Essential Safety Measures are effectively any safety equipment or feature required by law in a building to protect occupants in the event of a fire-related emergency. Virtually all fire protection equipment and systems – from fire sprinkler systems to fire blankets – falls under the umbrella of ESMs.
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ESMs also include fire safety features or architectural fixtures that are found in the building. In other words, fire doors, stairways, and fire exits (as well as the signage and lighting for these features) are also considered to be ESMs, and come with their own regulatory requirements. For example, all fire stairways, doorways, and exits are required by law to be kept free from obstructions to ensure the safe and prompt evacuation of building occupants in the event of a fire-related emergency.