Fire Safety

Fire Risk Assessment Form - How To Use A Form To Help You Carry Out A Fire Risk Assessment

2009-09-29T12:16:00.000-07:00

A good Fire Risk Assessment Form will help to guide you through the process and make it easier to ensure that you properly consider each stage that you need to go through. The other important function of the form is to provide a record of the fact that you have carried out the fire risk assessment and record the details of what you find and any action you need to take. Recording this information in writing is a legal requirement for any business employing five or more staff.

Every fire risk assessment form should provide certain basic information, including the name of your business or organisation, the specific workplace premises being assessed, the name of the person doing the assessment and the date it was carried out. It is also a good idea to include the date on which the next review will be due.

The main part of the form is very much governed by the stages of the assessment process itself. It should have at least six columns, so that you can record all potential fire hazards you identify, any people who are affected by the hazard and any existing control measures you have in place. In addition to these you will also need to record any further action you need to take to manage the risk, some indication of how urgent or high a priority this action is as well as a column for signatures by however signs to say that the required action is complete.

The need to carry out a fire risk assessment and record your findings is a requirement under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. This abolishes the use of fire certificates and puts a duty on the 'responsible person' in each workplace to ensure that an assessment of the risk of fire is carried out, and action is taken to reduce any risks identified. In practice it is what we should all have been doing anyway, but it puts this into a formal structure to help ensure it is done in a consistent way.

There are many professional fire safety experts happy to undertake your assessment for you, but unless you have a particularly complicated or specialised premises, you can probably carry out the assessment yourself. Free detailed help on how to do this is available online. The legislation does not define what level of experience you should have to carry out a fire risk assessment.

If you are unsure about whether your knowledge or experience is adequate for carrying out a fire risk assessment, you may be better using a consultant. If you are not sure, a good approach is to use a consultant for the first one, to ensure that it is done thoroughly and to confirm the proper process, then do the reviews and updates yourself after that.

As a rough guide, if your workplace is a relatively small, fairly typical office type environment, you are almost certainly fine to carry out your own fire risk assessment. Many small businesses will find that their assessment is actually very quick and simple, resulting in a brief sheet of notes of their findings. It is only with larger premises, which may involve manufacturing processes, machinery, storage and use of dangerous or flammable materials, etc, where you should think carefully about whether you have the appropriate level of knowledge. If you have a particularly hazardous workplace and you think an intumescent seal is something that balances a ball on its nose, you may wish to seek advice.

Download a free fire risk assessment form here. K Garrow has managed large public buildings for the last twenty years and has extensive experience of workplace safety issues and relevant legislation. His website offers free advice on a range of subjects, including PAT Testing, types of fire extinguishers, Staff Training, disaster recovery planning and emergency lighting.

Typical Fire Risk Assessment – Follow This Simple Step By Step Guide

2009-07-26T12:27:00.000-07:00

A typical fire risk assessment will follow a straightforward five step process, as recommended by government guidance. All businesses in the UK are required to have carried out a fire risk assessment, and they must keep a record of it too if they have five or more staff. The legislation relating to this is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Depending on the size and nature of your business, you may not feel qualified to carry out your own assessment, but as long as your workplace is relatively straightforward, and you have a degree of common sense, there is no reason why you should not be able to do your own assessment. The alternative is to use a specialist consultant, which you may wish to anyway if you feel you do not have the time yourself.

Step one is to indentify all fire hazards. The easiest way to do this is to have a thorough inspection of all parts of your premises, thinking about the three things which are required for a fire to start. These are a source of ignition, fuel and oxygen. Sources of ignition are relatively easy to spot – think of smoking areas, heaters or anything that involves a naked flame. Also bear in mind anything which has the capacity to get hot, including lighting and electrical equipment if it develops a fault. Fuel is anything which will burn, so look for any storage of paper, wood or other combustible material, as well as flammable liquids or gases that you use, and any materials or soft furnishings. The main source of oxygen is of course in the air, so look at how air can move around your premises, paying particular attention to fire doors.

Step Two is to identify any people who are at risk. As well as the obvious employees who work there all the time, do not forget to consider visitors and contractors, and pay particular attention to anyone working in isolation, those less able to move quickly and anyone who may have a language difficulty.

Having identified how fires may start and who is at risk, you now need assess the risk levels and put in place measures to minimise the chances of anything happening which could cause harm to anyone. This is step three and in many ways the most important part of the fire risk assessment. You need to consider each risk and see if it can be eliminated, or whether there are measures you can put in place to reduce the likelihood of it happening to an acceptable level.

Step four is to record the findings of your fire risk assessment. You are required to do this by law if you have five or more employees, and your local fire authority may ask to inspect it. It does not need to be sophisticated, but must record what you have found and what you are doing to manage the risks. Free forms are available online to help you record your findings.

Your fire risk assessment is now complete, but the fifth stage in the process is to review it at regular intervals. How often you must do this is not specified in legislation and will depend on your situation, but annually is a good start. The things to look out for are any changes in your workplace which could have an impact on the risk of fire or the risk to people. If you change the layout of your premises or install new machinery or materials, that is the time to revisit your assessment to ensure it is still appropriate.

Read a detailed guide to carrying out Fire Risk Assessments here.

Emergency Lighting Testing – How and When To Test Your Emergency Lights

2009-07-22T13:56:00.000-07:00

All places of work are required to provide adequate means of escape, and these routes and exits need to be properly covered by emergency lighting, so that they are visible even in a power cut. In the UK these requirements come under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which places a duty on the ‘Responsible Person’ to ensure these measures are in place.

The nature and extent of emergency lighting will vary with different premises, and the time that the lighting is required to stay on for could be between one and three hours. The basic function of this is so that there is enough lighting to get everyone safely out of the building in an emergency, but the longer the lighting last the better. In order to ensure that the lighting is functioning properly and able to last as long as it needs to, the emergency lighting system must be tested regularly.

Some of the more modern systems will be capable of testing themselves, but the majority of buildings will have older emergency lighting which requires manual testing. How this is done will depend on the system in place, but the usual method is to use a special switch with a ‘fishtail key’ to trigger the lighting.

The best way to organise your testing is to be systematic about it and keep an accurate record in a logbook. You should carry out different tests at regular intervals, weekly, monthly, six monthly and annually. Daily checking is recommended for premises with maintained lighting (emergency lights which stay on all the time). This just needs to be a visual check to ensure they are all working, and deal with any which are not.

A monthly check should include cutting the power to all lighting, just to ensure that all non-maintained bulbs (ones which only come on in a power cut) are working. If you do not have a testing facility with a fish key, you can do this through your fuse box.

Every six months it is a good idea to cut the power for at least one hour to ensure the batteries last long enough. At least once every year you have to carry out a ‘full discharge test’ which involves cutting off the power and letting the entire system discharge. It is preferable to get a qualified electrical engineer to do this and check the whole system at the same time. When you carry out a full discharge test, you should time this so that your premises are not in use for the following 24 hours, as the batteries will all be drained and the emergency lighting therefore not working.

You should use a special form to record every time you carry out a test. There are forms available online free which you can download. The form should record the date of the test, the result of the test, any remedial action you have taken, and a signature of the person carrying out the test. Your local fire authority has the right to check whether you are properly testing and maintaining your emergency lighting system, so keeping a logbook with these records in can be very helpful when this happens.

Find out more about emergency lighting testing at Fire Risk Assessment.com

Frequency of fire risk assessment – How Often Should You Carry Out A Fire Risk Assessment?

2009-07-19T13:41:00.000-07:00

Every UK business now has to carry out a Fire Risk Assessment. This is a requirement under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, and if you employ five or more people, you must also record the findings of your fire risk assessment.

How often you need to carry out a fire risk assessment is not set in stone by the legislation. What you are required to do, however, is to review it regularly. For most workplace situations an annual review is going to be a good start, but the main thing is to monitor it to see how well the risk management steps you put in place are working in practice. If you are finding regular problems because your situation changes frequently, you may need to review your assessment more regularly.

You need to be on the lookout for any changes in your work environment or practices. Any alterations to buildings, new furniture, machinery or other equipment, different chemicals or working materials can all affect your fire risk and therefore your risk management plans. If any such changes occur, you should re-visit your fire risk assessment and check to see if it requires any alterations or additions to take into account the altered circumstances.

