Background
As of July 1, 2005, fire inspections are conducted to all businesses within the City of Norco at least once a year. This program assists business owners in obtaining compliance with local and state code requirements, helps reduce the risk of fire emergencies to businesses and provides familiarization of business layouts and awareness to any target hazards.
Why does the Fire Department have to inspect our business?
The California Fire Code as adopted by the City of Norco states, “the Fire Prevention bureau shall inspect, as often as may be necessary, all the buildings and premises… for the purpose of ascertaining and causing to be corrected any conditions which would reasonably tend to cause fire or contribute to its spread, or any violation of the purpose or provisions of this code and of any other law or standard affecting fire safety.”
It is also known that business insurance companies do request updated business inspections for risk or liability reasons. Having good records of business inspections and showing you are in compliance with codes also has a positive feedback with your business insurer.
I run a safe operation, why do I need the Fire Department to tell me when I have a hazard?
Within the first year many businesses has been known to make some change from minor electrical, new room additions or change of business operations. If there are no permits or approvals, then it’s not known whether or not it was done correctly or even permitted. An inspection walk-through will focus on a number of areas, including: emergency information updates, construction, exits, hazardous processes, storage, fire protection maintenance, electrical and housekeeping. The Fire Department will note any violations and appoint follow-up dates until in compliance.
I have a business to run, why do I need to worry about "type of locks on doors, extension cords, housekeeping or service of extinguishers"?
The national fire loss statistics annually report on fires and their causes. Conditions identified by firefighters during an inspection, have historically, been the same conditions which have led to large property loss or loss of life. A recent example of such an event was a fire on February 2003, in Rhode Island, where 96 people were killed and 81 injured. People could not find the exits when the fire broke out.
