Fire Safety

Fire Safety

This section looks at Fire Safety in a slightly broader context than just how to carry out a Fire Risk Assessment. It is useful to focus on fire safety and fire prevention by looking at several key areas which need monitoring and managing on an ongoing basis.

While anyone who enters your building should be helping to ensure fire safety, it is the 'Responsible Person' for your organisation who must follow up on the issues highlighted in the Fire Risk Assessment, and ensure that steps are taken to reduce fire hazards.

In addition to the key areas listed above, the following will also have a bearing on fire safety in general and on your Fire Risk Assessment.

Escape Routes

It is of vital importance to your fire safety that your means of escape are maintained free from obstructions at all times, and that all emergency exit doors are functioning properly. The last thing you want is to find in an emergency that your one remaining escape route is has a padlocked door and no-one has the key!

Similarly, you need to be very aware of the whole route of escape and ensure everyone knows that nothing can be stored or even left temporarily in those areas. It is not sufficient to have your emergency exit doors clear and functioning if no-one can get at them because of the large boxes in the corridor. Ensure your staff know that fire safety comes before convenience.

Storage

If you have worked through the Fire Risk Assessment, you will know that much of the contents of your workplace can be described as potential 'fuel'. Of significant importance to your fire safety is the way you manage the storage of combustible material. This will make a huge difference to whether a fire can start, and the way a fire can spread.

If you have a sprinkler system in any part of your premises, ensure that you are not storing things in a way that will prevent the system operating as it should, and therefore jeopardising your fire safety precautions.

Making sure you have sufficient storage space is also important. If there is nowhere to put things (or people don't put things where they belong) the effect of this can then be that escape routes are affected and your fire safety is compromised. Also, if material is stored haphazardly in a way that is not easily accessible, there is more chance of a concealed fire starting and not being detected.

If you have bins on wheels, keep them chained up so that they can't be moved against a building. You should ensure that combustible waste does not build up - arrange regular collection, or if you have to store it, keep it in a separate dedicated space suitable for the purpose.

Electrical Safety

Many fires are caused by incorrectly installed, poorly maintained or overloaded electrical equipment. If you have any portable electrical equipment (and who doesn't) you have a legal duty to ensure that it is PAT Tested at appropriate intervals.

Don't 'do-it-yourself' when it comes to electricity. All electrical installations should be maintained by a competent person, in accordance with the Electricity At Work Regulations 1989.

Consider issues such as:

• Regular inspections and testing


• Correct fuse ratings


• Don't overload equipment


• Use RCDs (Residual Current Devices) to protect against short circuits

Keep anything electrical away from any environment with moisture or dust

Machines and Equipment

The range of machinery and equipment that might be in use in the workplace is obviously vast, so I will not attempt to cover all eventualities here. Consider the following situations which compromise fire safety and are the main causes of fire with machines and equipment:

• Poor maintenance or cleaning (especially cooking equipment, ducts, etc, where grease can build up).


• Obstructed or clogged up ventilation or extract grilles (causing overheating).


• Valves leaking oil or other flammable liquids


• Poor lubrication or maintenance on drive belts, leading to friction and heat.


• Interference with safety features such as emergency cut-outs.

Arson

I mentioned in the section on Fire Risk Assessment that you need to ensure you are not an easy target for would be arsonists. Don't underestimate this as a possibility. Statistics show that there are over 2,000 fires started deliberately every week!

You don't need to have someone with a vendetta against you, it could just be that you are an easier target then the others in your area. That's why you need to take precautions through your fire safety measures.

Consider the following precautions:

• If possible, secure the perimeter of your premises


• Fit CCTV to cover the outside of your building (this will need to include lighting so that footage shows up at night)


• Fit a secure metal letterbox on the inside of your premises, in case of burning material being pushed through


• Keep any storage areas secured at all times, and restrict who has access.


• Have a locking-up procedure which ensures that all possible entry points are secured at night.


• Do not store rubbish - have it collected regularly - and never keep bins or skips right next to your buildings.


• Make sure nothing is left lying around outside that could be used as ready fuel to start a fire.

Further Advice and Guidance

A list of Fire Authorities can be found here. Get in touch with your local Fire Prevention Officer if you have specific queries with regard to the best way to ensure Fire Safety for your premises.