Carrying out your first fire risk assessment is the main step to take, and updating it will be a relatively simple matter compared to the initial assessment, particularly if you are new to it. However, carrying out a fire risk assessment does not need to be a complicated process, and you will almost certainly be able to carry it out yourself, unless you have a particularly complicated or specialised workplace.

The legislation requires that the assessment is carried out by a ‘competent person’. This will normally be the person responsible for the workplace, and could be shared among several people where different organisations share a building. The Order does not specify a level of competence that this person must have, but for small straightforward workplaces, a degree of common sense will probably suffice. If you do not feel competent enough, or do not have the time, there are plenty of consultants available who will be more than happy to carry out the fire risk assessment for you.

The fire risk assessment itself is a straightforward five step process, and free advice is available online to help you through each stage. The first three stages are to identify the potential hazards, identify any people who are at risk, then to evaluate these risks and put risk management measures in place. You then need to record your findings and the final stage is to review your fire risk assessment at regular intervals.

You can download free forms online to use for your fire risk assessment, which help to guide you through each stage and record your findings in a structured way. If you only have a small business your assessment does not need to be a long complicated process. The time it takes and the detail you go into will be very much in proportion to the size and complexity of your business.

Read a step by step guide to Fire Risk Assessment here.

Fire extinguishers instructions – Detailed Guidance For Correct Fire Extinguisher Use

2009-06-09T13:08:00.001-07:00

While there is a similar approach to the basic operation of most fire extinguishers, there are some important distinctions in terms of the different types of fires that certain extinguishers are designed to combat. This article looks at the specific instructions for each of the main types of fire extinguisher in use today.

Water Fire Extinguishers Instructions

Take particular care not to use on deep fat fires or fires involving electrical equipment.

Point the hose to the base of the fire and sweep the jet of water from side to side over the fire. Even if the fire is spreading upwards, always start with the base of the fire and move upwards from there. When the fire appears to be out, check the whole area for smouldering material that could flare up again.

Carbon Dioxide Fire Extinguishers Instructions

While this is one of the most flexible extinguishers, it should not be used on fires in deep fat fryers or burning oil. The powerful jet would not extinguish the flames, and could spread the fire further by splashing the burning fat around.

Carbon dioxide extinguishers do not have the cooling effect of water, so check carefully afterwards as there is an increased danger of re-ignition. Exercise caution when using in a confined area as the carbon dioxide gas can be harmful to health. Ventilate the area as quickly as you can after discharging an extinguisher.

Direct the plastic horn towards the lower part of the fire and sweep from side to side as with the water extinguisher. Check for re-ignition and use again if required.

Foam Fire Extinguishers Instructions

Another flexible extinguisher, but not for use on deep fat fires.

One of the main uses of this type of extinguisher is on burning liquids such as petrol, diesel and oil. If the extinguisher is being used on a burning liquid, you should avoid directing it straight into the middle of the liquid as this will break up the surface and could cause splashing and spreading of the fire. If the liquid is inside a container, a good technique is to direct the jet at the inside edge of this (or an adjoining wall) and allow the foam to spread down and slide over the liquid surface. This avoids breaking up the surface and will then smother the fire. Failing that, direct the jet upwards, allowing it to fall gently onto the liquid surface, which also ought to avoid breaking the surface.

Dry Powder Fire Extinguishers Instructions

These are very widely used because of their flexibility, but like carbon dioxide, they have very little cooling effect. This means there is an added likelihood of a fire re-igniting, so care must be taken to watch for this. Disconnect the power supply if you are using a dry powder extinguisher on a fire near electrical equipment.

As with other extinguishers, the powder should be directed towards the base of the fire and a sweeping action used to move this from side to side aver the lower part of the fire. Dry powder can be used on flammable liquid fires, and if being used for this purpose the powder should be pointed towards the near edge of the burning liquid first, then work backwards from there.

Wet Chemical Fire Extinguishers Instructions

The wet chemical extinguisher is the only type that can be safely used on fires involving deep fat fryers. All extinguishers of this type come with a long applicator or lance. This is used to direct the chemical directly onto the burning oil, which should be done in a steady circular motion.

Key Points About Fire Extinguisher Use

Before tackling a fire, call the emergency services first, or ensure that someone else has done so.
Do not attempt to use a fire extinguisher to fight a fire unless you are confident about doing so.
Make sure you keep an escape route clear and do not let the fire get between you and your way out.
Try to keep someone else with you in case you get into difficulties.

These fire extinguishers instructions will help give you a basic understanding of the principles of using portable fire fighting appliances, but anyone who is expected to operate fire extinguishers as part of your workplace emergency plan should be properly trained in how to do this. This should include the opportunity to actually operate live equipment.

Find detailed information and advice on fire extinguishers here.

Fire Extinguisher Instructions – Find Out How To Properly Use A Fire Extinguisher

2009-06-08T13:41:00.000-07:00

All fire extinguishers are required to be supplied with some basic operating instructions already on them. Before you even think about trying to put a fire out with a portable appliance, however, there are a few things that require some consideration. If you are the person in charge of your workplace premises, then you will have a responsibility under the law to ensure that all staff are properly trained in what to do in the event of a fire.

Depending on your situation, your staff may or may not be required to operate fire extinguisher, but this is something which should be specified in your Emergency Plan and communicated clearly to all staff. In the UK, it is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order which places this duty on employers and specifically on the so-called ‘Responsible Person’. If your staff are expected to use portable fire extinguishers to tackle fires then you need to ensure that they have all been properly trained and are competent to do so.

If you are confronted by a fire, there are some simple guidelines which should help you decide whether you should attempt to use a fire extinguisher on it or not. These are important factors to bear in mind for your own safety.

If the fire is already large or well established, you should not attempt to fight it.

Always check your escape route first. Don’t fight a fire if you do not have a clear way out and do not let the fire spread and prevent you getting to the escape route.

If the area is already full of smoke from the fire, do not try to put the fire out. This is too dangerous because smoke is highly poisonous and it could overcome you.

Try to avoid being left on your own to fight a fire. Have someone else with you if you can, as this could be vital if you get into difficulties.

If the fire continues to spread despite your efforts, just leave it and evacuate.

You should not use an extinguisher if you have any doubt about what it is that is on fire. This is because all extinguishers are designed for certain classes of fire, and some fire can only be put out safely with a specialist extinguisher. A good example of how this could go seriously wrong would be if you were to use a water extinguisher on a fire involving electrical equipment. This could lead to an electric shock and very serious consequences.

Fire Extinguisher Operating Instructions:

The general operating instructions for most fire extinguishers rely on the same principles, and there is a commonly used way of remembering these basic steps. The acronym is ‘PASS’, which stands for pull, aim, squeeze and sweep. Different types of fire require different extinguishers and slightly different approaches, but PASS is a good way of remembering a system that will work for the vast majority of common workplace fires. In a general office type environment, these instructions are perfectly valid for water, carbon dioxide, powder and foam fire extinguishers.

PASS The Fire Extinguisher Instructions

PULL the pin out of the fire extinguisher, to make it ready for use.

AIM the hose, nozzle, horn, etc at the base of the fire from about eight feet away.

SQUEEZE the nozzle to activate the extinguisher and eject the contents.

SWEEP the hose from side to side over the base of the fire.

These are only very basic instructions. If staff are required to operate extinguishers, they should be given proper training and allowed to actually use an extinguisher as part of the training. This is the only way to ensure that they will have the confidence and knowledge to take the proper action in an emergency.

Read a full guide to all types fire extinguishers here.

Mounting Fire Extinguishers And How To Use A Fire Extinguisher Mounting Bracket

2009-06-02T12:49:00.000-07:00

An essential part of reviewing your fire extinguisher provision is the consideration of where to site them and how to fix them in place. Some appliances will come with a mounting bracket supplied, but for others you will need to purchase a fire extinguisher mounting bracket separately. It is beyond the scope of this article to get into how many fire extinguishers you should have for your workplace, or which type you need, so let us assume that you have your supply of the correct number and type of appliances and now you need to go about putting them where they need to be.

