How to Keep a Computer Room Safe from Fire

There can be nothing more devastating to a business than the loss of information due to a fire. Not only are you risking serious injury and loss of life when your IT room goes up in flames, but you may be losing access to information on your servers that is both invaluable and irreplaceable. On top of it all, a fire in your computer room can cost you thousands of dollars as the result of both downtime and loss of productivity. So, how do you ensure that you keep your computer room safe? In this article, we take you through 3 simple solutions to keeping your computer room accident free, so you can avoid a potentially devastating accident.

Keep the room organized

Keeping your computer room organized is one of the easiest and most important ways in order to avoid a fire. Odds are, your computer room is filled with flammable materials such as ink, paper, and, of course, electronics, so it’s important to ensure that your supplies and equipment are kept as out of the way as possible.

Confires Fire Protection Service tells us more on why it’s important to keep your computer room organized in order to avoid an accident:

“Do not use your computer room to store combustible materials. In addition, make sure you keep the space uncluttered so that in the event of an emergency, the fire does not spread quickly and people in the room can escape easily.”

Cool the room according to system requirements

Did you know that the temperature of your computer room can have a big impact on the overheating of your equipment? If you’ve noticed your PC or laptop constantly overheating, then your computer room may either be too hot and/or you’re not using cooling equipment to keep it at a safe temperature.

Impact FIre explains why cooling your computer room according to system requirements can be imperative to your safety:

“Keeping the IT room cool is vital to preventing overheating of equipment, which can damage sensitive electronics and create a fire hazard. Install the proper cooling equipment, and be sure to maintain it correctly to prevent any failures. Many server room designs include monitoring and alarm systems that notify you of a problem before it becomes dangerous.”

Train employees and display fire emergency plans

Last but not least, it’s important to ensure that your employees know exactly what to do in the event of a fire. While a shocking number of employees tend to skip fire safety training (even though they are required to), taking the time to do so can save lives, not to mention thousands of dollars in damages. 

State Systems Inc. tells us why you must train your employees and display fire emergency plans in the workplace:

“Ensuring your employees know how to respond to a fire (whether that means proper use of a fire extinguisher or immediately evacuating to safety) can save lives and help prevent further damage.”

Fire-Alert takes pride in equipping homeowners, commercial businesses, and government buildings with all necessary fire safety devices to ensure the well-being of families and employees across the nation. Reach out to us using our contact form to find out more.