Fire safety devices are an integral part of any facility’s fire safety plan. It is crucial to ensure proper testing and maintenance of all the fire safety devices in your building, such as fire extinguishers, fire sprinklers, fire alarms, emergency lights, exit signs, etc. If your fire safety devices are not inspected and tested regularly, it can put you and all the other occupants in the building at grave risk. Hirdco is a leading fire safety company providing reliable fire devices inspection and maintenance services. We are dedicated to ensuring that all your commercial fire safety devices are operational and in compliance with fire safety codes.
Following are the common risks associated with the negligence of proper testing and inspection of fire safety devices:

Non-operational fire sprinklers systemFire alarms, sprinklers, fire suppression systems play a crucial role in alerting occupants and allowing them to escape safely during a fire emergency. But these devices may become non-operable over time without you knowing about it if regular testing is not done by a professional. If you don’t inspect your fire alarms, you may not even know if it is still working or not. There is a high risk of fire sprinkler and commercial fire suppression system failure during a fire emergency if it is not well-maintained. Therefore, it is crucial to schedule regular testing and inspection of these devices.
Blockages in fire safety equipment
Fire safety devices such as sprinklers, fire extinguishers, fire suppression systems are the most effective defense systems against fire hazards. These minimize the life-loss and property loss to a great extent. But these may develop many problems over time if proper testing and maintenance are not conducted. It might not be possible to identify the issues with these safety devices by doing a visual inspection only. Most of the time, your sprinkler system may develop problems inside the pipes, such as blockages, valve jamming, frozen water inside pipes, etc. Your fire extinguishers may also develop blockages if not used for a long time. These problems can only be identified during an inspection from a certified professional.
Exit signs and emergency lighting
Exit signs and emergency lighting are crucial to guide people towards an emergency exit during a fire emergency. These devices use light bulbs that must be tested regularly for light bulb outages. Otherwise, it might cause a problem during a fire emergency if they are not operative.

Emergency action plan
An improperly designed and neglected emergency action plan may backfire during a fire emergency. It is crucial to ensure that fire safety devices are installed adequately within reach and train your employees to use them during an emergency. If you have made any changes in the building layout but haven’t updated the emergency action plan accordingly, it can put everyone’s safety at risk. It is crucial to update your fire safety devices as per the revised NFPA regulation from time to time and update your emergency action plan.

If you haven’t had a fire safety testing and inspection of your facility for more than 6 months. It is highly recommended to consult with our certified professionals at Hirdco to schedule an inspection as soon as possible.

Fire extinguishers are an essential fire safety device required for every government or private property, commercial building, residential building, and even restaurants. Fire accidents are often caused due to various types of factors such as oil, flammable gas, electricity, or any other environmental factors. Only one kind of fire extinguisher cannot be effective against all these different types of fires. Therefore, fires are classified by the type of fuel that feeds them, and these classifications help determine what kind of fire extinguishing agents will be effective for putting out the fires. It is essential to know which class of fire extinguisher to use for different types of fires to ensure your commercial building is equipped with the right fire extinguisher.
The following are various types of fire extinguishers and when to use them:
Class A Fire ExtinguisherClass A fire extinguishers are used to extinguish fires caused by ordinary solid combustibles, including paper, wood, clothes, etc., classified as class A fire. Class A fire requires the heat-absorbing effects of water. Therefore, Class A fire extinguisher consists of pressurized water to be used on Class A fire only. These are labeled as a triangle containing the letter “A.”Class B Fire Extinguisher
Class B fire extinguishers are used to extinguish fires caused due to flammable liquids such as alcohol, petroleum, gasoline, grease, etc., classified as class B fire. Class B fire needs the flames to be completely smothered for extinguishing. A carbon dioxide fire extinguisher classified as a Class B fire extinguisher is effective on a Class B fire. It sprays CO2 to smother the fire eliminating its oxygen supply and dispelling the heat as CO2 discharge is cold. These are labeled as a square containing the letter “B” to indicate it is suitable for Class B fires.
Class C Fire Extinguisher
Class C fire extinguishers are used to extinguish fires caused due to electrical equipment. This type of fire is classified as class C fire which requires electrically non-conductive extinguishing agents to extinguish the fire. Monoammonium phosphate and sodium bicarbonate are generally used in class C Fire extinguishers due to their non-conductive properties. These are labeled as a circle containing the letter “C.”
Class D Fire Extinguisher
Class D fire extinguishers are suitable for fires caused due to combustible metals, such as magnesium, titanium, lithium, zirconium, etc. This type of fire is classified as Class D fire, which usually occurs in industrial buildings, manufacturing facilities, or laboratories. Class D fire extinguishers use powdered graphite, copper-based or granular sodium chloride as the extinguishing agent that effectively separates the metal from oxygen and does not respond to burning metals. These are labeled as a five-point star containing the letter “D.”
Class K Fire Extinguisher
Class K fire extinguishers are used for extinguishing fires in commercial kitchens such as restaurants caused by cooking oils, cooking equipment, or grease. These are fueled by flammable liquids, spread rapidly, and are not easy to extinguish with class B fire extinguishers made for fires caused due to flammable liquids such as petrol or diesel. These are classified as class K fires, which require a unique extinguishing agent capable of quickly eliminating the class K fire. A class K fire extinguisher consists of a wet mist of chemicals extinguishing agents that create a foam blanket to block the oxygen supply of the fire. These are labeled by the letter “K.”
There are also multi-utility fire extinguishers classified as types A, ABC, BC, or K available as per your facilities’ unique requirements. If you want to know more about portable Fire Extinguishers or need fire extinguisher inspection or maintenance services, contact our experts at William Hird & Co. today!