Mounting Fire Extinguishers – Where To Site Extinguishers

The first thing to say is that it is not an option to just leave a fire extinguisher standing on its own somewhere. It is unprotected, could be knocked over and damaged, or moved from its proper place leaving it unable to be found in an emergency. All fire extinguishers should be fixed in place using either a proper fire extinguisher mounting bracket, or a special stand or cabinet (more on all these later). It is a British Standard that all fire extinguishers are mounted on either a wall or a proper stand.

Fire extinguishers should always be sited on escape routes, in conspicuous places where they can easily be seen by people. If they need to be in a place where they cannot be seen directly, then appropriate signs must be used to highlight where they are. To help you decide where the best place to put extinguishers is, try to think through what would happen in the event of a fire. If you were escaping from a fire in your building, where would you want the fire extinguishers to be so that you can see them and get to them without deviating from your escape route. Their position should encourage people towards the exits rather than pull them back into the building.

It is also a useful guideline to site extinguishers next to call points, so that the alarm can be sounded before tackling the fire. For extinguishers which are being provided to cover specific risks, the extinguisher must be situated close to the risk. For example, a wet chemical fire extinguisher for a kitchen with a deep fat fryer. Bear in mind, however, that any such extinguisher must still be accessible if the risk happens. So in the above example, you would not put the extinguisher where you might not be able to get at it if the fat fryer did burst into flames.

It is a good rule of thumb to say you should not have to travel more than 30m from anywhere in your workplace to get to a fire extinguisher. Take care not to mount fire extinguishers in places where they may be exposed to heat. Most extinguishers will be marked with safe operating temperatures on them, so ensure they are kept within that range.

Types of Fire Extinguisher Mounting Bracket

Most fire extinguishers can be mounted against a wall using a fire extinguisher mounting bracket. The bracket should be fixed so as to result in the fire extinguisher handle being about 1m from the ground. An appropriate fire extinguisher identification sign should be mounted immediately above the appliance. These indicate the type of fire extinguisher and highlight its location.

Some fire extinguishers can be very heavy, so you need a solid wall to fix the bracket to, and fixings which are appropriate for something which is going to take a lot of weight. If you are in doubt about the ability of the wall to withstand such a load, it would be better to use a stand instead (see below).

The main types of fire extinguisher mounting brackets available are Lug Brackets, J Brackets and Shoulder Brackets. J brackets get their name from the fact that the letter J describes their shape. They are suitable for most types of fire extinguisher where the extinguisher’s bracket is at the back or the side of the appliance. Shoulder Brackets are so called because they are for fire extinguishers where the bracket is attached at the shoulder (the curved bit between the side and the top). Lug Brackets have a small arm coming out from the wall, with a small metal lug sticking up. These are for locating fire extinguishers with a corresponding fitting with a hole that fits on top of the lug.

There are other more specialist types of brackets available, such as the transport bracket, which has a retaining strap to hold the appliance in environments that move around, such as goods vehicles.

Mounting Fire Extinguishers - Cabinets and stands

There are certain situations where a fire extinguisher is required, but it cannot be fixed to a wall. This may be because the wall is not suitable, or even that there is no wall at all in the place where the extinguisher needs to be. In these situations a fire extinguisher cabinet or stand should be used. As mentioned earlier, it is not acceptable just to leave an appliance somewhere without being either attached to a wall or on a stand.

The option of a stand or cabinet may be the solution if the fire extinguisher needs to be situated next to cavity walls, plasterboard, glass, etc. Such stands are free standing and require no fixing at all. They simply stand on their own, and provide a secure position for the extinguisher. They are typically available to hold a single extinguisher or two extinguishers. Cabinets are available for environments where greater protection is required. These are often used in places such as workshops and petrol stations.

Mounting Fire Extinguishers – Conclusions

Mounting fire extinguisher is a relatively straightforward business, provided you understand the main principles. The main points to remember are to select conspicuous locations on escape routes to site the extinguishers, then adopt the most appropriate method for mounting them, based on that particular environment. If brackets are supplied with your appliances then you can’t go far wrong, and if not, just ensure you check the type of bracket that each of your extinguishers is going to require.

Read more about fire extinguishers here.

Fire Extinguisher Ratings – Find Out About Fire Classifications and Fire Extinguisher Ratings

2009-05-22T14:04:00.000-07:00

Fire extinguisher ratings are designed to indicate the type of fires they should be used on, and to give an indication of how effective they will be. Each fire extinguisher rating in expressed as a series of numbers and letters which indicate the classes of fire they can be used on the size of fire they are suitable for.

Different types of fires are classified by different letters, and fire extinguishers ratings may show several letters because they can be used on more than one type of fire. In terms of the size of fires the extinguisher can be used on, the number gives an indication of this, and generally speaking, the larger the number, the larger the fire that extinguisher can deal with.

The numerical part of the fire extinguisher ratings relate directly to tests carried out to measure their effectiveness. A wooden crib test is one test that is used to measure how large a fire an extinguisher can deal with. A fire extinguisher rating of 13A, for example, indicates that the extinguisher was able to put out 1.3m of the fire. The number on a fire extinguisher rating is therefore a very accurate indication of what each extinguisher can cope with.

As another example of the numerical rating, the test for measuring the effectiveness of extinguishers for use on flammable liquids refers to the approximate area of fire in square feet that it is able to extinguish. The specific tests vary with the different fire types, but the basic system of accurately measuring the extinguisher’s effectiveness is the same.

It would seem obvious to think that the number on a fire extinguisher would increase with the size of the extinguisher. This is generally true, but size is not the only factor that effects the number in the fire extinguisher rating. With water fire extinguishers, additives are often mixed with the water to increase their effectiveness, therefore you could have two extinguishers which are the same size, but which have different numerical ratings, because one is more effective than the other.

Fire Classifications – The UK and US Differences

As already mentioned, the letters used in fire extinguisher ratings refer to the classes of fire that they can be safely used on. We therefore need to look at these fire classifications first, before looking at the actual fire extinguisher ratings for the various types of fire extinguisher.

The classifications for the UK and US are similar, but there are some differences, so I will show both. Europe and Australasia also use the same classification system as the UK. The following are the main classifications of fires, with US classes shown in brackets:

Class A Fires (also Class A in US)

Any fire involving solid materials such as wood, card, paper, fabric, etc.

Class B Fires (also Class B in US)

Class B fires involve flammable liquids including kerosene, oils, petrol, paints, diesel, etc.

Class C Fires (comes under Class B in US)

A separate classification except in US, this category is for flammable gases, including butane, methane, etc.

Class D Fires (also Class D in US)

The D Classification is for combustible metals or alloys, such as potassium, magnesium or titanium.

Electrical Fires (Class C in US)

Electrical fires are sometimes known as Class E in the UK, but this is an error as there is no separate classification for electrical fires in the UK.

Class F Fires (Class K in US)

Specifically relates to fires involving deep fat fryers (fats and oils).

Fire Extinguisher Ratings:

The following information shows the classes of fires covered by the different ypes of fire extinguisher:

Main fire extinguisher ratings shown refer to UK, with US ratings in brackets.

Water Fire Extinguishers:

Classes of fire: A

(class A in US)

Carbon Dioxide Fire Extinguishers:

Classes of fire: Electrical fires, A, B and C

(A, B and C in US)

Dry Powder Fire Extinguishers:

Classes of fire: A, B, C and Electrical fires

(A, B and C in US)

Wet Chemical Fire Extinguishers:

Classes of fire: A, F

(A and K in US)

Foam Fire Extinguishers:

Classes of fire: A and B

(A and B in US)

Fire Extinguisher Ratings - Conclusions

Understanding fire classes and fire extinguisher ratings is important in order to be sure of using the correct type of fire extinguisher on any fire in your workplace. It can be very dangerous to use the wrong type of fire extinguisher on some fires, one of the most obvious examples being the use of water on an electrical fire. For this reason proper staff training is important for any staff who are required to use fire fighting equipment.

