• Address numbers are visible and easy to read from the street, (contrasting colors are best).
• All sides of the building are free from weeds, trash, debris, or combustible storage.
• If you have a dumpster, it is at least 5’ away from combustible walls, windows, and building overhangs.
• All vents of heat-producing appliances (heaters, water heaters, clothes dryers, etc.) are in good repair and functioning properly

Exit Paths are from any point in the building to the public street.

• All exit doors open easily without special knowledge of the latching devices that may interfere with someone getting out.
• The entire width and height of all exit paths is free from any obstruction.
• Exit signs are where they belong to indicate the direction of travel.
• If your building has illuminated exit signs, the bulbs do not need replacement.

Corridors are part of your exiting system, and include exterior exit balconies and stairs.

• There are no obstructions to the corridor’s full width and height, such as storage or office machines.
• Rated fire doors that open into the corridors are equipped with self-closures. All fire doors are kept in the closed position, free from obstructions that would block them open.
• Aisles are at least 44” wide in merchandise areas and 24” wide in storage areas, without obstruction.
• All stairs are clear of obstructions.

• All holes in the walls or ceiling that could allow fire into the hidden spaces have been repaired.
• No new walls have been added that would interfere with exiting, fire alarms, or sprinkler coverage.

• There is a working space of not less than 30 inches (762 mm) in width, 36 inches (914 mm) in depth and 78 inches (1981 mm) in height shall be provided in front of electrical service equipment.
• All circuit breakers are labeled to show what they control.
• All circuit breakers are free of tape or any other obstructions that may prevent them from functioning properly.
• All electrical outlets, switches and junction boxes have cover plates.
• Extension cords are for temporary electrical power and should be unplugged after each use.
• Extension cords for temporary use are at least the same size as the appliance, and do not pass under rugs, through walls, or across traffic paths. All parts of any cord must be visible so that wear or bad spots can be noticed.
• Multiple plug adapters have a fuse, and use does not exceed rated capacity.

• All storage is neat and orderly.
• There is no storage in equipment rooms, mechanical rooms, electrical rooms, or under open stairways.
• Storage is piled no higher than 2 feet below the ceiling in non-sprinklered areas of buildings or not less than 18 inches below sprinkler head deflectors in sprinklered areas of buildings.
• No more than 10 gallons of flammable liquid is stored in approved safety cans outside of a special flammable liquid cabinet.

• All required fire extinguishers are present.
• All fire extinguishers to be mounted not less than 4 inches and tops are not more than 5 feet.
• A 2A10BC minimum-rated fire extinguisher, which has been serviced and tagged within the last 12 months by a licensed fire extinguisher service company, is provided within 75 feet of all areas.
• All fire extinguishers gauges register in the green.

• All water heaters have a pressure-relief valve.
• All natural gas appliances have individual gas shut-off valves.
• All combustibles are stored at least 3 feet away from gas appliances (water heater, furnace, etc.).

Not all businesses have a fire alarm system, due to the time it was constructed. 

If your business has one, check the following:

• A UL Certificate is posted at the main fire alarm panel.
• Fire Alarm Panel in Normal condition with Green light.
• No alarm or system trouble lights are lit.