Health and Safety Manager Fire Safety Fire risk assessment Colin de Jongh Health and Safety Manager

Regulatory Reform Order (Fire Safety) Enacted 1st October 2006 Fire certificates cease to have effect New duty holder “Responsible Person” Must carry out a fire risk assessment

Responsible Person The person who has to any extent the control of : A workplace – the employer, managers, supervisors etc. The premises – owner, occupier or agent

Responsible Person Must appoint competent person(s) to assist with fire safety measures Take general fire precautions to ensure safety of employees and other relevant persons Does not apply to domestic premises, ships at sea, vehicles, fields or woods, mines etc. Does apply to external events.

General Fire Precautions Reduce the risk and spread of fire Ensure means of escape at all times Fire fighting measures on premises Fire detection and warnings of Action in the case of fire Training and instruction Measures to mitigate the effects

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Main causation of fires (12 months Jan 05 to Dec 05) Deliberate ignition - 53 Electrical - 34 Cooking - 13 Friction, heat and sparks - 12 Smoking materials - 11 Naked light - 4 >£250K

Organisations (12 months Jan 05 to Dec 05) Dwellings - 27 Local/national government – 25 Hospitality & food and drink industry - 13 Retail – 12 Chemical Industry - 11 Education - 9 >£250K

Fire safety risk assessment Identify the fire hazards Identify the people at risk Evaluate, remove or reduce, and protect from risk Record, plan, inform, instruct, and train Review

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1. Identify the fire hazards Sources of ignition Sources of fuel Sources of oxygen

The fire triangle Flammable gases, liquids and solids Oxygen always present in air, Ignition sources – hot surfaces, electrical equipment etc

Sources of ignition ARSON Smokers materials Naked flames Electrical, gas, portable heating equipment Hot processes- paint stripping, welding Lighting equipment

Sources of fuel Flammable liquid based products Packaging materials Waste products Stationary Soft furnishings and furniture Some construction materials

Sources of Oxygen The air around us Air conditioning Some chemicals Oxygen supplies – cylinder storage Pyrotechnics

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2. Identify the people at risk Employees especially those who work alone Vulnerable people Contractors Young people Other people in the immediate vicinity Fire fighters

3. Evaluate, remove, reduce, and protect from risk Evaluate the risk of a fire occurring:- Accidentally By act or omission Deliberately

3. Evaluate, remove, reduce, and protect from risk Evaluate the risk to people Fire is spread by: Convection Conduction Radiation Contact or direct heat

Smoke movement through a building Smoke produced by a fire also contains toxic gases which are harmful to people; a fire in a building with modern fittings and materials generates thick black oily smoke, which can obscure vision, causes great difficulty in breathing ultimately asphyxiating and block fire escape routes.

Why do we close fire doors?

Why we do close fire doors

Evaluating the risks to people Consider: Fires on lower floors can affect escape routes for those on upper floors Fires developing in unoccupied spaces which people have to pass Spread of fire or smoke via vertical shafts and service or ventilation ducts Fires in service rooms affecting hazardous materials Remember those at special risk – disabled, visitors etc

Remove or reduce the hazards - sources of ignition Replace potential sources of ignition with an alternative Replace naked flame and radiant heaters with fixed convector heaters or central heating Separate ignition sources and fuels Check areas after hot work has taken place Take precautions to avoid arson Heaters – restrict the movement of and guard portable heating devices, have them checked regularly Remove all naked flames where possible Make sure electrical and mechanical and gas equipment is installed, used maintained and protected according with the manufacturers instructions

Remove or reduce the hazards - sources of fuel Ensure flammable materials, liquids and gases are kept to a minimum and stored properly Do not keep flammable solids, liquids and gases together Remove combustible waste daily Store waste materials securely away from buildings.

Remove or reduce the hazards – sources of oxygen Close all doors, windows and other openings when not required for ventilation Shut down inessential ventilation systems Do not store oxidising materials next to heat sources or flammable materials Control use of oxygen cylinders

Remove or reduce the hazards – to people Ensure that any risks remaining to people are controlled Provide systems to warn people and allow them to escape in the event of fire Provide adequate exits for the number of people present

Fire detection and warning systems System will depend on the size and layout of the building It should provide adequate warning in the event of a fire Automatic or manual? You may/will need special arrangements for people with disabilities

Fire-fighting equipment and facilities Can reduce the risk of a small fire (waste paper bin) developing into a larger one Controlling a fire in the early stages can reduce the risk to people There should be enough portable extinguishers suitable for the risk They should be sited throughout the premises at suitable locations

Fire-fighting equipment and facilities Co2 Foam Powder Water

Fire-fighting equipment and facilities Class A fire – rule of thumb  one water extinguisher for every 200m² minimum 2 per floor Additional risks – appropriate type & number of extinguishers. See BS 5306-8 Ideally appropriate extinguishers alongside the fire risk, where the risk is not confined to a particular location, extinguisherss should be positioned on escape routes, close to the exit from the room or floor or final exit. No one should have to travel more than 30m to reach an extinguisher. On walls small ones @ 1.5m height, larger 1m or on stands.

Other facilities Can include: Access for fire engines and fire-fighters Fire-fighting shafts and lifts Fire suppression systems – sprinklers Smoke-control systems Dry or wet rising mains and fire-fighters inlets Information and communication systems Fire-fighters switches Information signs for fire-fighters; static water supplies: private hydrants; standby fire pumps, generators; manual self closing devises fro roller shutter doors

Escape routes Escape routes should be: Suitable Easily, safely and immediately usable at all times Adequate for the number of people Free from any obstructions, slip or trips hazards Available for access by the emergency services Adequate – up to 750mm door up to 80 people per minute for high risk premises 100 normal 120 low risk 1050mm door 160 200 240 Additional 75 mill 15 persons or part of

Escape routes Suitable: Fire resistant construction Escape routes should not go through other occupiers premises Doors should open in the direction of travel Be fitted with vision panels if over 60 people

Emergency evacuation of persons with mobility impairment Do not use lifts unless alternative power supplies and protected from smoke Take to refuge and wait for assistance or begin staged evacuation – provide communications. You must have plans to evacuate without assistance Consider use of evacuation chairs Provide buddy system for those with visual impairment Visual alarms in cases of hearing impairment Evacuation methods depend on degree of disability. If wheelchair bound ramps no greater than 1:12 or provide services in other accessible areas. If providing evacuation chairs adequate numbers of people have to be trained to use them.

Emergency escape lighting Provided on all escape routes to assist in evacuation and should cover: Exit doors and escape routes Intersections of corridors Outside each final exit and external escape routes and stairways Changes in level Fire equipment and alarm call points

Signs and notices Comply with British or European standards Not mixed Be fire resistant British Standard European Standard

Installation, testing & maintenance Installed by competent persons Maintained in line with manufacturers guidance Tested weekly Inspected quarterly Records kept for inspection

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4. Record, plan, inform, instruct & train Fire risk assessment – recorded available for inspection Actions prioritised and implemented Evacuation plans developed, implemented and tested – at least twice annually or once per term Employee groups informed of results Employees, visitors, contractors given adequate training and instruction

5. Review Review risk assessments, plans etc: When changes occur – changes to work processes, alterations to the building or work patterns Introduction of new equipment, hazardous substances, significant increase in people At least annually Consider the potential risk of any significant changes before they are introduced. It is usually more effective and financially acceptable to minimise risk at the design stage than introducing changes or upgrades later on.

We don’t want to end up like this

Or this

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