Electrical PAT Testing - Understanding the Regulations For Electrical PAT Testing

2009-05-19T12:21:00.000-07:00

Fires caused by faulty electrical appliances are one of the most common causes of fires in places of work. The problems that cause these fires are not always obvious to the untrained eye, so can only be discovered by carrying out a proper series of tests on the equipment. On some occasions, however, faults should be patently obvious to anyone who looks at an appliance (eg exposed wires, broken casing, etc), and the main problem is just inadequate maintenance and checking.

Electrical PAT Testing - PAT Testing Regulations

As an employer you have duty under UK law to properly maintain portable electrical equipment in good working order, and to test it at regular intervals. The main pieces of legislation that set out PAT testing regulations are the Electricity At Work Regulations 1989 and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. Failure to fulfil this duty could result in prosecution, but more importantly, could lead to serious injury to your staff and possible serious disruption to your business if you suffer a fire.

Electrical PAT Testing - What Is A Portable Appliance?

Portable electrical appliances are those pieces of equipment which can be moved around, rather than being fixed or permanently wired into the building. There is a tendency to simplify this definition to doing a PAT test on anything with a plug on, but while this may work in the majority of cases, it does not cover all situations. The best definition of a portable electrical appliance is that of something which is designed to be moved while connected to a supply of electricity.

The PAT testing regulations do not just relate to equipment which is the property of the business. The responsibility of the employer is for any electrical equipment brought onto the premises. So you must have systems in place to deal with contractors or temporary workers who may bring their own equipment in to use. Do not forget that it would also apply to any electrical equipment not directly related to carrying out your core work. Things like the sound and lighting system for the Christmas disco, or curling tongs or hair dryer brought in by a member of staff who plans to get ready at work before going straight out.

Electrical PAT Testing - Who Can Carry Out A PAT Test?

The explanation in the PAT testing regulations regarding who must carry out your electrical PAT testing is that it should be Competent Person. This is taken to mean that they have to know what they are doing, and must therefore have had the appropriate training or experience. Many companies use specialist contractors to do their electrical PAT testing, and others put their own staff through PAT test training so they can carry it out in-house.

There is no compulsory qualification that you have to gain in order to undertake electrical PAT testing. There are many one day courses which are available all around the country, most of which will provide a certificate, and some of which offer the City and Guilds 2377 qualification. There are also online or DVD courses available. If you are going to undertake electrical PAT testing in-house, you will also need to invest in PAT testing equipment.

Electrical PAT Testing - How Often To Do A PAT Test?

PAT testing regulations are suitably vague on this point and the end result is that the employer has to be responsible for assessing the degree of risk with each appliance and making a judgement about the frequency of testing. On average once a year is reasonable though some items definitely require more and others will be fine with a less frequent PAT test. A hand drill, for example, gets moved around regularly and is far more liable to damage than, say, a computer printer. A quarterly PAT test may be more appropriate for the hand drill, with a visual check each time it is used.

The frequency of PAT test that you decide upon can of course be adjusted according to your experience. If you find that you PAT test something and there is never any problem, you may be able to reduce the frequency, whereas something that regularly fails or has faults could probably do with an increased PAT test frequency.

Electrical PAT Testing - Recording Your PAT Test Results

The PAT testing regulations are not precise on this point, but it makes good sense to record your PAT test results. Why go to the trouble of doing all your tests and not record the fact that you have done so. If anything goes wrong you will have no evidence to prove that you have complied with the law and taken reasonable steps to prevent problems.

Downloadable PAT testing equipment has software that records all the test results and enables them to be downloaded to a computer. This is extremely useful and will also print labels for all items, displaying the PAT test date, when the next PAT test is due, the test result (pass/fail) and a unique ID number to aid reporting.

Electrical PAT Testing - Conclusions

There is no ambiguity in the PAT testing regulations about the actual need to PAT test electrical equipment, so if you are an employer or the manager for a workplace then you personally have a legal obligation to ensure that all portable appliances brought onto those premises undergo regular electrical PAT testing and are well maintained and safe to use. It is best to view your duty under the PAT testing regulations not so much as an onerous chore but as a sensible measure to help protect your business and your workforce.

PAT Testing Equipment – How To Choose The Right Type Of PAT Testing Equipment

2009-05-05T11:51:00.000-07:00

Electrical equipment is one of the most common causes of workplace fires and this is frequently due to a faulty or damaged appliance. Workplace health and safety legislation requires all employers to carry out regular testing on all portable electrical appliances, and to ensure that they are maintained in safe working order.

Whether you buy in the services of a specialist contractor or train your own staff to do your PAT testing in-house will depend on the nature of your workplace and size of your business. PAT testing courses are normally only a single day, and you can purchase PAT testing equipment very easily. However, there are several different types of PAT tester out there, and you should consider which type is best going to suit your needs before you purchase. This article is intended to help you narrow down your search to find the most appropriate PAT testing equipment.

PAT Testing Equipment - Pass/Fail Type

Starting at the beginning, the Pass/Fail sort of PAT testers are the simplest and most basic models, giving only a straight pass or fail result and no further detail. PAT testing equipment can be designed to carry out various different tests, but the pass/fail type tend to only do the insulation and earth continuity tests. They are unlikely to offer the selectable earth continuity test current, which is an important point, as this can be a problem unless you only have a very limited number and type of appliances to test.

The difficulty with PAT testing equipment without a variable current are limited in the equipment they can test reliably. PAT testers with a higher current should not be used on IT equipment and testers with a fixed low current are not reliable for testing general electrical appliances. If you need to PAT test a range of different types of appliances accurately you will therefore need to have a selectable current function.

Another restriction with pass/fail PAT testing equipment is that they will have a fixed earth bond pass limit, which does not allow any adjustment. The problem with this is that it can result in some equipment failing the test, simply because they have very long leads, rather than because anything is wrong with them. While it may be tempting to increase the limit to compensate for this, doing so would actually contravene the IEE (Institute of Electrical Engineers) Code of Practice and perfectly good appliances may still not pass.

PAT Testing Equipment - Manual PAT Testers

Manual PAT testing equipment has greater functionality than the simple pass/fail type, which can overcome the problems highlighted above. These increased functions and the greater detail and variability do, however, mean that the PAT testers are a bit more complicated, so anyone using them would require a more in depth knowledge in order to fully utilise and understand them. There is therefore an implication for staff training. The selectable earth continuity test current in this type of PAT tester makes them suitable for testing IT equipment.

PAT Testing Equipment - Downloadable Pat Testers

Downloadable PAT testing equipment automates the testing process and stores the results so that they can be printed off or downloaded to a computer. This function can be a great advantage if your premises are particularly large or complicated. These testers can also have other functionality covering all sorts of things, some of which may be of more use than others, depending on your situation.

One function worth looking for is the ability to take true earth bond measurements. This is a feature that can save your testers time, and therefore cost you less. Carrying out earth bond measurements on appliances that have multiple earth paths (on a PC for example) cannot be done without disconnecting it from all other equipment first, unless your PAT tester has this function. That can add a lot of time and money if you have a significant amount of IT equipment to test.

For further information on PAT testing and many other workplace safety issues visit Fire-RiskAssessment.com

History Of The Fire Extinguisher – Find Out Who Invented The Fire Extinguisher

2009-04-06T12:05:00.000-07:00

The portable fire extinguisher is an essential appliance in every workplace these days, not least because governments recognising their vital role in fire safety have made it illegal not to provide them. Have you ever wondered how long these ingenious devices have been around, or who it was who invented them?

History of The Fire Extinguisher – Who Invented The First Fire Extinguisher?

The answer to this depends on what you mean by fire extinguisher. The first example of something recognisable as a portable fire fighting device can be found nearly 200 years ago. George Manby made this breakthrough in England in 1813 with what he called an ‘Extincteur’. It consisted of a copper container which had inside it three gallons of potassium carbonate solution and compressed air. This was the first example of the basic principle behind all fire extinguishers today, where a fire suppressant is propelled out of a container by a pressurised gas.

Credit should be given, however, to the chemist Ambrose Godfrey, who devised the first automatic fire fighting device ninety years before Manby’s portable extinguisher. Abrose Godfrey’s fire extinguisher was not designed to be portable, but to be left in place in a room to protect it in case fire started. It could be seen as a precursor to modern day sprinkler systems. Godfrey’s device had a series of fuses, which would be ignited if a fire started in the area. These would then detonate a small explosive charge inside a container full of liquid, which was then scattered around the room, extinguishing the flames.

