How To Protect Your Apartment Against Fires – A Practical Checklist

By Author: Graham Nicholson
Total Articles: 4
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The day to day life of a regular human being in the Western world doesn’t involve many life threatening situations. However, statistics show us that fires that start in apartments are one of the most likely survival situations that you could face.

Aside from being mentally prepared for such a situation, which is almost impossible to do for such an abstract scenario, it’s crucial that you limit the chances of fires occurring in your apartment and make sure that your building is fitted out with all the necessary fire risk precautions.

As well as performing a regular fire risk assessment with a qualified electrician or contractor, all it takes is a few basic steps to substantially decrease the likelihood of a fire breaking out in your apartment.

Smoke alarms

While this is not a prevention method, it is the most important tool you can have when faced with a fire. A smoke or fire alarm is the first notification to you and your family that there may be a fire in your building.

Making sure that one is correctly installed and maintained at all times will give you more time to exit the building ...
... (or put the fire out if it is manageable) before it spreads through your apartment and poses a threat to your life.

Electrical integrity

Hiring a qualified electrician to perform a regular fire risk assessment for your various electrical appliances and systems is money well spent. A number of agencies also offer fire risk assessments for commercial spaces or HMOs. The important thing is that you identify any faulty wiring, systems, or units that are damaged, frayed or cracked.

Checking the proximity of electrical appliances is also recommended, making sure all hairdryers, curlers and electric shavers are safely stored away.

Easily openable windows

Escaping a fire is just as important as preventing it. While you may not have registered this, the windows in your house are some of the most important fire escape routes. If a fire is too large and obstructs your exit using corridors and hallways, you’ll have to use a window combined with your mattress thrown down onto the ground to break your fall.

This manoeuvre however is useless if you cannot open your windows in the first place, which could be a result of paint or rust sealing it shut over the years, making it too stiff to open in an emergency.

Clear corridors and stairwells

You are likely to take a specific route out of a building if you know it is on fire, so make sure this path is completely free of obstructing furniture, rubbish and anything that could stop you from escaping the building. Bikes, old fridges, mattresses, cardboard boxes and children’s toys could all be obstacles to your safety.

With a comprehensive fire risk assessment from a professional agency, these items will be identified as part of your report. These professionals will also advise you on the best way to meet fire risk regulations so you can keep yourself insured in the event of a fire.

Emergency lighting

This is one of the most underrated aspects of fire safety. On your way out during a fire, it’s likely the lights in the stairwell will serve as your navigation when your main lights have been damaged or cut off. As well as a handy flashlight, make sure emergency lights are installed and working to lead people out of the building when smoke fills the corridors and makes it hard to see.

Consult an expert

As well as being generally aware about your fire safety routes and equipment at all times, it’s well worth consulting a fire risk assessment company or electrical safety contractor to limit your exposure to fire dangers.

There are a number of companies throughout the UK who can offer bespoke and regular fire safety checks for your property, whether you’re in a large block of commercial flats or a detached property.

UK-Fire Risk Assessments have over 20 years’ experience in the fire safety industry including fire risk assessment. Based in Nottingham, it has operated nationwide on a range of premises, including retail outlets, education facilities and residential properties, ensuring that independent and effective fire risk assessments are conducted.