Why You Need a Trained Installer for Life Safety Products

Integrating life safety into a commercial building design begins in the planning stages. It includes measures to protect both people and the property with much of the focus placed on fire and smoke suppression since fire is one of the greatest threats to life in a commercial building setting.

Building codes are developed with life safety products mandated to ensure that the occupants are allotted as much time as possible to evacuate a building in the case of a fire or smoke emergency. The effectiveness of these systems is dependent upon their proper installation.

What Are Life Safety Products?

Life safety products include any element on the interior of a building that helps ensure the safety of the people inside, as well as the physical structure itself. They may be as simple as a fire extinguisher, a smoke alarm or a security camera.

However, there are more complete life safety products that can be incorporated in commercial projects. These would include features like sprinkler systems or fire and smoke curtains. Both are engineered to work around the specific design elements of the building and are not generic out-of-the-box solutions.

5 Reasons You Should Use a Trained Installer

Because of the considerable risks that come with smoke and fire mitigation, installing the right systems and enforcing the right protocols will protect both the structure and its inhabitants.

It has been reported that over 100,000 fires occur annually in commercial buildings, and an estimated 2.4 billion dollars is spent annually on those property fires. Sadly, the most tragic consequence of commercial fires is the estimated 95 deaths and 1,200 injuries that occur each year because of these events.

With these high-level risks in mind, the installation of any life safety system should be handled by the most experienced contractor available to ensure they will operate as designed. Here are 5 reasons to choose a trained installer.

1. Custom Product Recommendations

In new construction, the life safety system is designed and included as part of the initial blueprint package. However, certain buildings may need custom solutions to better protect the building and the people.

Professional installers are able to evaluate what the building needs, and recommend custom solutions that will not only improve the safety of the building but could also make the space function and look better — without delaying the build.

2. Expert Installation Services

Compliance with building and safety codes is not optional, and much time and money could be wasted if the fire and smoke suppression systems are not installed properly. This means whoever does the installation must be equally familiar with the building codes AND the manufacturer’s installation instructions. Trained professionals will be up-to-date on current regulations and will be familiar with industry-leading protection products.

3. Adhering to Installation Specifications

Professionally designed life safety systems, such as those provided by Smoke Guard, contain multiple interacting mechanical and electrical components and are intended to be installed by trained tradespeople. These individuals will have experience with the specific equipment being installed and know these systems down to the component level.

Smoke curtains, for instance, must seal off a compartment and prevent smoke and flame from migrating to other parts of the structure. In addition, there are built-in safety features that stop the screen from fully deploying if an object is in its path. A trained installer will make sure that all features are operating as designed through testing during and after installation.

4. Detailed Inspections

A trained installer's familiarity with the life safety products and their installation makes them the obvious choice to conduct spot inspections as needed to maintain equipment integrity. They know the products backward and forwards, so you can feel safe knowing that the system was looked over thoroughly by an expert.

5. Regular Maintenance Calls

Periodic maintenance is required for all safety products. For instance, fire extinguishers need to be recertified on a regular basis to ensure they will operate properly when needed.

For advanced equipment like sprinklers and fire and smoke assemblies, the servicing technician must have extensive knowledge of the parameters the equipment is expected to operate within and be able to quickly identify irregularities that can lead to system failure. This level of expertise is only provided by trained installation professionals.

Keep Your Building Safe

Whether you are bringing an older building up to code or in the planning stages of a new commercial project, Smoke Guard’s team of experienced designers can help you implement a fire and smoke safety plan that works with your existing floor layout or the design of your new building.

That means atriums and open stairwells can be safely protected without adding additional design-ruining structures to meet safety codes, saving you time, money and stress.

Smoke Guard cut its teeth in this industry starting in 1991 providing protective smoke curtains for elevators. Their product line has grown to provide custom fire and smoke mitigation solutions for almost any floor plan configuration, increasing safety for both buildings and the people within them.

Contact Smoke Guard today and speak with one of our experienced consultants to find out how you can get a customized quote for your next project.