The safety of workers and equipment is a top priority for any business. As the owner, it's your responsibility to put the proper protections in place. One safety precaution should include fire-rated commercial overhead doors in your warehouses, garages, and factories. Here's what you should know to create a safe working environment.

How to Prevent Fires in a Commercial Facility

Store Flammable Liquids Property

All combustible liquids—such as gasoline, rubbing alcohol, and paint thinner—should be stored safely. Keep them in their original flame-resistant containers, which should be properly labeled to identify the fluid inside and indicate that it is flammable. Store the containers in a secure, dry, and cool location away from any heat sources or high-traffic areas. 

Train Team Members

Conduct fire training with your team members once every six months, or more frequently if your building has an unusually high fire risk, such as a warehouse that stores a lot of flammable liquids. Practice your evacuation plan, showing employees the planned escape routes.  

Your workers should also receive instructions on how to use fire extinguishers. Make sure to follow OSHA fire safety requirements in buying, placing, and labeling the extinguishers. 

These regulations tell you exactly how many extinguishers to have, what type to buy, where to place them, and what signage to use. These requirements are unique to each business, as a large warehouse has different needs than a small office.  

How Fire-Rated Overhead Doors Can Help

How They Work

Fire-rated commercial overhead doors are designed to withstand extremely high temperatures, preventing flames from spreading through the closed doors. They are linked to your smoke and heat detectors and will automatically shut when they sense the presence of smoke or excessive heat. Your fire alarms will go off at the same time, alerting workers to vacate the premises. 

How to Use Them

Have the doors installed around a planned escape route from the building. Prepare more than one route so that you know your staff will be able to get out no matter where the fire originates. These doors should also be used to protect important business assets in your facility, such as valuable inventory or data servers. 

Protect your facility with fire-rated commercial overhead doors from Overhead Door Co. of Lycoming County, a division of Schrader Architectural Products, in Williamsport, PA. They're known as “The Genuine, the Original Overhead Door Company” and have been in business since 1926. Their durable fire-rated doors will provide state-of-the-art protection to keep your employees and equipment safe. Browse their commercial doors on their website, or call (570) 326-4749 to discuss your needs.