Rohen's Burning Issues Blog

Fire Safety for Property Managers: Appliances, Electronics, and Wiring

Posted by Wesley Jasper on Thu, Oct 27, 2016 @ 07:15 AM

I can’t count the number of stories I’ve seen this year in the Greater Toronto Area where a renegade appliance caused a fire in someone’s home. In an apartment complex, such fires can cause extensive damage to neighboring units.

Preparing for fire risks is a challenge. Time and resources are often in short supply, and sometimes it seems like everything is a potential danger. But, a little education and preparation are all it takes to help tenants stay safe and protect your property.

Here is some information about fire safety concerns which you can apply to your responsibilities as needed and also share with your tenants.

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Tags: Property Owners

Does Your Toronto Area Property Have a Hoarder Tenant? What You Need to Know.

Posted by Wesley Jasper on Fri, Apr 08, 2016 @ 11:52 AM

Hoarding is a threat to fire safety in Greater Toronto Area Properties.

 

Hoarding is not a new phenomenon. However, it has become better known in recent years due to the popularity of reality tv shows about hoarding and its recent inclusion in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of physiological disorders. Before 2013, hoarding symptoms had been lumped in with obsessive-compulsive disorder, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, or anxiety disorder. Hoarding symptoms have also been associated with depression, post-traumatic stress, and dementia. It is more common among the elderly, but studies have shown hoarding impacts people across ages, ethnicities, and socio-economic lines. An estimated three to five percent of the population suffers from hoarding disorder (Tompkins, 2011).

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Tags: Fire Safety Risks, Property Owners

How to Make Fire Safety Accessible to All

Posted by Wesley Jasper on Tue, Nov 24, 2015 @ 06:30 AM

Risk and Responsibility:

A disproportionate amount of fire victims are elderly or disabled. The onus is on all of us to consider a range of situations and abilities when planning for fire safety and to protect those who are more vulnerable. In some situations, particularly if you own or manage a property or business, that extends to meeting requirements under the law. Some common situations to plan for include accommodating occupants with hearing, vision, cognitive and mobility differences. Go beyond the obvious. Properly planning fire safety for all means asking more questions ahead of time.

Examples of Considerations:

  • Are your fire extinguishers within easy reach of someone with below average height, or someone in a wheelchair?

  • If an occupant had a broken leg or other temporary mobility impairment, how would that impact their ability to exit safely?

  • Are there less visible scenarios that need to be accounted for, such as heart conditions, autism, PTSD, arthritis, asthma or Alzheimer's?

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Tags: Fire Safety Plan, Property Owners, Business Owners

Greater Toronto: What Are the Business Costs of Fires & Fines?

Posted by Wesley Jasper on Thu, Mar 26, 2015 @ 03:01 PM

Businesses in the Greater Toronto Area should be aware of shifting currents in Ontario Fire Code enforcement that increase their likelihood of exposure to fire-related costs. More often, these include not only risk of fire damage, business interruption and replacement costs, but also risk of fines for non-compliance. The fines themselves are in business-impeding amounts that far outshadow what it would have cost to comply with Fire Code in the first place.

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Tags: Property Owners, Business Owners

No More Fire Safety Excuses: How to Fight Noncompliance

Posted by Wesley Jasper on Wed, Aug 13, 2014 @ 11:46 AM

Fighting the Root Causes of Fire Safety Noncompliance:

In our last post, inspired by a survey of business owners in the UK, we looked at the four main reasons small businesses and property owners take fire safety risks: confusion, lack of resources, apathy, and denial. Now it’s time to talk about solutions.

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Tags: Fire Safety Risks, Property Owners, Business Owners

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