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# Fire Safety - Workplace Regulations

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General Public
content="99XX" scheme="ONS SNAC"
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fire, safety, workplace, regulations
<h2>Fire and Emergency Services</h2><span class="gen">email address here</span><span class="gen">phone number here</span><span class="gen">sms phone number here</span><span class="gen">fax number here</span><span class="gen">minicom number here</span><p><i>The Workplace Fire Precautions Legislation brings together existing Health and Safety and Fire Legislation to form a set of dedicated Fire Regulations with the objective:</i></p><hr/><p>

<strong>To Achieve a Risk Appropriate Standard of Fire Safety for Persons in the Workplace</strong>

</p><p>These Regulations were

amended on the 1st December 1999 in order to confirm the concept of the employer<strong> </strong>

having unconditional responsibility for the safety of employees. As a result

most

workplaces are now subject to the legal requirements

of the above Regulations. The Regulations apply to workplaces where persons

are employed to

work, but do not apply in workplaces that

are:

</p><ul>

<li title="*">Private Dwellings</li>

<li title="*">Used only by the self

employed</li>

<li title="*">Construction Sites</li>

<li title="*">Means of Transport</li>

<li title="*">Mineshafts</li>

<li title="*">Ships within the meaning

of the Merchant Shipping Act (not those permanently moored, under construction

or repair etc)</li>

<li title="*">Offshore installations

or open farm/forestry land</li>

</ul><p>This means that those workplaces

that are subject to the requirements of a Fire Certificate (or Application)

have additional legal obligations in

respect

of the Workplace Regulations. An existing Fire Certificate may form the basis

of the fire risk assessment (it is not a substitute for a Fire Risk Assessment),

supplemented as required by

attaching

the risk

assessment

findings

to reduce

duplication of work.</p><p>The Fire Precautions Workplace Legislation requires employers to:</p><ul>

<li title="*">Carry out a Fire Risk

Assessment</li>

<li title="*">Provide and maintain,

to the extent that it is appropriate, determined by the Risk Assessment:<br/>

- Means for Detecting and Giving Warning in Case of Fire<br/>

- Means of Escape

and Emergency Lighting<br/>

- Fire Safety Signs<br/>

- Firefighting Equipment<br/>

</li>

<li title="*">Monitor and review the Risk Assessment and revise as appropriate</li>

<li title="*">Inform staff of their representatives of the risk</li>

<li title="*">Plan for an emergency</li>

<li title="*">Provide staff information and training</li>

<li title="*">Nominate persons to assist</li>

</ul><h2>Where the Employers do

not have Control of all Parts of the Building</h2><p>If the

workplace

is

shared

with other persons, they should be informed of any

significant risks identified. The person who has to any extent control (landlord,

owner or other employer etc) has a responsibility to make sure the Regulations

are complied with, in the parts they control. This may require communication

and co-operation between all parties to ensure co-ordination of fire safety

provisions, firefighting measures, evacuation procedures etc.</p><h2>Objective of the Fire Risk

Assessment </h2><p>The principle of the Regulations

and the risk assessment approach, is goal based and flexible to employers

needs. The employer generates the risk in workplaces,

therefore, to safeguard the safety of employees, the employer must:</p><ul>

<li title="*">Identify hazards and

people at risk</li>

<li title="*">Remove or reduce the

hazards</li>

<li title="*">Manage the remaining

risks to acceptable levels by:<br/>

- Ensuring that all

occupants are alerted and can leave the premises safely in the event

of fire<br/>

- Reducing the probability

of a fire starting<br/>

- Limiting the effects

should a fire occu

</li>

</ul><p>Providing the premises

have been built and maintained in accordance with Building Regulations and

the use

of the workplace is normal risk or lower, undertaking

a risk assessment will be a simple matter to achieve without significant expenditure.

If however, the premises are not in accordance with the above categories and

are classified as a high risk, further action will be necessary and an action

plan should be produced and implemented based on the complexity, size, occupancy

and consequential risks. </p><p>The employer can enlist

the help of other persons who have the necessary experience or skills (ie.

competence)

to carry out part or all of the risk assessment.