George Manby’s inventiveness did not end with this device, and he created various other inventions that depended on harnessing the power of small explosions. One of the best known of these was the Manby Mortar, which was used to help rescue ships in distress, by firing ropes from land onto the stricken vessels. His other ideas and inventions included a system to rescue people who had fallen into water through ice and a mechanism to save people trapped in burning buildings by allowing them to jump to safety. He was also the first person to come up with the suggestion that there should be a national fire rescue service.

History Of The Fire Extinguisher – Who Invented the Soda-Acid Fire Extinguisher

The soda-acid fire extinguisher works by mixing together two substances which react to produce carbon dioxide gas, which is then used to propel a liquid from the extinguisher. The first example of a soda-acid fire extinguisher was in 1866 when Francois Carlier patented his in France. In this example tartaric acid was mixed with a solution of sodium bicarbonate to produce the gas.

In the US the first example of a soda-acid fire extinguisher is the one patented by Almon M Granger in 1881, who used concentrated sulphuric acid in his version of the fire extinguisher. All soda-acid extinguishers worked on the same basic principle, which was that the acid was contained inside a small vial within the appliance, and one of several systems could be used for releasing the acid into the soda solution.

Usually the trigger to release the acid and mix the chemicals would be either a plunger or other system resulting in the breaking of the vial, or a lever system to release a stopper from one end of it. Either way, once the acid was released, the reaction produced carbon dioxide, which forced liquid out of the appliance in a jet, which could be directed at the fire through a nozzle or hose.

History Of The Fire Extinguisher – Who Invented the Chemical Foam Fire Extinguisher

The first known example of a chemical foam fire extinguisher was that invented in Russia by Alexander Laurant in 1905. The idea was very similar to the principles of the soda-acid extinguisher, but a foam compound was included, which caused some of the gas to be trapped in the liquid, producing a foam. The foam compound was apparently often made from licorice root, and this would be contained in the soda solution. The extinguishers were usually activated by turning the appliance upside down to mix the chemicals.

History Of The Fire Extinguisher – Who Invented the Carbon Tetrachloride Fire Extinguisher

Also known as CTC fire extinguishers, the carbon tetrachloride extinguisher was originally invented by the company Pyrene around 1912. The extinguishers propelled the liquid CTC at the fire by means of a hand pump. The CTC vapourised and produced a thick suffocating blanket over the flames, starving the fire of oxygen and preventing combustion. There was also a ‘bomb’ version of the CTC extinguisher in the form of a glass bottle that you threw at the fire.

The effectiveness of the CTC extinguisher on liquid and electrical fires made them very popular with the automotive industry for a long time, though the by-products of the process could have very serious health consequences, particularly in confined spaces. It was therefore later replaced by extinguishers using less toxic chemicals.

History Of The Fire Extinguisher – Modern Day Fire Extinguishers

That same basic principle invented by George Manby, where a gas is used to force a combustion suppressant out of a container, is still the main mechanism behind all modern day portable fire extinguishers. Most modern fire extinguishers will work on one of two main systems. The compressed gas will either be stored inside the main container itself, known as stored pressure type extinguishers, or in a small cartridge inside, known as gas cartridge type extinguishers.

Stored pressure are the most common type of extinguishers, the advantage of gas cartridge being that they are easier to recharge if used fairly frequently. Carbon Dioxide fire extinguishers are the only exception to this in that they simply contain liquid carbon dioxide under pressure.

The development and refinement of portable fire extinguishers has come a long way in the last two hundred years. The many different types of fire have now been classified, and all modern day fire extinguishers are given a rating show which type of fires they are safe to use on and how effective they are. These classifications and ratings are an important development because tackling a fire with the wrong type of fire extinguisher can have very serious consequences, such as electrocution cause by using a water extinguisher on an electrical fire.

For detailed guidance on how to carry out a fire risk assessment, and many other safety related issues visit Fire-RiskAssessment.com

Types Of Fire Extinguisher – Does Your Workplace Have the Right Type of Fire Extinguishers?

2009-02-11T13:20:00.000-08:00

The Regulatory Reform Order in the UK places a duty of care on what it describes as the ‘Responsible Person’ in each place of work to make sure that there is adequate provision of fire fighting equipment and that this equipment is maintained in good working order.

The Responsible Person is the person in charge of the work premises, usually either the business owner or manager. This responsibility can be shared in premises used by several organisations.

In other words, providing appropriate fire extinguishers in your place of work is not an optional extra, you are legally obliged to do it. This article should help you to check that the fire extinguishers you have are the best type and that you have enough of them in the appropriate places.

Bear in mind that having fire extinguishers in your workplace is not so that people can stick around and fight a fire, but in case they are needed to help exit the building safely.

Types of Fire Extinguisher – Colour Coding

Colour coding of fire extinguishers in the UK changed a while ago to bring the UK in line with other European Union countries. Moving away from a system where the entire fire extinguisher was a certain colour to one displaying just a block of colour was seen by some as a backward step. The UK had a very effective system with fire extinguishers easily identifiable, but it was seen as easier to drop down to EU standard that try to bring all the other countries up to UK standard.

The colour coding system now is that most fire extinguishers are red in colour, with a block of colour corresponding to the extinguisher type just above the operating instructions. The colour codes are as follows:

Water: red
Carbon Dioxide: black
Foam: cream
Dry Powder: blue
Wet Chemical: yellow

What Each Different Type of Fire Extinguisher Is Used For

Water Fire Extinguishers

These fire extinguishers are ideal for use on fires involving everyday materials such as paper, wood and fabrics. They produce a steady jet of water that can be directed on to the fire. These are not suitable for using on fires on live electrical equipment or burning oil or fat.

Carbon Dioxide Fire Extinguishers

These fire extinguishers are idea for situations involving live electrical risks or flammable liquids. Because they are just producing a gas they cause very little damage and so are good for use on printers, photocopiers faxes, etc. Though they can be used perfectly safely on any electrical equipment, they cannot be guaranteed not to cause any damage at all to delicate electronic devices and IT equipment.

Foam Fire Extinguishers

These fire extinguishers are safe on the same kind of materials that you would use a water extinguisher on, and in addition can be used on flammable liquids such as petrol, diesel, solvents and spirits. They produce a foam which seals in vapours to prevent the fire re-igniting. These extinguishers are not, however, suitable for use on deep fat fryers.

Dry Powder Fire Extinguishers

These are a versatile fire extinguisher, which can be used on fires with flammable gases such as butane and propane. They are also safe on electrical fires, but are likely to cause more damage than a Carbon Dioxide extinguisher. Due to the nature of the fine powder produced, they are not recommended for use in confined spaces or by people with breathing problems.

Wet Chemical Fire Extinguishers

These fire extinguishers are the only sort that are suitable for use on burning oil such as cooking fat or lard. The extinguisher produces a gentle spray which reacts to seal the surface of burning oil or fat to prevent it re-igniting.

Halon Fire Extinguishers

Halon fire extinguishers have been banned in the UK since, 2002, apart from very limited exceptional circumstances. The reason for the ban is the serious ozone depleting property of the inert gases they release into the atmosphere. If you have any halon extinguishers in your place of work you need to arrange for the safe disposal of them.

Types of Fire Extinguisher – How Many Should I Have?

For general work areas such as offices, shops and similar areas with no special hazards, you ought to be providing water fire extinguishers. In terms of the number you need to supply, the official requirement is that you need one for every 200 square metres of floor space, subject to a minimum of two fire extinguishers on every floor.

Where Should The Fire Extinguishers Be Located?

Unless an extinguisher is being provided to deal with a specific risk, they should be located at key points on your emergency escape routes. Key locations are next to fire exit doors, near the exit from a floor or room, etc.

If an extinguisher is intended to cover a particular risk, such as a hot fat fryer in a kitchen, then it obviously needs to be sited in the room near to the hazard it relates to.

