Fire equipment gets serviced by a contractor, but the contractor is only on site now and then. The rest of the time the building is in your hands. A quick walk-around once a month is a good habit for catching the small things that creep in, like a box left in a doorway or an exit sign that has gone dark.
This is not a formal inspection and it doesn’t replace one. It is just looking at your own premises with fresh eyes. Pick a regular day, grab a notepad and start at the front door.
Exits and the paths to them
Walk every route a person would take to get out. Do it the way a customer or a new staff member would, without knowing the shortcuts.
- Paths are clear the whole way, with no stock, bins, pallets or furniture narrowing them.
- Exit doors open easily and are not blocked on either side.
- The area outside the door is clear too. A door that opens onto a parked trailer or a stack of crates is not much of an exit.
Exit signs and emergency lights
Look up. Exit signs should be lit and easy to see from where people stand and work. Note any sign that is dark, flickering, cracked or hidden behind a banner, shelving or a hanging display.
Extinguishers and hose reels
Find each one and check that:
- it is where it should be
- you can see it from a distance and walk straight up to it
- nothing is stacked in front of it, hung on it or stored under it
- any sign marking its location is still in place
- there is no obvious damage, and hose reels are wound up neatly with the nozzle attached
The switchboard
Electrical switchboards have a habit of collecting clutter, because the cupboard or corner they sit in looks like spare storage. Keep the area in front clear so the board can be reached quickly. Don’t store cardboard, cleaning products or anything else that burns against it or inside the cupboard.
Fire doors
Some doors in a building are there to hold back fire and smoke, and they can only do that when they are shut. Check that none have been wedged or tied open, that each one closes fully when you let it go, and that nothing has been left in the doorway.
If a door is a nuisance for people carrying stock, talk to the building owner or your fire contractor about options. That is a better answer than a wedge.
What your people know
Equipment is only half of it. Ask a couple of staff, casually, to tell you:
- where the nearest exit is, and the next nearest
- where the closest extinguisher is
- where everyone meets once they are outside
- who calls for help
If the answers are vague, that is your cue for a short chat at the next team meeting. New starters and casuals are the ones most likely to have missed it. Everyone should know that the priority is getting out, and that in an emergency you call Triple Zero (000).
SafeWork NSW publishes guidance for businesses on planning for emergencies, which is useful if you don’t have a plan written down yet.
Write it down and follow it up
Keep a simple list of what you found and the date. Fix what you can on the spot, like moving a box or taking out a wedge. Pass anything else to the person who can fix it, whether that is your landlord, building manager or fire contractor.
A dark exit sign or a damaged extinguisher is a job for someone qualified, not a do-it-yourself repair.
Over a few months the list becomes a useful record. It shows you which problems keep coming back, such as the same corridor filling up with stock, and that usually points to something worth changing in how the place is set up.
If your walk-around turns up something that needs attention, V&H Fire Group can help with maintenance from the Central Coast to Newcastle. Give Byron a call on 0483 371 134.
This article is general information, not advice for your building. For what applies to your premises, talk to us on site.