This &quot;competent person&quot; (possibly a current employee with knowledge

of safety and company working practices) does not have to be an expert to assist

the employer, but they need to have sufficient experience/training with regard

to the problems they are advising on. But remember the employer always remains

responsible for the outcome. This is worth remembering, should

you

require

help with your risk assessment.</p><h2>Key Stages of Fire Risk

Assessment</h2><p>There are several methods

of carrying out a fire risk assessment, the one described below is based

on the method

contained within &quot;Fire Safety

An Employers Guide&quot; issued by the Home Office and the HSE. A systematic

approach, considered in simple stages, is generally the best practical method.

This may be undertaken as part of the general health and safety workplace risk

assessment, or carried out separately.</p><h2>Stage 1 - Identify Fire

Hazards </h2><p>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

is minimised. In order to do this you must first identify fire hazards in your

workplace.</p><ul>

<li title="*">

<strong>Identify Any Combustibles</strong> - 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</li>

<li title="*">

<strong>Identify Any Sources of Heat</strong> - 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.</li>

<li title="*">

<strong>Identify Any Unsafe Acts</strong> - Persons undertaking unsafe acts such as smoking next to combustible

materials etc.</li>

<li title="*">

<strong>Identify Any Unsafe Conditions</strong> - These are hazards the 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.</li>

</ul><p>An ideal method of identifying and recording these hazards is by means of

a simple single line plan. Checklists may also be used.</p><h2>Stage 2 - Identify Location

of Persons who are at Significant Risk</h2><p>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 matters carefully if:</p><ul>

<li title="*">Sleeping

accommodation is provided.</li>

<li title="*">Persons are

challenged, eg. physically, visually, mentally, etc.</li>

<li title="*">People are

unable to react quickly.</li>

<li title="*">Persons are

isolated.</li>

</ul><p>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 place (see stage 3).</p><h2>Stage 3 - Reduce the Risks,

Evaluate the Risks and Determine if the Existing Arrangements are Adequate,

or Need Improvement </h2><p>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:</p><ul>

<li title="*">

<strong>Removing</strong> the hazard altogether</li>

<li title="*">

<strong>Reducing</strong> the hazard

to the point where there is little or no risk</li>

<li title="*">

<strong>Replacing</strong> the existing

hazard with a safer alternative</li>

<li title="*">

<strong>Segregating</strong> the hazard

from the workplace</li>

<li title="*">

<strong>Developing A Prevention Policy and Culture</strong> 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</li>

</ul><p>The above measures should be straightforward using basic common sense, having

the additional benefits for your business continuity by managing risks.</p><h2>Evaluate the Risk</h2><p>Attempt to classify each

area as &quot;high&quot;, &quot;normal&quot;,

or &quot;low risk&quot;. If &quot;high risk&quot;, you may need to repeat

the above stages, otherwise additional compensatory measures will be required

(see overleaf).</p><p>

<strong>Low Risk</strong> - 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.</p><p>

<strong>Normal Risk</strong> - 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.</p><p>

<strong>High Risk</strong> -

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, eg. the infirm and elderly

or persons sleeping on the premises.</p><h2>Determine if the Existing

Arrangements are Adequate of Need Improvement</h2><p>Matters you will have to

consider are:</p><ul>

<li title="*">

<strong>Means for Detecting and Giving Warning in Case of Fire</strong> - Can it be heard by

all occupants; does it need to be automatic in operation?</li>

<li title="*">

<strong>Means of Escape</strong> -

Are they adequate in size, number, location, well lit, unobstructed,

safe to use, etc?</li>

<li title="*">

<strong>Signs</strong> - for exits,

fire routines, etc.</li>

<li title="*">

<strong>Firefighting Equipment</strong> - Wall mounted by exits, suitable types for hazards present and sufficient