The best method of fixing is to attach your fire extinguishers to a wall by a special bracket. This places them at a good height for visibility and access as well as offering a degree of protection from being knocked over or moved. Where this is not possible, you can get free standing units that the fire extinguisher sits in. This helps to give them a more permanent position than if they were just on their own and makes them less likely to be moved or damaged.

Maintenance And Testing of Fire Extinguishers

Part of the duty on the Responsible Person is to properly maintain all your fire fighting equipment, as it may as well not be there if it is not in working order. The best way to ensure this is to set up a maintenance contract with a specialist company to inspect your extinguishers at least annually. This will then also give you documentary evidence that you have taken proper precautions, should anything go wrong in future.

In between inspections you should carry out your own regular checks. These will just involve recording the fact that you have checked that each extinguisher is in its proper place and has not been discharged or damaged. You should keep a record of this in a log book in case the Fire Authority wish to inspect it. You can download templates for Inspection Record Forms here. Again the documentary proof of your inspections could be very useful.

For further information on Types of Fire Extinguisher and advice on other workplace health and safety matters visit Fire-RiskAssessment.com

New Health and Safety Law – Employers Face Prospect of Custodial Sentences

2009-01-25T09:29:00.000-08:00

Breaches in Health and Safety law could now land employers or their staff in prison, where previously they would have faced fines. The Health and Safety (Offences) Act 2008 came into effect on 16^th January 2009 and means that employees or their bosses could now face up to two years in prison for breaking health and safety legislation.

This applies to anyone who contributes to a health and safety offence, even if an accident or injury has not occurred. In other words, if someone plays around or behaves recklessly, and they have been properly trained, they could personally be prosecuted and given a custodial sentence. The reckless behaviour does not need to result in a serious incident, only the possibility of one. The same thing applies for anyone who fails to take proper care for other people’s safety, including, for example, not carrying out a risk assessment or fire risk assessment.

The purpose of the law is to try to get employers to take health and safety matters seriously. Over 200 people are killed every year in accidents at work, and many more are injured. The costs to businesses are huge.

The new law also means that even minor breaches of health and safety rules now carry fines of up to £20,000. Whereas fines were previously related to specific serious breaches, people can now be fined for just about any health and safety offence.

While it has been suggested that custodial sentences will only be considered for the most serious offences, the law gives the courts considerable discretion, so we shall have to wait and see how it is interpreted. Many people expect a rush of prosecutions by the Health and Safety Executive, as they attempt to demonstrate that the law is effective and the consequences real.

The Chair of the Health and Safety Executive, Judith Hackitt, said:

"This Act gives lower courts the power to impose higher fines for some health and safety offences. It is right that there should be a real deterrent to those businesses and individuals that do not take their health and safety responsibilities seriously. Everyone has the right to work in an environment where risks to their health and safety are properly managed, and employers have a duty in law to deliver this.”

The law slipped in rather quietly without attracting much media attention, even though the implications are actually more far reaching than the Corporate Manslaughter Act, which attracted quite a lot of interest and publicity when it came into force last April.

The thing to remember is that the change in the law does not place any new duties on employers, and those following the law have nothing to fear anyway. The Act is intended to target those few people who wilfully ignore health and safety rules and put their staff or colleagues at risk by cutting corners or being careless.

Get free advice and guidance on health and safety at work and workplace safety law at Fire-RiskAssessment.com, including detailed guidance on carrying out your own Fire Risk Assessment.

Prevent False Alarms On Your Fire Alarm System

2009-01-11T11:41:00.000-08:00

While emergency evacuation drills are good practice in fire safety and a key part of staff training, false alarms can simply be a waste of everyone’s time. Not least for the emergency services, who may be called out for no reason if your alarm system is automated. We should all do what we can to ensure that the Fire Services are free to deal with real emergencies.

If false alarms occur frequently, they can have a real and disruptive effect on your business and productivity. The other negative impact can be that if you have too many false alarms, the Fire Services will not respond without a specific manual request. That is not good news if you ever have a real fire.

A false alarm can be a symptom of a fault on your system, so they should never be ignored. If you can’t find the cause of an alarm activation, it is always best to call in an engineer to investigate the problem. The last thing you need is for the same thing to happen a day or two later because of same small fault. Even worse, it could be a signal that an element of the alarm is not properly functioning, which could have a serious impact in the event of a real fire, allowing the fire to spread much more than it otherwise might.

Many false alarms are caused by people in the building not being aware that a fire alarm system is in place, or at least not understanding the types of thing that can activate the fire alarm. You can deal with these through a few simple procedures:

Ensure staff and visitors know that your building is protected by an automatic fire alarm system

Make this information part of your induction training and fire safety training for all staff.

Have prominent notices up at all main entrances to your workplace. Use the following wording:“These premises are protected by an automatic fire alarm system. Please obtain permission from the site manager before undertaking any work involving flame, smoke, heat or sparks.”

Ensure that no-one carries out any ‘hot works’ without permission from the Health and Safety Representative, fire Marshall, or whoever has responsibility for authorising such works

Staff need to know that any work involving flame, smoke, heat or sparks must have special permission.

Build this into staff training and ensure it is included in staff manuals, operating plans, etc.

Have a Hot Works Permit system or similar mechanism to ensure that contractors working on site follow your safe working procedures.

Build this requirement into contracts with any contractors who will undertake work on the premises.

Ensure that no work involving the generation of dust or the use of spray paint is done in an area with smoke detectors in, unless the detectors are properly protected.

Make sure that someone has specific personal responsibility for dealing with this and similar matters.

If possible, smoke detectors can be replaced with heat detectors, but only by a qualified engineer.

The alternative to swapping to heat detectors is to cover and protect the smoke detectors during the period of work (with paper, plastic, etc).

This should not be done lightly, as covered smoke detectors will clearly not work correctly, if at all, in the event of a real fire.

The situation should be risk assessed, and alternative means of detection put in place (such as a person in the area with specific fire-watching brief during the period of works).

Make sure that someone has the specific personal responsibility for removing the covering from the detectors when the work is finished. It is vital that this is done promptly so that the alarm system is fully functional straight away.

Ensure that the fire alarm system is tested once the work is completed, to ensure that it is functioning correctly.

Following these simple guidelines should eliminate the vast majority of your false alarms and save you and the fire service a lot of unnecessary work.

For more detailed guidance on Fire Risk Assessment and many other health and safety issues please visit Fire-RiskAssessment.com

PAT Testing – Find Out What The Law Says About Portable Appliance Testing

2009-01-01T13:57:00.000-08:00

One of the most common causes of fires in the workplace is faulty electrical equipment. Sometimes these faults are not obvious to the untrained eye, and it is fair to say that quite often they are obvious, but are not properly dealt with.

There are various pieces of UK law that deal with electrical safety at work, but the main ones are the 'Electricity At Work Regulations 1989', and the 'Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998'. UK employers have a legal responsibility to have all portable electrical equipment regularly tested, and they must take steps to maintain this equipment is satisfactory state of repair.

What Is A Portable Appliance?

Portable appliances are any item of electrical equipment that is not fixed or permanently attached to the building. A simplistic definition is that it is anything with a plug on, which is a reasonable rule of thumb, but not quite accurate in all circumstances. Most portable appliances will connect to a socket with a plug, but there are some exceptions, so do not use it as a definite rule. The safest definition is of something designed to be moved while connected to an electrical supply.

The requirement is to test and maintain any portable appliance in the workplace, so that does not mean only items that have been purchased or brought onto the premises by the main business or operator. For example, it also applies to equipment brought in by contractors, the DJ’s flashing lights for the Christmas disco, and the curling tongs used by Shelia the secretary before she goes out on Friday night. In other words, as the employer you need to have systems in place to control any electrical item that is brought onto the premises for any reason.

Who Can Do PAT Testing?

The law says that PAT testing should be carried out by a Competent Person. Which means that whoever does it needs to know what they are doing, having been properly trained in PAT testing. This does not rule out doing it in-house, as there are plenty of short courses available that you can put your own staff through. You can buy all the necessary testing equipment and software for recording your results.

The alternative is to get a specialist contractor in to do it for you.

How Often Do I Need To Test Portable Appliances?

