Fire Legislation and Risk Assesments

Worked Example - A Local Newsagent's Shop

Initially, a simple single line drawing of the premises roughly to scale /proportion, should be drawn, showing any relevant structural features and the use of particular areas e.g. production, storage, office accommodation, storage and plant etc. A copy of the plan will be useful should you have a fire at your premises, to give to the fire service when they arrive to assist them in firefighting operations.

The plan can then be used to indicate hazards (stage 1) and persons at significant risk (stage 2). It will assist to identify where combustibles and ignition sources come together, or are in close proximity and the action to be taken.

A SIMPLE NOUGHTS AND CROSSES SYSTEM CAN BE USED ;
CIRCLES FOR COMBUSTIBLES AND CROSSES FOR HEAT / IGNITION SOURCES

Fire Risks

The action taken (stage 3), is common sense and in the main inexpensive. Should any requirements proved to be expensive, interim measures may be put in place until they can be implemented. (PROVIDING PERSONS ARE NOT PUT AT AN UNACCEPTABLE RISK). All that remains to do is to make a record of the assessment, prepare the action plan, provide staff training (stage 4), monitor and review the risk assessment as appropriate (stage 5).

incident prevention

Stage1: Identify Fire Hazards

For a fire to occur it needs sources of heat and fuel. If these hazards can be kept apart, removed or reduced, then the risks to people and your business are minimised. In order to do this you must first IDENTIFY FIRE HAZARDS in your workplace.

IDENTIFY ANY COMBUSTIBLES - These can be divided into two main groups; combustible fuels such as paper, wood, cardboard etc. and highly combustible fuels such as thinners, solvents, polyurethane foam, etc.

IDENTIFY ANY SOURCES OF HEAT All workplaces will contain heat / ignition sources, some will be obvious such as cooking equipment or open flames (heating or process). Others may be less obvious such as heat from chemical processes or electrical equipment

IDENTIFY ANY UNSAFE ACTS - Persons undertaking unsafe acts such as smoking next to combustible materials etc.

IDENTIFY ANY UNSAFE CONDITIONS - These are hazards that may assist a fire to spread in your workplace, e.g. if there are large areas of hardboard or polystyrene tiles etc., or open stairs that can cause a fire to spread quickly, trapping people and involving the whole building.

An ideal method of identifying and recording these hazards is by means of a simple single line plan, an example of which is illustrated on the diagram below. Checklists may also be used.

Stage 2: Identify Location and Persons who are at significant risk

Consider the risk to any people who may be present. In many instances and particularly for most small workplaces the risk(s) identified will not be significant and specific measures for persons in this category will not be required. There will, however, be some occasions when certain people may be especially at risk from the fire, because of their specific role, disability, sleeping, location or the workplace activity. You need to consider the matters carefully if:

Sleeping Accommodation is provided

Persons are challenged e.g. physically, visually, mentally etc.

People are unable to react quickly

Persons are isolated

You must consider all persons; ask questions in particular of visitors to your workplace, not all disabilities are obvious. You may need to put special provisions in the place. (see stage 3)

Stage 3: Reduce the Risks

If the building has been built and maintained in accordance with Building Regulations and is being put to its designed use, it is likely that the means of escape provisions will either be adequate, or you will be able to decide easily what is required in relation to the risk. Having identified the hazards, you need to reduce the chance of a fire occurring and spreading, thereby minimising or removing the chance of harm to persons in the workplace by:-

Removing the hazard altogether

Reducing the hazard to the point where there is little or no risk

Replacing the existing hazard with a safer alternative

Segregating the hazard from the workplace

Developing a prevention policy and culture to ensure hazards do not occur in the workplace.

This should be a dynamic assessment, involving preplanning if introducing new processes or working practices, and appropriate control measures put in place.

The above measures should be straight forward using basic common sense, having the additional benefits for your business continuity by managing risks.

Evaluate the Risks
Attempt to classify each area as 'high' 'normal' or 'low risk'. If 'high risk' you may need to repeat the above stages, otherwise additional compensatory measures will be required

Low Risk - Areas where there is minimal risk to persons lives, where the risk of fire occurring is low, or the potential for fire, heat and smoke spreading is negligible and people would have plenty of time to react to an alert of fire.

Normal Risk - Areas will account for nearly all parts of most workplaces. Where an outbreak of fire is likely to remain confined or spread slowly, with an effective fire warning allowing persons to escape to a place of safety.

