire safety a lot more difficult. In that kind of emergency, signage has to be clear so that people know where to go without having to apply much critical thinking of their own. Having to stop and decipher signage keeps people in the building and that’s the exact opposite of the intended purpose.
Fire signage not only indicates exit points but also includes specific actions and even potential dangers. These signs clearly indicate what should be done after the alarm has been triggered, where to exit the building, any pertinent numbers to call, and more. Just as importantly, these signs tell people what not to do, which is important when tensions are high and people become panicky. In any commercial building you’ve ever been in, those signs can feel like an afterthought but they are the difference between life and death.
