Building Managers - How's your Fire Protection Program?

Building managers have a quite a job. Between managing upkeep of the facility and tenant request and changes, a building manager’s day can be busy. This jam-packed schedule may lead OKC or Tulsa facility managers to forget about their fire alarm and fire protection program, or at least assume it’s not anything they need to worry about. But this misconception can lead to some serious problems including fines, lawsuits, as well as life-threatening injuries in the event of an emergency.

These misconceptions and their potential dangers were the subject of a press release from the Cintas Corporation published in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) back in April. The article pointed out three common misconceptions that building managers often have about their fire suppression systems and why serious precautions should be taken.

Notice these three common misconceptions:

Managing the fire protection program is the building owner’s job.

The article in the WSJ pointed out that many facility managers don’t know that they are in charge of overseeing the fire protection system for the building. While of course the building owner could handle the fire protection system, it’s vital to clearly know who is in charge, whether it is in fact the building manager’s responsibility and they will be held accountable for any noncompliant fire systems.

My current fire protection system is fine.

 It’s easy to think that if the building has a fire alarm and fire suppression system, then you’re all set. They may reason…it may not be great, but it’s good enough. However, the fire suppression system in your Tulsa or OKC building, may be outdated, the article said, or not working at all. Building managers must be alert to make sure they have an up-to-date fire alarm and fire suppression system. Regular maintenance and  inspections and are also required. Putting these safety measures off can result in code violations, fines, and worse yet, serious injuries.

Make sure you have a good fire suppression system in place so that you and your building occupants remain safe. This is a matter of life safety. Mac Systems in Tulsa and OKC can design a complete fire detection and suppression system specifically for your facility.

My fire sprinklers work so the rest must work fine too.

Some believe that if their fire sprinkler equipment is working, then the entire fire suppression system must be working too. As the article noted, even if a fire sprinkler is working correctly, there could be other issues like problems with valves, painted sprinkler heads, or corroded pipes. When these other problems exist, they could result in the equipment being out of compliance, the article said.

All parts of the fire sprinkler and suppression system should be inspected regularly to ensure it’s working properly and in compliance with all building codes. Mac Systems has certified and experience technicians that can regularly inspect and perform maintenance on all your fire suppression systems.

Mac Systems in Tulsa and OKC can help you with all your fire alarm and fire suppression system needs.