High Risk - Areas where the available time needed to evacuate the area is reduced by the speed of development of a fire, e.g. highly flammable or explosive materials stored or used (other than small quantities under controlled conditions). Also where the reaction time to the fire alarm is slower because of the type of person present or the activity in the workplace, e.g. the infirm and elderly or persons sleeping on the premises.

Determine if the Existing Arrangements are Adequate, or Need Improvement
Matters you will have to consider are :-

Means for detecting and giving warning in case of fire - can it be heard by all occupants ?

Means of escape - are they adequate in size, number, location, well lit, unobstructed, safe to use,etc ?

Signs - for exits, fire routines, etc.

Firefighting equipment - Wall mounted by exits, suitable types for hazards present & sufficient in number ?

Arrangements for warning all occupants in the event of a fire must be adequate and fail-safe. Fire alarm systems, smoke detectors and alarms, hand-bells, or a single shout may be suitable depending on the size and complexity of the workplace. Arrangements should be made to ensure that a telephone is available in a place of safety in order to call the fire service in the event of a fire.

Escape, without the use of a key, should be possible from All parts of a workplace to a place of safety in fresh air normally within two and a half minutes, if the premises are considered 'high risk' this should be undertaken in much less time.

A fire starting in any location should not go undetected and reach a size that could cause persons to be come trapped. This is more likely to happen where there is only one way out of an area. Ideally, persons should be able to turn their back on a fire and walk in the opposite direction towards a fire exit.

Many workplaces, however, will have areas from which there is no alternative way out, for part or all of the escape route, (e.g. most rooms have only one way out).

If your workplace is small and the fire risk has been assessed as normal or low then there may be no need to have alternative ways out but where your escape is in one direction only, the dead end areas should be kept as short, as few and as low risk as possible.

The maximum advisable travel distances from any area in a workplace to a fire exit door leading out to a relative place of safety should be in accordance with the table over.

Maximum Travel Distances* (Measured to a relative place of safety)	Low Fire Risk	Normal Risk - Production Areas (Factory Only)	Normal Fire Risk	Normal Fire Risk Sleeping	High Fire Risk
More than one route is provided	60m	45m	45m	32m	25m
Only a single escape route is provided	45m	25m	18m	16m	12m

*To an exit (open air where persons can disperse safely), storey exit (staircase separated from the remainder of the premises by fire resisting walls & self closing fire doors, etc) or a compartment wall (fire resisting wall & self closing fire doors).

The above guidelines are to be used with caution. You must look at each part of the workplace and decide how quickly persons would react to an alert of fire each area.

Adequate safety measures will be required if persons are identified as being at risk. Where these travel distances cannot be achieved, you will be required to provide extra fire safety precautions and you should contact your local Fire Safety Officer or a suitably qualified fire safety consultant (once you have completed your fire risk assessment).

Where persons are at risk or an unacceptable hazard still exists, additional fire safety precautions will be required to compensate for this, or alternatively repeat previous stages to manage risk to an acceptable level. It is important that all fire safety provisions are maintained in good order.

Stage 4: The Findings
(always recommended, see stage 5 review)

The findings of the assessment and the actions (including maintenance) arising from it should be recorded. If there are 5 or more employees you must retain a record which may be in writing, or by electronic or other means. It should indicate :-

The date the assessment was made.

The hazards identified.

Any staff and other people especially at risk.

What action needs to be taken, and by when (ACTION PLAN).

The conclusion arising.

Prepare the Emergency Plan - The aim of the plan is to ensure that in the event of fire everyone, including contractors and casual employees are sufficiently familiar with the action they should take, and that the workplace can be safely evacuated to a location where persons will not be in danger.

The employer is responsible for preparing the plan, and in most small workplaces this should not be difficult. In smaller workplaces it may simply take the form of a fire action notice.

Training - All staff should receive induction and regular training relating to the action(s) to be taken in case of fire in particular evacuation procedures, fire extinguisher training (where appropriate) and any specialist duties assigned e.g. assisting disable persons to safety.

Escape routes should be walked regularly and an evacuation drill practised at least annually. Visitors and contractors should also be informed of relevant procedures, in particular evacuation and other matters such as permits to work etc.

Stage 5: Monitor and Review on a Regular Basis

The fire risk assessment is not a one-off procedure. It should be continually monitored to ensure that the existing fire safety arrangements and risk assessment remains realistic.

The assessment should be reviewed if there is a significant change in the occupancy, work activity, the materials used or stored when building works are proposed, or when it is no longer thought to be valid.

Source: Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service, Bridle Road, Bootle, Merseyside L30 4YD