Fire Protection for the Hospitality Industry

The hospitality industry has many significant issues when it comes to fire protection, prevention, and guests’ safety. The biggest factors come simply from the nature of the industry. In a normal workplace, management can ensure employees are trained in proper emergency procedures, how to use a fire extinguisher, and the like. But every day, hospitality businesses (such as hotels, tourist attractions, restaurants, etc.) see new people on property. As a building manager, your risk management plan has to take into account that a great number of people present during a fire emergency will have little to no training how to respond.

Fire Risks in Hospitality Centers

When looking at fire statistics, the major cause in places ranging from homes to hospitals is cooking related. This danger is increased for restaurants, as well as hotels and event centers who often have busy commercial kitchens. However, the statistics also show that in most cases, following safe response procedures with a trained staff can usually keep fires small and contained in one room—thus not resulting in serious property damage.

Other risks that hospitality facilities face include:

• Faulty sprinkler systems
• Obstructed and cluttered exit routes
• Bottlenecked evacuation routes
• Careless smoking by guests
• Faulty heating and cooling equipment
• Sparks from laundry rooms
• And more

Statistics on Fires in Hospitality Centers

As the following statistics show, cooking related fires are by far the leading cause of hospitality center fires. They also cause the most property damage. This damage does not include further financial loss due to down time and equipment replacement. However the amount of fires and property damage due to smoking and intentionally lit fires should give risk managers cause to look at the smoking areas in addition to flammable materials available in places like hotel rooms.

Hospitality Center Fire Safety

While hospitality centers are highly regulated in regards to safety, compliance begins with the proper attitude and recognizing the realities of the industry. Building and property managers should ensure that there is professional design, installation, and regular inspection of their fire protection systems including:

• Fire alarms
• Fire extinguishers
• Fire sprinkler systems
• Fire suppression systems
• Kitchen hood cleaning and inspection

Fire Prevention Means Proper Training & Equipment

Every hospitality center is different. The restaurant in a hotel is going to be different than the one at an event center or standalone facility. Each will have different, if not similar, equipment. All facilities should have up-to-code fire protection systems (alarms, extinguishers, sprinklers, etc.) and building managers should have effective evacuation plans in place and posted, along with scheduling regular inspections. Without quickly containing the fire through these measures, the chance of injury, death, and property damage skyrockets.

Fire Protection Services in Houston, TX

The best ways to mitigate your business’ fire risk is to have a licensed fire protection company, like Kauffman Co., come to your property and give it a top-to-bottom inspection. Not only can they give your business a fresh set of risk management eyes, they also can help you design effective fire protection equipment and systems, create a proper employee training program, and ensure that all your equipment is working as expected.

If you need fire protection installation or inspection in the Houston, Texas area, contact the pros at Kauffman Co. today!