Faulty heating equipment, electrical and lighting malfunctions, cooking equipment accidents are among the leading causes of restaurant fires. There are numerous fire hazards in a commercial kitchen that may put a restaurant in jeopardy. Therefore, restaurant owners must ensure the safety of all occupants. Commercial kitchens need to be equipped with specific fire protection equipment to ensure fire safety. Proper installation of a fire suppression system and following a strict safety code is a must for any restaurant establishment. William Hird & Co. specializes in the installation of various fire safety devices to protect your commercial building. We install all the necessary equipment for your restaurant’s safety and also perform regular inspections, maintenance, repairs, and replacements as required.
Restaurant fire suppression system installation
As restaurant kitchens are the most prone area for fire accidents, it is essential to install a fire suppression system that meets your restaurant’s fire safety requirements and minimizes fire threat. The type of fire protection system used in a restaurant kitchen depends on various factors.

The fire protection system should be chosen with the following essential priorities in mind:
1. Personnel safety: It is imperative to ensure proper measures are taken for the safety of all occupants. Ensure proper fire escape, emergency lighting, and fire alarm are operational at all times so that, in case of an emergency, everyone will be able to make a timely escape.
2. Minimizing the damages: Having a proper sprinkler or foam-based suppression system can be highly efficient in stabilizing the situation by suppressing the fire and minimizing property damages. It is crucial to choose the right kind of fire suppression system to keep the fire from getting out of control.
3. Backup extinguishers: It is best to consider installing the right kind of fire extinguishers on every floor and ensure easy access. So, if there is a fire, and the fire system does not activate or fails to respond, anyone can easily use the fire extinguisher to extinguish the fire quickly and prevent it from spreading.
   

Our experts at William Hird & Co. are licensed and well-experienced in designing a customized fire protection plan for all kinds of commercial kitchens. However, only installing a fire protection system is not enough. It is highly recommended to follow the proper fire safety codes in the kitchen as well.

Fire safety tips for restaurants
• Make sure the ovens, grilling surfaces, and kitchen hoods are all cleaned regularly.
• Ensure all your employees follow personal safety guidelines such as rolling up long sleeves, wearing aprons and tying long hair in a hairnet, etc.
• Make sure no cooking station is left unattended while cooking.
• Make sure the emergency exit routes are always clear for safe evacuation during an emergency.
• You should also give proper training to your staff regarding safety techniques and how to manually activate the fire protection system.
• Ensure Class K fire extinguishers are placed near the cooking stations to quickly put out any small accidental fires.

Whether you need fire sprinkler systems, commercial kitchen fire suppression systems, portable fire extinguishers, emergency exit lighting, or any other fire safety equipment, William Hird & Co. is equipped to handle all your fire safety requirements. Feel free to get in touch with our licensed professionals for expert assistance.