Smoke alarms, part 2: our commercial electricians in Highett explain

Last month, our Melbourne electricians talked about the importance of installing smoke alarms in your home, as well as some of the lesser-known considerations that come with smoke alarm detection.

Today, we’re continuing that thread, explaining some of the things you should know about installing smoke detectors at commercial businesses with the help of an electrician in Highett!

Whether you are the landlord or the business tenant, proper installation of smoke alarms is a crucial part of the safety and security of your premises – not to mention, a legal requirement.

In addition to mandating commercial smoke detectors, the law also mandates:

• What features they have
• How many need to be installed
• Where they should be positioned

Specifically, smoke alarms should be correctly positioned in every storey of the commercial property so that everyone is alerted of any fire emergency.

Need an electrician near you to assist with your business compliance?

Don’t know whether your business is meeting its legal requirements with regards to smoke alarms?

Call our commercial electrician in Melbourne on 1300 300 222 or click here to send us your requirements.

Smoke detectors in commercial buildings in Victoria

Did you know?

Buildings constructed before 1st July 1994 must comply with Regulation 1212-1217 which mandates the installation of smoke alarms as safety precautions in all commercial buildings.

The Victorian Building Act of 1993 and the Building Regulations Act of 2006 notes that buildings constructed after 1st July 1994 in reference with the Regulations 1201-1211 must also comply with additional safety procedures!

For example, post-1994 buildings must submit a building’s certificate of occupancy (CoO) along with a working fire alarm system, stairwells and fire exits, and of course, smoke alarms.

Smoke alarms in commercial properties

Protect your property and everything that comes in between with proper smoke alarm installation.

When installing smoke alarms, always be sure that you contact a commercial Melbourne electrician who not only safely installs them, but can also ensure they’re 100% compliant with your statutory obligations as a business.

Our experienced sparkies install, repair, replace and regularly inspect your wires, connections, and electrical equipment.

We’ll ensure that your smoke alarms work.

What’s more, we’ll also ensure that each room or area that needs a smoke alarm has it installed in the optimal location for maximum coverage and detection.

Keep an eye out for warning signs that could indicate an imminent electrical fire. Here are some electrical hazards that you can be aware of to reduce the risk of electrical fire.

Commercial smoke alarm installation for office areas

Office areas are more often than not a hub of activity, with countless team members and managers spending most of their time here.

As such, commercial smoke detectors should be installed to alert every employee around.

This is because meeting rooms are often enclosed, so any fires that occur in them may not be detected by outside smoke alarms.

Even unused meeting rooms in the office should be fitted with smoke alarms that are regularly checked for functionality.

As a general rule, never install smoke alarms near areas such as doors, windows, and ducts, as these can interfere with their operation.

And finally, avoid painting over or covering your smoke alarm with stickers, as these can also interfere or even cause them to malfunction!

Storage areas and basements

Most of the time, storage areas in commercial facilities aren’t frequently used throughout the day – that’s why smoke alarms should be installed here to alert your staff of fires.

This is especially important if your storage areas contain substances that are potentially flammable such as aerosols, or important appliances like heater furnaces or hot water systems.

Storage areas aren’t the only isolated areas that need smoke alarms – so too do stairwells and fire exits.

Parking garages

If you thought your Christmas shopping experience was bad, spare a thought for these poor souls who had their cars go up in flames in the car park at Chadstone Shopping Centre.

In addition to putting things into perspective, it also demonstrates the (slim, but nonetheless present) risk of a car bursting into flames, as well as the importance of ensuring your parking areas are covered by alarms and fire suppression systems.

As smoke detectors can be falsely triggered by car exhaust, alarms in undercover car parks should be installed over the parking  spaces themselves and not the access lanes.

Additionally, you should ensure that the parking garage has adequate ventilation to prevent false positives.

When installing smoke alarms in areas with lots of particulates that may trigger false alarms (such as parking garages), our commercial electricians in Melbourne can calibrate the temperature and sensitivity of the smoke detectors to compensate.

Is your business fire-safe? Explore our commercial electrical services in Melbourne

Call our commercial electricians today!

Given current events, fire safety is more important than it’s ever been. Even if you don’t work in a bushfire zone, it’s crucial that you take steps to protect your staff and premises from fire.

And it all starts with your smoke alarms.

Our commercial electricians in Melbourne can install, test and maintain fire alarms for your business, and ensure that you’re meeting your statutory obligations.

Our team can also provide you with a range of other commercial data electrician services. By looking after your electrical wiring and circuits, we can minimise the risk of an electrical fire breaking out at your business!

For example, we can look after:

• Lighting
• Safety switches
• Security lights and sensors
• Data and telephone points
• CCTV/security cameras
• Electrical maintenance and repairs
• Fibre optic wiring
• 3 phase outlets

Here are also some tips from our emergency electricians in Highett that can significantly reduce the risk of electrical fires in your home.

Whatever it is, you can rely on Briggs Electrical’s commercial electricians in Melbourne. So if you’re wondering “who’s the most reliable electrician near me?” we strongly recommend you get in touch with Briggs.

We’ll help plan and execute electrical services, ensuring that your commercial space is safe from fire and electrical hazards.

We even offer 24-hour emergency electrical services – if you run into a problem we’ll turn up ASAP to get your business running again!

Contact Briggs Electrical today – give us a call on 1300 300 222 or fill in the form to talk to us about your commercial electrical requirements.