Today’s safety message comes to us from across the Ocean, from U.K. Fire Safety Solutions.
Health and safety in the workplace should be a top priority for any business, keeping your staff, customers and any other visitors safe on your premises is very important. The Fire Safety Regulation Reform Order has legislations in place that you must comply with as a business owner.
One of these legislations is that you must perform a regular fire risk assessment on your premises; a fire risk assessment is a vital procedure towards keeping a safe working environment. It is the most effective way to identify any potential fire risks on your premises, eliminate them then maintain the work you have done.
The law does not state who must perform an assessment only that the individual is a competent individual, this allows you to perform the assessment yourself or hire a third party fire consultant to do it for you. If you wish to perform your own fire risk assessment it would be beneficial to read up about it online. There is lot’s of informative websites which also offer fire risk assessment downloads such as checklists and forms to help you through the process. You can also purchase fire risk assessment software that will give you the information you need as well as running you through a full, step-by-step risk assessment.
Things you must consider when performing a fire risk assessment:
Identification is key when it comes to preventing fire hazards, you must ensure to review your whole premises by hand to maximize the results of the risk assessment. The more thorough you are the less likely it is to miss a fire risk in your workplace. When identifying fire risks it is always good to consider the three elements that start a fire: heat, oxygen and fuel.
Always consider individuals who may be at particular risks, these are the people most in danger, For instance – Anyone using highly flammable chemicals or liquids in an area high in oxygen is at particular risk.
When you feel your whole workplace has been covered you must assess any risks that have been found and take action in removing them. Sometimes it is difficult to completely remove any threats so you must implement some form of fire precaution to protect against hazards.
Another vital part of an assessment is to record the full process, by doing this you have written proof that you are complying with the fire safety law but it also makes it easier to manage your workplace fire safety. You can inform all staff members of what was carried out and make everyone aware of any specific duties they must carry out.
Review your assessment on a regular basis; provided that you have recorded your fire risk assessment correctly it should be easy to review your workplace following your old notes. You should check that any implemented precautions are still in place and that removed fire hazards have not risen again. As you have your old notes it should be easier to spot any new fire hazards too.
By following these simple steps you are taking great leaps towards creating a safer working environment for you and your staff. If you would like anymore information or help with fire safety and/or fire risk assessments then UK Fire Safety Solutions can help, they are professional fire consultants with years of experience in the sector having spent time serving as fire safety offices in the fire service.