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:
To Achieve a Risk Appropriate Standard of Fire Safety for Persons in the Workplace
These Regulations were amended on the 1st December 1999 in order to confirm the concept of the employer 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:
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.
The Fire Precautions Workplace Legislation requires employers to:
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.
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:
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.
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 "competent person" (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.
There are several methods of carrying out a fire risk assessment, the one described below is based on the method contained within "Fire Safety An Employers Guide" 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.
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.
An ideal method of identifying and recording these hazards is by means of a simple single line plan. Checklists may also be used.
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:
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).
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:
The above measures should be straightforward using basic common sense, having the additional benefits for your business continuity by managing 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 (see overleaf).
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, eg. the infirm and elderly or persons sleeping on the premises.
Matters you will have to consider are:
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.
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 "high risk" this should be undertaken in much less time (consult "Fire Safety An Employers Guide" for details).
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.
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:
| Maximum Travel Distances *Measured to a Place of Relative 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 and self closing fire doors, etc), or a compartment wall (fire resisting wall and 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 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).
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.
The findings of the assessment and the actions (including maintenance) arising from it should be recorded. If there are five or more employees you must retain a record which may be in writing, or by electronic or other means. It should indicate:
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 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.
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.
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.
Further advice is also available from:
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.
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