If you own a service garage, a workshop or any other facility where people are using tools inside, you need to take special precautions when choosing your fire alarm system. To ensure you get the best system for your needs, keep these tips in mind. They will guide you through the selection process:

1. Choose a fire alarm that detects smoldering fire as well as smoke.

In many cases, fire alarms are actually smoke alarms. This means that smoke will trigger them, but if a fire is smoldering and not smoky, the alarms may not respond. To mitigate this issue, opt for alarms that can detect both smoke and smoldering fire.

That way, your fire alarm will sense smoke, but if a fire starts in a couch in the breakroom or a pile of old towels on the shop floor, the alarm will detect that as well.

2. Integrate sprinklers.

If you are trying to keep your employees safe, you should also integrate sprinklers into your fire alarm system. Ideally, the sprinklers should contain a fire suppression powder that doesn't damage any of your equipment like water. They should also go off as soon as your fire alarms detect something.

3. Connect the fire detection system to other electrical aspects of your shop.

Ideally, when you are putting a fire alarm system in a shop, you should work with a consultant to ensure that the system is integrated with relevant equipment in your shop. For example, your elevators should go into automatic, ride to the ground floor and open. Your automatic roller doors or service doors should open immediately as well to provide fast and easy egress to your workers.

4. Opt for a monitored system.

Consider what happens if a fire starts and no one is in the facility. If the alarms ring but no one hears them, your facility may burn to the ground. To ensure this doesn't happen, opt for a monitored system. With a monitored fire alarm, if the system detects a fire, it alerts the monitoring company who in turn contact the fire fighters.

5. Invest in other fire suppression equipment.

Finally, don't exclusively focus on the fire alarm system. Also, remember to support your system with the right equipment. Your workshop needs adequate fire extinguishers rated to fight the types of fires you are most likely to have in your building. You may also need fire suppression blankets that workers can throw on top of a fire to put it out.

For more information, contact a business such as SPS Fire and Safety.