A comprehensive guide to installing fire safety signs
Fire safety signs work quite significantly to improve the safety of our environment. From workplaces to commercial spaces, they are prevalent everywhere. You will need them to also meet health and safety compliance for public facilities, businesses, and more. From being visually understanding to guiding everyone, even providing the location of the equipment, they work remarkably well. However, there’s a certain way to make sure they provide optimum information and work best. Here’s a quick guide to help you out with fire safety sign installation:
Start With The Building Assessment
You can do this by yourself or hire a professional to assist you. The objective here is to understand your building and determine where you need to place the fire signs and other equipment.
This step will include understanding the layout of your building and the location of fire alarms, extinguishers, and other equipment. You will also have to consider the visibility of the signs, especially in low-light areas. More importantly, learn about different building codes and safety regulations for the fire sign placements.
How to Select The Right Fire Safety Signs?
There is no ‘One Size Fits All’ type of requirement available for the fire safety signs. You just need to make sure that you have the following:
- Direction and exit signs, including fire exit signs
- Signs for fire extinguishers, fire alarms, and other equipment
- Assembly area and evacuation signs in case of an emergency
- First aid signs and locations
- Danger, warning and prohibition signs for flammable or dangerous areas to avoid, especially during the fire
- If there are areas with flammable objects or dangers, like no smoking zones, then make sure to add them. Prohibition signs are separate from fire safety signs
Once you have these, it is up to you if you want to add more different types of signs. You can also read the code and safety compliance guide for your local council before buying fire safety signs like these.
The Placement & Positioning Tips For Fire Safety Signs
The placement and the position of the signs can make all the difference. So, consider these tips:
- Make sure that the signs are at eye level and can be seen by people with average height
- Exit signs need to be wherever the exit is, either above or next to it. Make sure to mark the emergency exits separately
- Similarly, fire extinguisher signs also need to be adjacent to or above the extinguisher
- Alarm signs should be exactly where the pull station or control panel for the alarms is
- Make sure that exit routes provide clear indication and don’t miss any turn or corner
Other Factors to Consider
Illumination and visibility of the fire safety signs will be a priority. For low-light areas, you can use glowing signs or ones that use some sort of power backup to be visible to the people. Make sure that they are not connected to the main power line and have a separate backup to work even in a fire.
Reflective material is important for fire fighting equipment like the hydro line and the extinguishers. Make sure that the signs don’t obstruct people’s view. If you take care of these things, everything will be fine. After that, all you need to do is make sure there’s regular maintenance and upkeep for your safety signs.