An extinguisher may be in the right location, but how well is it protected from everyday exposure and accidental damage? For those specifying and managing fire safety equipment, storage deserves attention alongside the equipment itself.

For facilities managers, specifiers and fire safety professionals, four questions provide a useful starting point:

•    Is emergency equipment protected from weather-related damage?
•    Can it be easily identified and accessed during an incident?
•    Is it secure from vandalism, theft or unauthorised use?
•    Will it remain fit for purpose throughout its intended service life?

These questions connect equipment provision with the practical realities of its location, condition and accessibility.

Protection that suits the setting

An outdoor equipment location presents different storage considerations from an indoor one. Rain, ultraviolet exposure, dust and accidental impacts are among the factors to consider, alongside theft, vandalism and unauthorised use. The choice of storage should reflect the setting rather than assume that one solution suits every application.

Purpose designed cabinets and boxes provide options for housing fire safety equipment. When considering a product, check its documented specifications against the equipment and intended environment, including how the equipment will be identified and accessed. Protection and accessibility need to be considered together.

Protective storage does not replace equipment inspection, maintenance or servicing. Nor does purchasing a cabinet, by itself, establish regulatory compliance. Storage is one part of the wider arrangements for managing fire safety equipment.

Make storage part of the conversation

Having equipment on site is the starting point. Considering how it is housed, protected and accessed brings an important practical detail into focus. Jonesco manufactures storage solutions for fire safety and emergency response equipment across transport, infrastructure, public venues and industry.

Explore Jonesco’s fire safety storage range.

About the author: Jonesco is a manufacturer of storage solutions for fire safety and emergency response equipment, supporting organisations across a wide range of sectors, including transport, infrastructure, public venues and industry.

Find out more, visit www.jonesco-plastics.com

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