If your building’s life safety equipment was tested tomorrow, would you pass? If you’re unsure of your answer, it’s time to think about the actual cost of maintaining life safety equipment. We estimate that it costs $450 for one employee to accurately complete inspections and repairs of 50 units. This is estimating a cost of about $35 per hour including salary, benefits, and vehicle. That is approximately 13 hours to properly care for 50 units. With monthly and yearly requirements from the National Electrical Code, and OSHA, that 13 hours and $450 cost will need to be done every month. Actual times vary depending on the skill of the employee, and the size of the building, but in general there is money being used, and time being spent on an employee that is untrained, and inexperienced with life safety equipment.

The cost of maintenance rises with every dollar your staff spends on updating and repairing equipment. There are ways in which facilities can save on cost of repair, but they must be done with the correct retailers to provide optimal savings, and quality. Most facilities purchase necessary equipment on an as needed basis. Meanwhile life safety equipment professionals are able to purchase supplies in bulk and use on an as needed basis, passing that savings onto the client.

At the end of the day the true cost of having an in-house maintenance team member responsible for life safety equipment is what happens when there is an emergency and life safety equipment fails. Life safety equipment is set to strict standards because they save lives. Without proper management they’re unable to perform in dire situations, and can lead to property damage, and in the worst cases, loss of life. The margin of error when it comes to in-house employees is too high of a risk, and not worth it. As a business specializing in life safety equipment we urge our potential and current clients to take a proactive approach to life safety equipment management. Not only are there knowledgeable professionals who can properly maintain, log, and track your life safety equipment, but in most cases it will cost you less than the 13 hours and $450 you’re spending in house.