The law is pretty vague about this, meaning that the employer has to assess the risk for each type of equipment and make a judgement about it. A good average would be an annual test, but there are some items that definitely require more frequent testing, and some that you can get away with less than that. Something that is moved around and used every day (such as a hand drill) is going to need much more regular testing, perhaps quarterly, with daily visual checks.

The frequency of testing has to be a judgement call on the part of the Responsible Person. You can amend the frequency according to your results. For example, if you find faults with something every time it is tested, the frequency probably needs increasing, whereas if there are many repeated tests without problems, you may be able to reduce the frequency.

Recording The Results Of Your PAT Testing

The legislation is once again not prescriptive with regard to recording the results of your PAT testing, but it would not make a lot of sense to not record the results of your testing.

The main record for testing is that each item tested will be given a label with details of the date of the test, the date the next test will be due, whether it passed or failed and a unique identification number. The ID number will often be accompanied by a bar code, for recording systems which use this method to make the recording and reporting on individual items much easier.

For further information and advice on health and safety related issues, and detailed guidance on carrying out your own fire risk assessments, see Fire-RiskAssessment.com

Fire Training – Make Sure You Know What The Law Says About Staff Safety Training

2008-12-28T14:48:00.000-08:00

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, all UK businesses have to carry out a Fire Risk Assessment on their work premises, to ensure the safety of staff and anyone else likely to be in the workplace. Another requirement of the Order is that the findings of your Fire Risk Assessment have to be communicated to your staff and you need to ensure that all staff are trained in the action they need to take in an emergency.

The responsibility for these duties falls to what the legislation calls the ‘Responsible Person’. This is the business owner or person mainly responsible for the work premises. Several people may share this role.

One of the key things your Fire Risk Assessment will lead to is an Emergency Plan, which will include action to take in an emergency, including any special duties required of particular staff. Your emergency plan is not worth having unless your workforce know and understand what it says and have practice in putting it into action. This should be the first focus for your staff fire training.

Legislation highlights some key areas to pay attention to when it comes to staff training. These are primarily the need to provide training for new staff and when an employee has a change of duties or work environment.

Your Fire Training ought to include the following:

Full details of the contents of your Emergency Plan

Information on the need to keep escape routes free from obstructions at all times

Training in the use of fire fighting equipment

Your Emergency Plan may include special duties for some staff, who will be designated as Fire Marshals. These people will almost certainly require additional training relating to their particular responsibilities. This training might include:

More specific or detailed training in the use of fire extinguishers

More detailed information about the layout of the premises

Information about dealing with people with special requirements during an evacuation, such as disabled people

Training in action to take with regard to evacuation of people on the premises who are not regular staff, such as visitors, contractors, etc

An essential part of any fire training programme is the fire drill. You will never really know if your emergency evacuation plan will work in reality unless you try it out and give your staff the opportunity to practice it. Your staff need to feel comfortable with all the action they will need to take in an emergency. A real emergency is not the time to find out that some detail of your emergency plan does not quite work in practice.

Your staff will be far more relaxed and efficient in a real emergency if they are used to going through the motions in practice. Ideally you should carry out fire drills regularly, but not so that they are predictable. The most effective use of fire drills is if you can do them as a surprise when most people are not expecting them. This gets a more realistic reaction, which is the most useful for you to make judgements about whether anything needs changing.

In order to carry out a fire drill you need to activate the fire alarm to replicate a real emergency. The best way to activate the alarm is usually by a special test key that activates a call point. Before you carry out a fire drill you need to make sure you warn the alarm monitoring company if your fire alarm is monitored, and any neighbouring premises that are linked to your alarm.

A useful thing to do in a fire drill is to block off one possible escape route. In a real emergency the fire may be blocking one of the obvious ways out, forcing people to use alternative exits. Blocking off different exits gets people used to using alternative means of escape.

As the Responsible Person you should try to observe the fire drill yourself and take note of how effective the drill is, and whether there are any lessons to be learnt for the future. Your Emergency Plan should be something that is open to constant amendment as circumstances change.

New Fire Safety Regulations – Make Sure Your Business Complies With The Law

2008-12-06T09:38:00.000-08:00

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 came into effect in 2006 and affects the vast majority of UK businesses. If you are not sure whether it applies to you or not, be assured that it does, unless you work in a field, at home, offshore or down a hole.

This article will summarise the main effects of the Order, in terms of what duties and responsibilities it puts on business owners and managers. The Order places responsibility for the safety of people in the workplace very clearly with the person who owns or controls the premises.

That person is referred to as the ‘Responsible Person’. In shared premises there can be more than one Responsible Person.

Fire Risk Assessment

The Fire Risk Assessment is the cornerstone of the Regulatory Reform Order, and is a framework for assessing the fire safety controls of a workplace. The government recommend a structured five step process as follows:

Identify fire hazards

Identify people at risk

Evaluate the risks and minimise them

Record Your Findings

Review your Assessment regularly

Means of Escape

You have a responsibility to ensure that your workplace has adequate means of escape and that these are accessible and clear at all times. This includes provision of fire exit doors which open outwards (revolving doors are not acceptable). All fire doors should be properly maintained to ensure closers work properly, seals are effective, etc.

Fire Safety Signs

It is also necessary to have proper safety signs in place, covering things like action to take in the event of a fire, location of fire fighting equipment and location and direction of emergency escape routes. Your escape routes and emergency exits must also have suitable emergency lighting, so that they are visible even in the event of a power failure.

Fire Detection and Alarm Systems

Your Fire Risk Assessment should tell you whether your fire detection and alarm system is adequate or not. No specific system is prescribed by the Regulatory Reform Order, as the system you use will depend very much on the nature of your premises. Large premises may have very sophisticated automatic systems, while a small business may just have a gong or Klaxon.

Fire Extinguishers

You have a duty to provide appropriate fire fighting equipment, usually portable fire extinguishers. There is also a duty to ensure that any such equipment is properly checked and maintained in good working order.

Staff Training and Instruction

The outcome of your Fire Risk Assessment must be communicated to your staff, and all staff have to receive training in fire safety procedures, including what action to take in the event of a fire. Additional training might be required for staff with additional duties, such as Fire Marshals.

Documentation and Written Procedures

The findings of your Fire Risk Assessment must be recorded, unless you employ fewer than five people. You must also have a written Emergency Plan, covering action to take in an emergency.

You need to keep a record of staff training delivered, and the maintenance and testing of your fire safety equipment, such as emergency lighting and fire extinguishers.

What If I Don’t Comply?

Your local Fire Authority is the enforcement authority for this legislation. They have the power to inspect your workplace and paperwork and ask questions about the premises, procedures and who the Responsible Person is. Ultimately, if you do not comply, they can take you to court and you can be fined up to £5,000 or imprisoned for up to two years.

Conclusions

The Fire Risk Assessment is the main change brought in by the Order, and pretty much everything else flows from that. All the Fire Risk Assessment really does is give a practical structure to the work we should be doing anyway in the interests of protecting our staff and our businesses.

In reading through this summary of the Regulatory Reform Order, you will have been able to make some preliminary judgements about the extent to which your own premises are likely to meet these standards. Assuming your existing procedures are reasonably adequate, there is no reason why any of this should be a costly or time-consuming exercise. Unless you have a particularly complex workplace, you should be able to carry out your own Fire Risk Assessment.

Fire Risk Assessment - How to Carry Out Your Own Fire Risk Assessments

2008-12-02T14:50:00.000-08:00

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 puts a legal duty on all businesses to carry out Fire Risk Assessments. You may be asked for these by your local Fire authority. A ‘Responsible Person’ must be designated for each premises, and if you are the owner, or are responsible for people in your organization, that probably needs to be you.

With a little advice, carrying out a Fire Risk Assessment is something that anyone can do, unless you have a particularly large or complex workplace. It may be that you have perfectly good procedures in place to ensure the safety of your premises and staff, but carrying out a Fire Risk Assessment will enable you to confirm this, and check that the systems and precautions already in place are working effectively.

Your Fire Risk Assessment will form the basis for all your Fire Safety Measures. It should not be regarded as an end in itself, but rather as a tool to help you identify possible hazards or problems, and enable you to take steps to ensure the safety of your business and your staff.

