What fire safety does a store have to have?
The government has specific advice on fire safety relevant to stores. They reveal that there must be regular risk assessments in all buildings in which there is a store, and every risk outlined in the assessment needs to be minimised. They also require fire detection and warning systems, firefighting equipment, as well as fire safety procedures and checklists.
How can a store prevent a fire?
There are a few simple fire safety measures that stores can take each day. These include utilising a safety checklist on a daily basis, regularly inspecting fire equipment such as extinguishers, and asking the property owner to install sprinklers and 24/7 fire alarms that directly notify the emergency services, so that fires can be taken care of even when the store is not open.
What are the potential fire risks in a retail store?
There are many potential fire hazards in any retail store that may cause an emergency, including:
Flammable materials being part of your stock, including clothing and cardboard packaging
Dust building up on areas that aren’t regularly cleaned, or on products that have been on display for a while
Electrical points that haven’t been PAT tested, or personal devices.
What is the largest cause of fires on retail properties?
There are many potential causes of fires when it comes to the retail sector, but the number one cause of fires in stores is arson. Therefore, investing money in security, through guards, cameras and alarms, etc, is a very safe and sensible fire protection method. It is also useful to make sure that external waste holding areas such as large bins are not accessible to the public, as the contents of these can be used as kindling.