When someone starts a business, the list of what needs to be done seems like it goes on forever. There are degrees of importance, from the greatest to the least.  Somewhere on that list is 'public safety.' Under the umbrella of public safety is fire safety - and part of that is flameproofing. While flameproofing often boils down to legal requirements, there are many reasons why this is so important to have done at your place of business.

When it comes to beginning a business, there are several phases involved.  One phase usually includes the flow of creative ideas and brainstorming exciting future plans.  The other phase is just slightly less exciting and involves the logistics of budgeting, organizing, and addressing legal issues. A well-rounded and successful business needs to address all of these phases, even if some are more tedious than others. One legal (and practical) issue to address is fire safety-  and even more specifically - flameproofing. Flameproofing involves the FDNY requirement that a business has decorative items at their location treated with flame repellents so that they do not support combustion or contribute to the spread of fire. If this requirement is not taken seriously, there could be some serious legal ramifications for business owners. 

When we hear about a fire occurring, it always leaves a knot in the pit of our stomachs.  We wonder if there if there were casualties, if there were survivors, about the condition of the firefighters and the extent of the damage. Whether the fire was a minor event or an enormous tragedy, we all know the devastation that a fire can cause.  In a best case scenario, everyone survived and there was minimal damage. However, it is very rare that there are zero losses when any kind of fire occurs. Even if a business has a fire and they seemingly got through it relatively unscathed, there are typically some kind of secondary losses to deal with.

At Bronx Flameproofing, we field a lot of questions from business owners about the process of flameproofing. Many times, there's confusion about what is actually involved when we arrive to treat an establishment with flame repellents. Business owners have concerns about the procedure itself, the time it takes, and if they will have to shut down their business while the treatments are taking place. Today's discussion is meant to alleviate any concerns you might have in regards to the flameproofing process: we will break it down step by step.

First, you should know that when a business establishment is treated with flame repellents, it's a relatively simple process that is typically completed, start to finish, in a 24-hour period. When we talk about 'flameproofing an establishment,' we aren't talking about treating the physical building structure itself but the items inside the building. The FDNY requires that items that are used for decorative or artistic purposes need to either be inherently flame-resistant or treated with fire retardants. This would include both wood and fabric items. If a fire were to occur at a business location, the fact that these items were treated with flame repellents would delay and limit the spread of a fire.