Protecting Your Business From Fire
Fire causes untold grief every year for businesses. It's a matter of life or death - not just for the people on your premises, but for your business too.
It can take months, even years, for a business to recover from the consequences of a serious fire. Many never do.
So, you need the right level of protection - because it makes good business sense, and because the law now says it's your responsibility to get it right.
Contract the wrong company to design, install or maintain your fire alarm system and you're asking for trouble - from your insurers and the fire authorities.
Why Force 3?
- Because you need someone you can trust to help you find your way through the maze of legislation
- Because you need professional help to ensure that your system meets your legal obligations
- Because you want to work with a security provider who has won the Gold seal of approval of the UK's leading quality control bodiey the NSI.
- Because you demand old-fashioned service - where the customer comes first and gets value for money.
Read on if you'd like to find out more about the different kinds of systems available.
What kind of system?
As required by law, you will have undertaken a Fire Risk Assessment. That assessment will have identified the areas where you could be putting yourself, your employees, your customers or your business assets at risk.
That's our starting point for working with you to determine what grade of system you need.
"Conventional" systems
In many smaller premises or properties, where the building layout is relatively uncomplicated, a simple "conventional" system that warns of a problem may suffice.
A conventional fire alarm may simply be a control panel, a manual call point and a sounder, or it could be a multi-zone panel covering a large building.
The system consists of one or more "zones" each having either manually operated call points or automatic detection devices, or a combination of both.
When the alarm is activated, the zone in which the activation has occurred is shown on the control panel. That enables you to concentrate your search for the cause to a specific area.
A combination of sounders and strobes warns you and others that the fire alarm has been triggered, ensuring a prompt evacuation of the building.
Get in touch to find out more.
"Addressable" systems
If your site is large or the layout of your buildings is more complex, or your risk "above normal", a more sophisticated "addressable" system may be more suited to your needs.
Addressable alarm systems give you more precise information on the location of a fire, enabling you to take quicker action to fight the outbreak.
And, because they can be programmed to enable partial evacuation of a building, you can avoid the losses to your business of any unnecessary total evacuation.
The system's control panel can store information on testing, maintenance, activations or faults - and an LCD display on the control panel gives easy-to-access information on the system's status.
Get in touch to find out more.
VESDA
If you're looking for special fire protection for your mission critical assets (or for specific areas of your premises), then you may need a VESDA system.
VESDA (Very Early Smoke Detection Apparatus) works by drawing air in through a network of small-bore pipes laid out above or below a ceiling.
You set the alarm threshold (the level of smoke that you want to detect) and the system responds, giving you the earliest possible notification of a developing fire.
With VESDA you can intervene before a fire passes beyond the smouldering stage. That means more time to take control of the situation, more time to evacuate and greater opportunity to minimise losses.
Get in touch to find out more.
Back to top