Fire Safety

Facts

Each year fire brigades attend over 35000 fires at work in which over 30 people are killed and around 2000 injured. Fire & explosions at work account for about 2% of the major injuries reportable under RIDDOR.

There are high financial risks and in many cases a large amount of businesses are thought not to resume trading.

The Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations of 1997 are enforced by the fire authorities in the main.

In order to comply with this legislation all workplaces must have

• Fire risk assessment
• Training
• Fire safety arrangements i.e. fire drills, fire prevention, records etc
• Appointment of a competent person
• Procedures to be followed in the event of a fire
• Where employers share a workplace, co-operation and coordination

Fire Certificate

Fire certificates must be applied for if you are a:

• Office, shop, factories or railway premises where more than 20 work
• Office, shops, factories or railway premises where more than 10 at work on the ground floor
• Buildings with two or more individual offices, shops, factories or railway premises when the aggregate of people at work exceeds the above totals
• Factories where, irrespective of the number of people at work, explosive or highly flammable materials are stored or used.
• Hotels or boarding houses with sleeping accommodation for more than 6 guests or staff.

Fire Certificates

A fire certificate specifies:

• The particular use or uses of the premises which it covers
• The means of escape in the event of a fire
• Fire fighting means for use by people at the premises
• How fire warnings must be given
• Particulars as to any explosives or highly flammable materials stored or used on the premises

The fire certificate may also state a number of additions depending on the nature of your organisation.

Sources of Ignition

- Naked Flames – from smoking materials, cooking & heating appliances
- External Sparks – from grinding metals, welding, impact tools,
- Internal Sparking – from electrical equipment (faulty & normal), machinery, lighting
- Hot surfaces – lighting, cooking, heating appliances, drive belts

Sources of Fuel

• Solids – these include wood, paper, cardboard, wrapping materials, plastics, rubber
• Liquids – these include paint, varnish, thinners, adhesives, petrol, white spirit, and methylated spirits
• Gases – flammable gases i.e. butane or propane, acelytane, hydrogen

Methods of Extinction

There are four main methods of extinguishing fires:

• Cooling, reducing the ignition temperature by taking the heat out of the fire – using water to limit ir reduce the temperature
• smothering, limiting the amount of oxygen the fire has, normally with use of foam or a blanket
• starving, limiting the fuel supply by removing the source of fuel by switching off electrical power
• chemical reaction, by interrupting the chain of combusting and combining the hydrogen atoms with chlorine atoms for example Halon extinguishers.

Fire Risk Assessment

When carrying out a risk assessment you will need to consider the following points

• assess the fire risks in the workplace (either as part of a general review of health and safety risks which is already carried out or separate if required)
• check fire can be detected in a reasonable time and that people can be warned
• check that people who may be in the building can get out safely
• provide reasonable fire fighting equipment
• check that those in the building are aware of what to do if there is a fire
• check and maintain the fire safety equipment

Will anyone be hurt if there is a fire?

There may be places in your workplace that people are more at risk in or that visitors and outside contractors may not be familiar with the surroundings or the procedures that you have put in place.

If more than four people are employed then a formal record of your findings and measures in place must be kept.

The purpose of the risk assessment is to identify where fires may start in the workplace and anyone who may be put at risk from that fire.

A fire risk assessment should include:

• any sources of ignition that may cause fire should be identified.
• combustible materials in the workplace need to be identified, steps should be taken to remove them away from sources of ignition.
• identify those people who at significant risk from fire and take steps to reduce that risk
• Structural features that promote the spread of fire should be identified
• During periods of maintenance or refurbishment it will be necessary to take steps to monitor the introduction of sources of heat

People at Risk

The nature of fire puts anyone in the workplace at risk if the necessary controls are not put into place. All employees should be trained in the use of fire fighting equipment and fire evacuation and it is important to remember that this training should not stop at the induction period but refreshed throughout employment.

Fire Plans

Fire plans should be produced and attached to the risk assessment and a copy to be accessible in the workplace. The plans need to show:

• Escape routes, number of exits, and number of stairs, fire resisting doors, and places of safety
• Fire safety signs and notices including pictorial fire exits signs and fire action notices
• The location of the fire warning call points
• The location of emergency lights
• The location and type of fire fighting equipment

When planning escape routes the following criteria should be met

• where 2 or more escape routes are needed they should lead to different paces of safety
• escape routes need to be short and lead directly to a place of safety
• ensure that escape routes are large enough for the amount if people using them

Good Housekeeping is a must to ensure that all routes of safety are kept clear and fire doors are left unobstructed at all times.

You should ensure that all escape routes are well lit and that the appropriate signage is on the walls directing people to a place of safety.

Fire Procedures for people with a disability

When planning fire precautions and escape routes it is important to make special consideration for people who have a disability. You should

• identify everyone who may need special help to get out
• allocate responsibility to specific staff to help people with a disability in emergency procedures
• consider possible escape routes
• enable the safe use of lifts
• train employees to be able to help their colleague