Working in facilities management, it is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day details of keeping up with inspections and building maintenance. However, every once in a while we hear about something happen that serves as a reminder of the real reason life safety codes are put into place.
As you have probably heard already, a fire broke out in a hospital in Eastern India last week and took the lives of over 90 patients. Through investigations, authorities discovered that the required life safety systems were not installed or put into place when the building was constructed. Fire and smoke spread from the basement of the hospital through air ducts and into patient rooms leaving little time for anyone inside to escape.
As you know, maintaining your life safety systems isn’t important just to pass your inspection, but also is a matter of life and death for the occupants of your facility in a fire. Making sure that your fire dampers are functioning, your fire doors automatically close and latch, your fire walls are probably firestopped, and checking all of these systems on a regular basis will not only help you pass your inspections, but will also save lives.
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