in number?</li>

</ul><p>Arrangements for warning all occupants in the event of a fire must be adequate

and failsafe. 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 a telephone is available in

a place of safety in order to call the Fire Service in the event of fire.</p><p>Escape predominantly 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 half minutes, if the premises are considered &quot;high risk&quot; this

should be undertaken in much less time (consult &quot;Fire Safety An Employers

Guide&quot; for details).</p><p>A fire starting in any location should not go undetected and reach a size

that could cause persons to become 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, (i.e. 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.</p><p>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 below:</p><table width="90%" cellpadding="5" class="centre" summary="maximum advisable travel distances from any area in a workplace to a fire exit door leading out to a relative place of safety">

<tr>

<th>Maximum Travel Distances *Measured

to a Place of Relative Safety</th>

<th>Low Fire Risk</th>

<th>Normal Risk Production Areas (Factory Only)</th>

<th>Normal Fire Risk</th>

<th>Normal Fire Risk Sleeping</th>

<th>High Fire Risk</th>

</tr>

<tr>

<td>More than one route is provided</td>

<td>60m</td>

<td>45m</td>

<td>45m</td>

<td>32m</td>

<td>25m</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td>Only a Single escape route is provided</td>

<td>45m</td>

<td>25m</td>

<td>18m</td>

<td>16m</td>

<td>12m</td>

</tr>

</table><p>*To an exit (open air where persons can disperse safely), storey exit (staircase

separated from the remainder of the premises by fire resisting walls and

self closing fire doors, etc), or a compartment wall (fire resisting wall

and self closing fire doors).</p><p>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 in 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).</p><p>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.</p><h2>Stage 4 - The Findings

(always recommended, see Stage 5 Review)</h2><p>The findings of the assessment and the actions (including maintenance) arising

from it should be recorded. If there are five or more employees you <strong>must</strong> retain

a record which may be in writing, or by electronic or other means. It should

indicate:</p><ul>

<li title="*">The date

the assessment

was made</li>

<li title="*">The hazards identified</li>

<li title="*">Any staff and other

people especially at risk</li>

<li title="*">What action needs

to be taken, and by when (Action Plan)</li>

<li title="*">The conclusions arising</li>

</ul><p>

<strong>Prepare the Emergency

Plan</strong> - 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.</p><p>

<strong>Training</strong> -

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

eg. calling the Fire Brigade, assisting disabled persons to safety etc. 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.</p><h2>Stage 5 - Monitor and Review

on a Regular Basis </h2><p>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, young persons are employed, or when it is no longer thought

to be valid an annual review should take place, irrespective of no changes.</p><h2>Advice and Information </h2><p>If further practical advice

or information is required following completion of the Risk Assessment, the

Fire Brigade may be able to assist. Any advice

given is usually free of charge and impartial.</p><p>Further advice is also

available from:</p><ul>

<li title="*">Fire Safety

an Employers Guide published by the Home Office and HSE from Stationery

Office Bookshops Telephone number (0870) 600 5522, HSE Bookshops Telephone

number (01787) 881165 and any good book sellers priced &#xA3;9.95 (ISBN

0-11-341229-0).</li>

<li title="*">Fire Risk Assessment

in the Workplace, A Guide for Employers, book and video from the Fire

Protection Association Telephone number (0181) 2072345.</li>

<li title="*">Fire Risk Assessment,

A Guide to Complying with the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations

from the Fire Industry Council Telephone number (0181) 549 5855.</li>

</ul><p>Information regarding managing process risks and highly flammable materials

is available from your local HSE Offices. Advice on reducing the risk of arson

may be obtained from the Arson Prevention Bureau, Telephone number (0181) 236

9700.</p><span class="gen">email address here</span><span class="gen">phone number here</span><span class="gen">sms phone number here</span><span class="gen">fax number here</span><span class="gen">minicom number here</span><span class="gen">postal address here</span><h3> <a href="/ccm/services/pid.jsp?pid=813"> Providing Information (813) </a></h3>