Fire watch guards are trained to look for sparks, welding hot spots, and hazardous spills that could ignite a fire.
Their duties vary depending on the size and location. Still, they will usually patrol the perimeter around your facility at regular intervals to ensure the safety of your assets and personnel.
- Smoke Detectors
Smoke detectors sense smoke using either optical (photoelectric) or ionization technology. Detectors can be mains-operated, battery-only, or both.
Photoelectric detectors respond faster to slow smoldering fires, such as a smoldering mattress, than ionization sensors do. Some dual-sensor smoke alarms combine the two technologies for better fire detection.
Ionization smoke detectors use radioactive material — Americium — to monitor the ions that are created in smoke particles. They are more effective at detecting smoldering fires than photoelectric detectors but are also susceptible to false alarms.
- Fire Extinguishers
Fires can cause serious damage to a building and even cause life-threatening injuries. To prevent this from happening, businesses must have a fire detection system and well-trained San Francisco fire watch guards on hand.
A fire watch guard will perform regular checkups to ensure all anti-fire equipment is operating correctly and there are no irregularities or problems. They can also help you develop an acceptable safety plan for your business and notify management personnel if a hazard is identified that could violate OSHA rules.
Most extinguishers are made from a dry chemical foam or powder that interrupts the chain reaction of a fire. This smothers the fire by replacing oxygen in the air with carbon dioxide, a non-flammable gas.
- Heat Detectors
Heat detectors use thermal detection to trigger an alarm. They react to the heat produced by fire by melting a fusible material or sensing a temperature change.
Standard, fixed-temperature heat detectors respond to most fires as expected but can suffer from “thermal lag” when fires build quickly. Adding rate-of-rise compensation can prevent this lag and avoid false alarms due to rapid changes in ambient temperatures.
In addition, these detectors are effective across a wide range of fire types. They are also less prone to false alarms when installed in environments with natural rapid temperature changes, such as a ceiling.
Detectors use thermocouples or electro-pneumatic technology to sense temperature. The electro-pneumatic device contains a diaphragm that moves when there is a change in pressure caused by a temperature change. The thermostatic thermistor detects the temperature rise and signals the alarm when that temperature reaches a preset point.
- Fire Alarms
Fires can bring down any business, causing damage to property and people’s lives. It is, therefore, important for businesses to have an effective fire alarm system and the support of fire watch guards.
The equipment that fire watch guards use to detect fires varies depending on the location of their patrol. However, they will always check for combustible materials, hazardous waste, and other potential fire hazards.
They will also ensure that all exits are clear of obstructions throughout construction and that the building is safe to enter at all times.
They will also check for electrical wires to avoid sparks and shorts, which could cause fires. This is especially important in a construction site where electricity and other heat sources are often flammable.