What A Fire Risk Assessment Will Do:

identify any potential fire hazards
reduce the risk from these hazards to a manageable level
identify what action you should take to protect the people on your premises in the event of a fire.

A Step By Step Approach

There are five steps involved in producing your Fire Risk Assessment.

1. Identify The Hazards

In order for a fire to start, three things are required: a source of ignition, fuel and oxygen. The best way to identify possible hazards is to go around your premises and think about what could possibly be a source of ignition, what could burn and help a fire spread, and how oxygen (in the air) might help it burn.

Sources of ignition will be anything involving a naked flame or sparks, or anything which gets hot (or could get hot if it develops a fault).

Fuel is anything that will burn, so think of stationary, cardboard, plastics, foam cushions, soft furnishings, flammable liquids, etc.

The main source of oxygen is the air around us, so consider how air moves around your premises – ventilation shafts, doors and windows, etc.

2. Identify People Who Are At Risk

The second step is to identify anyone in your workplace who may be at risk if a fire broke out. Most of this will be obvious, but don’t forget contractors, temporary staff, members of the public and visitors. Also pay attention to anyone who may have difficulty leaving the premises quickly in an emergency (disabled people or parents with very young children, etc)

3. Evaluate The Risks

There are several mini-steps in this section. Now that you have identified the possible hazards and people who may be at risk, you need to assess the risk of those hazards actually resulting in a fire. You must then look at the risks this would pose to the people you have identified if a fire did occur.

Once you are clear about this, you need to work out how to remove or minimize those potential hazards, and how you remove or manage the risk they pose to people,

4. Record Your Findings, Instruction and Co-operation

If you employ five or more people, you must record the significant findings of your Fire Risk Assessment. Depending on the nature of your business, this could just be a few notes on one sheet of paper, or it could be a more detailed document and action plan.

You also need to have a written Emergency Plan. Again this could vary from just ‘Fire Action’ notices on the walls, to a detailed plan setting out specific duties for certain staff, etc.

Under this section, you are also required to ensure that your staff are given information about the findings of the Fire Risk Assessment, and training in their responsibilities, particularly in the event of an evacuation.

Your staff have a duty to co-operate as necessary to enable you to carry out this legal responsibility, and you must also co-operate with any other organizations you share premises with.

5. Review

Once complete, the Fire Risk Assessment should not be forgotten. If anything changes in your workplace (new machinery or equipment, new staff, refurbishment, moving premises, etc) you will need to review your Fire Risk Assessment and see if anything needs amending in light of the new circumstances.

Fire Safety – Simple Steps To Protect Your Business From The Risk of Fire

2008-11-18T13:16:00.000-08:00

Under current UK law businesses are now required to undertake certain measures to ensure the safety of their premises and the people who work there. The main elements of the law relate to the new duty to ensure that a Fire Risk Assessment is carried out. All a Fire Risk Assessment really does is give a structure to a series of fire safety measures which it would be sensible to do anyway.

We all have a vested interest in protecting our businesses and staff from any risk or disruption, let alone one as potentially disastrous as a fire. There are several simple steps to carrying out a Fire Risk Assessment, but much of it is applying common sense to identifying what may cause a fire, and what you can do to reduce the risk of this happening.

If you consider the following fire safety issues and record your findings, you will have completed a significant chunk of your Fire Risk Assessment already, as well as reducing the chances of a fire breaking out on your premises:

Think about possible fire hazards, what could catch fire and what could burn? What can you do to reduce the chances of this happening?

You need an efficient fire warning system in place. This will vary depending on your business, from someone shouting “FIRE!” to a sophisticated automatic fire detection system.

Check that you have the appropriate number and type of fire extinguishers in the correct places throughout your premises. For basic water extinguishers in a normal environment, you need one extinguisher per 200 square metres of floor space.

Are your fire exit routes clearly marked with ‘pictograph’ fire exit signs? From each point on an escape route you should be able to see the next sign.

Are your escape routes adequate for each work area? You should ideally have at least two possible routes from each area, in case one is blocked by fire.

Are your escape routes completely free from obstruction at all times? If an exit door is locked or blocked by heavy equipment, it may as well not be there. Exit doors should be ‘idiot proof’ and require no special knowledge in order to open them.

Your escape routes and exits must have suitable emergency lighting. This must be properly maintained, which is best done under a service contract.

Your staff must be trained so that they know what to do in the event of a fire. It may be appropriate to give special training as Fire Marshalls to some staff who have specific duties in a fire. Appropriate action for staff in an emergency should be recorded in an Emergency Plan. Your plan should also consider things like action to take if a neighbouring building catches fire.

Fire Safety Tips - How To Protect Your Business From Arson

2008-11-06T11:50:00.000-08:00

Recent statistics show that 45% of all fires in the UK were started deliberately. Of these arson attacks, 12,800 were on non-residential buildings such as your workplace. These deliberate fires caused 118 deaths and 2,700 other casualties.

Arson is a very real threat, and if you allow your business to be an easy target you are far more likely to be the subject of an attack. Taking steps to make life difficult for any would-be arsonist will almost certainly mean they give up and look for a softer target.

Follow the following simple steps to protect your business and your staff:

Ensure you have carried out a Fire Risk Assessment and implemented any findings.

Make sure it is a specific person’s job to be responsible for the prevention of arson attacks and other fire safety issues.

Check the security of your doors and windows, and any perimeter fences. Arson is often linked to burglary.

Consider CCTV to cover the outside of your premises – this will act as a deterrent.

Fit metal containers inside letter boxes and minimise gaps under doors.

Store bins and rubbish away from the walls of your building, and chain wheelie bins up so they can’t be set on fire then pushed against your building.

Keep combustible materials away from your premises perimeter, to prevent matches, etc being thrown into them from beyond your boundary.

Have proper systems in place for visitors to your site and encourage staff to challenge anyone who they think should not be on the premises.

Check fire fighting equipment regularly to ensure it has not been tampered with.

Store any flammable liquids correctly, in a secure store.

Have a thorough locking up procedure that includes checks on all doors and windows, that alarms are on, that external illumination is on and that no rubbish or combustible material is left lying about outside.

Follow these simple steps and you will go a long way to minimising the chances of your business suffering as the result of an arson attack.

Fire Risk Assessment - The Facts

2008-10-26T14:53:00.000-07:00

In 2006 the law changed in the UK, and now all British Businesses have a legal duty to carry out a Fire Risk Assessment on their place of work. If you are wondering whether it applies to your work premises, be assured that it most certainly does, unless you work at home, offshore, in a field, in the air or down a borehole!

The law which covers this is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which came into effect in 2006 for England, Scotland and Wales (and 2008 for Northern Ireland).

But if you aren’t fully up to speed or haven’t yet done a Fire Risk Assessment, there’s no need toworry - with little help and advice it is a logical process that anyone can carry out for themselves.

The law now says that a ‘Responsible Person’ must be designated for all workplaces, and that this person has to undertake a Fire Risk Assessment. If your organisation employs five or more people, you also have to record the findings of your assessment.

A Responsible Person is defined as the owner, or person in control of the workplace. If you share a building with other organisations, the responsibility might be shared among a few people. If you have responsibility for the other people in your organisation, it is safe to assume you will be the Responsible Person, even if other people are too.

It is an often quoted statistic that over 70% of businesses involved in major fires either don’t reopen or fail within three years.

While I can’t actually trace this statement to its source, it certainly sounds plausible. Whether it’s strictly accurate or not, a fire is something your business will definitely be a lot healthier without. We are all doing these Fire Risk Assessments because of the law, but it is actually just giving a formal structure to what we should be doing anyway in the best interests of our businesses.

I’ve spent the last twenty years managing large public buildings, and for all that time have essentially been taking all the actions that the new law requires of us, apart from recording it in this new way that the Fire Risk Assessment requires. It is basically what we should be doing anyway, and with a bit of assistance, the formal recording part doesn’t need to hurt – particularly once you’ve done the actual Assessment.

Unless you have a particularly large or complex business, there is no reason why you can’t carry out your own Fire Risk Assessment with relative ease. Find out how you can produce a Fire Risk Assessment by following the free step by step guide at the website Fire-RiskAssessment.com