A news titled „Fire in a hospitality facility…“ can often be seen in newspapers and Internet portals. Damage caused by fire in any measure are incalculable, especially when it also has loss of human life. But what can be done to prepare for a possible fire and prevent consequences that may be catastrophic to one's life, your facilities, and the future of life and business?

In order to prevent news content such as:

„The inspection determined that the fire occurred within the building due to the failure of electrical installations…The fire caused soot in the entire interior of the object, while the are where the bar is located was completely destroyed.“

We bring you excellent advice that are part of the Fire Protection Act and the Fire Protection Ordinance Regulation.

Depending on the size of an object, spatial schedule, number of people staying at the object, each hospitality facility must near the entrance visibly display fire instructions and the plan of the facility marked with:

• staircases and exit paths,
• places where fire extinguishers are located,
• location of the main supply switch for the facility and the main gas switch for a quick closure of gas supply,
• ventilation system disengagement location if there is one in the facility,
• fire alarm center location  if there is one in the facility,
• installations and areas of increased risk of fire if they exist in the facility.

Auxiliary and panic lighting as mandatory safety lighting

In addition to general lighting, hospitality facilities also have to have safety lighting that must be in compliance with the prescribed requirements for electrical system safety.

• Auxiliary lighting must illuminate the room in which it is installed with minimum 1 lux lighting, measured on the floor of the room for at least 2 hours upon turning on.
• Panic lighting must illuminate the exit area with minimum 1 lux lighting, measured on the floor of the room for at least 2 hours upon turning on.

If a hospitality facility may accommodate more than 100 people at the same time, then it also must have a fire alarm system

• Fire alarm system must be installed in hallways, auxiliary premises and in all parts of the facilities that pose a fire risk, which are occasionally entered.
• Manual fire alarms must be installed in such a way that they are located no more than 30 m from any place in the facility, with the exception for the facilities that are protected by a stable fire extinguishing system if they are not operated by a fire alarm system.
• Hospitality facilities that can accommodate more than 250 people at the same time must also have an audible alarm system.
• The alarm system may be a siren or a bell, whose volume level is at least thirty decibels higher than the surrounding noise measured at the most unfavorable location, but not more than 110 decibels measured at a distance of 1 meter from the alarm system.
• Alarm system must also have a secondary power source, which has such characteristics that allow the alarm system to work for at least 24 hours in a ready state, and 10 minutes in operational state.
• In the case of an automatic fire alarm system, the system must be activated automatically after two fire detectors that are placed in two different alarm zones turn on, or when the second level of alarms are turned on.

Checkup of the correct functioning of the alarm system must be performed at least twice a year

Facilities that are legally subject to the installation of a fire alarm system must have:

• Up-to-date project documentation;
• System service performed twice a year, performed by an authorized business subject who also creates a report that is an integral part of the maintenance book;

If you are building a new, or renovating an existing hospitality facility for the upcoming tourist season, and you have concerns about meeting the requirements stated in the Fire Act and other regulations, please feel free to contact us!