Fire safety in parking garages is an essential topic for businesses, especially with the increasing popularity of electric vehicles. Here are some useful tips for dealing with vehicles in parking garages.
1. General safety
- Ensure that the parking garage complies with general fire safety regulations.
- Create clear emergency procedures for fire incidents and ensure everyone knows them.
- Ensure adequate lighting to prevent accidents and to be able to detect fires quickly.
- Increase awareness about fire safety among users and encourage them to report suspicious situations immediately.
2. Ventilation and detection
- Ensure good ventilation to prevent gas accumulation.
- Create fire compartments to limit the spread of fire.
- Install automatic fire detection and alarm systems that quickly alert the fire department.
3. Space and signage
- Ensure sufficient space around vehicles for rapid intervention.
- Limit the number of contiguous parking spaces for charging vehicles.
- Use clear signage for charging zones and safety instructions.
4. Fire fighting and intervention
- Place sufficient fire extinguishing agents, such as fire extinguishers and fire blankets, at strategic locations and ensure staff know how to use them.
- Train the intervention team for a rapid and effective response in case of fire.
- Control and operate the various safety installations from a central post. This post must make it possible to locate the fire, determine the protective measures, and control their activation. At every entrance used by the fire department, clear signs must indicate where this post is (this control post should not be placed in a separate room).
5. Electric vehicles
- Preferably place charging points outside or at least 10 meters from buildings. If they must be in the parking garage, place them as close as possible to the exit.
- Ensure that charging points comply with safety standards and provide users with instructions on how to correctly connect and disconnect their vehicles.
- Provide an electrical emergency cut-off to switch off power to all charging points in case of emergency. Connect the fire detection system to the emergency cut-off so that in case of fire, power is automatically switched off.
- Integrate charging points into the intervention plan and inform the fire department about their presence.
- Take measures to prevent vehicles from hitting charging points.
6. Periodic control and inspections
- Have electrical installations periodically checked by an accredited inspection body.
- Perform regular inspections of the parking garage to identify potential fire risks, such as leaks, damaged wiring, and improper storage of flammable materials.
- TIP: on the websites of accredited inspection bodies you will find lists of mandatory and optional checks.
By following these guidelines, businesses can help ensure safety in parking garages and significantly reduce the risk of fire. For more detailed information and guidelines, refer to the ‘Rule of Good Craftsmanship Fire Safety - Theme: Electric Vehicles in Parking Garages’.
