[Fot] Shop Safety Question

[J Wagner]

For anyone with a shop that may get fire safety inspections, I highly recommend that you go overboard with fire extinguishers.  If two are required, buy four or five.  Definitely get the right types based on the potential hazards in each space.  Overkill.  Mount properly to local codes with proper signage.

1.  You can’t have too many extinguishers.

2.  If your inspector finds an inadvertent  code violation, whether it be an oversight on your part or that of some employee, etc., his/her enforcement measures may be profoundly affected by his/her impression of your overall safety efforts.  Nothing impresses a fire marshal more than up-to-date, well placed, adequate fire extinguishers!   It can make the difference between getting shut down, the invitation of other inspectors for permit/code violations, a huge fine, a formal written warning, or just getting a friendly heads up.  Those extra extinguishers and their subsequent service, may have just paid for themselves.  And in a fire, they may pay for themselves many times over.

Over the decades, in various shops and stages I have worked at, I have seen many a fire inspection.  It was always some real in-your-face stupid violation by management that wasn’t on the ball about fire safety, that got a marshal riled up and on a rampage.  

In my shop, I bought bigger, better, and more, than required by code.  And I took the time to properly hang them to code.   And I bought a huge commercial first aid kit and mounted it in clear sight.   

It’s overkill because it’s the right thing to do and it’s the smart thing to do.