Automatic fire sprinklers are the most effective method of putting out fire. Think about that part of your building that is rarely occupied, for example an unused office or basement. A fire sprinkler system has a much better chance of quickly extinguishing a fire in those parts of a building than a person with an extinguisher.
Being such an important part of your fire safety system, fire sprinklers are required to undergo frequent inspection and testing. Australian Standard AS1851-2012, lays out the minimum intervals for inspecting and testing of your fire sprinklers system and fire pump set:
- Monthly
- Six-monthly
- Yearly
- Five-yearly
- Ten-yearly
- Twenty-five yearly
- Thirty yearly
While such regular testing may seem excessive at first glance, you need to be certain that your fire sprinkler system is fully functional at all times. There are a number of valid reasons why putting safety first, in the form of fire sprinkler testing and maintenance, will save you – financially, materially and physically.
Losing material property
Fires that spread quickly destroy property and put lives at risk. We all know that a fire can start and very rapidly spread out of control. A fully functioning fire sprinkler system can automatically put out a fire before it spreads.
Financial benefits
Aside from the obvious financial benefits in minimising property loss through the use of fire sprinklers, there are other ways in which regular sprinkler testing and maintenance will financially benefit and protect you:
- Insurance companies may void your property insurance if they find that the fire sprinkler system has not been regularly tested and maintained.
- Avoid costly false-alarm fire brigade call outs. Regular maintenance will help identify potential issues that may cause false-alarm callouts. An attendance by the fire brigade is very costly.
- Avoid the risk of receiving an infringement notice and fines.
Physical benefits
Finally, and most importantly, a human life is priceless. A building fire can take away the lives of you, your employees, your customers, your friends and your family members. Employing an expert to frequently maintain and test your fire sprinkler system reduces the risk to loss of life.
The technicians at Essential Safety Solutions consider these facts before each and every single inspection. They carry out thorough testing and maintenance of your fire sprinklers and pumps. This means that in the case of a fire, you can be sure that financial, material and physical loss is minimised as far as possible.
