How to Write a Fire Safety Risk Assessment
A well-researched and executed fire risk assessment is the foundation of any fire safety policy in an organisation. In order to fulfil their legal obligations, organisations must understand their responsibilities for assessing fire safety and map concrete actions to protect all employees and visitors, and all this starts with a fire risk assessment.
What is a Fire Risk Assessment?
A fire risk assessment is an essential element of managing fire safety in the workplace. For this process, a qualified person will identify potential fire hazards and the people who may be affected, evaluate the risks associated with the hazard, and introduce control measures to mitigate or eliminate the risk.
According to the UK Home Office, there were 7,649 workplace fires in 2022/23. On top of this, there are 35,000 fires in industrial or manufacturing properties annually in the UK, resulting in substantial property damage and potential risks to human lives. This all showcases how essential a thorough fire risk assessment is to any organisation in any industry.
Why are Fire Risk Assessments Important?
Fires can have devastating consequences and it’s imperative you remain prepared at all times. A critical part of staying ready is conducting a fire risk assessment. By doing this your organisations will be able to:
- Save Lives – Primarily, managing fire safety is about protecting the lives of employees and other visitors in the business. Eliminating and mitigating hazards help to minimise risk. If the unfortunate happens, proper control measures such as appropriate training would allow employees to keep themselves and others safe.
- Recognise Risks Early – By understanding where fire hazards are present, assessors can identify potential causes of fire and make suggestions on how to mitigate them.
- Comply with Regulations – Conducting fire risk assessments will fulfil your legal obligations and keep your compliant with fire safety laws e.g. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO).
- Allocate Resources Effectively – Understanding the biggest hazards in your workplace through risk assessment allows you allocate resources proportionate to the danger.
- Avoid Cost Repairs – Fires are very destructive. Not only is damage repair expensive for the organisation, but operations are also likely to be halted for a significant amount of time.
Fire Risk Assessment Template
Now that you know why a fire risk assessment is so important to your business, download your free template so you can start making your organisation safer today!
Fire Risk Assessment Guide
Similarly to a more general risk assessment, there are several steps you need to follow to ensure its effectiveness. This takes time and resources, but it is a matter of a life and death.
Identify Possible Fire Hazards
- Electrical Equipment: Lack of maintenance and overloading circuits could cause equipment to become faulty. Ensure all electricity is carried out only by qualified electricians and ensure your portable appliance testing (PAT) is up to date.
- Cooking Appliances: For cooking appliances, keep things clean as a build-up of materials can ignite. Never leave cooking unattended.
- Heaters: Keep them away from clothes, curtains and furniture and never use them for drying clothes.
- Inappropriate Storage of Combustible Materials: Regularly empty any bins and keep all evacuation routes clear of flammable materials.
- Flammable Liquid Storage: Glues and other solvents are likely to combust if not stored correctly.
- Smoking: Designated smoking areas should be kept away from the building and provide proper ash bins for disposal near these areas.
Identify People at Risk
Once you have identified fire hazards, you should most at risk groups of people. Identifying the people most at risk allows management to provide them with protective equipment, and most importantly, appropriate safety training.
Evaluate Existing Safety Measures
Check the safety measures already in place and check they are still effective in the current circumstances and compliant with laws and regulations. Some measures you might want to check are:
- Training provisions for at risk employees and Fire Wardens.
- Pathways to fire exits, ensuring they are clear and there is nothing blocking them.
- Signage and lighting for fire evacuations etc.
- Fire extinguishers and their accessories.
- Water sprinklers.
- Smoke detectors and suppression systems.
- Maintenance and condition of equipment.
- Frequency of fire drills.
Assess Risks for Fire
The individual conducting the fire risk assessment should consider the probability of a fire happening and the extent of damage it could cause, based on the gathered information. Some additional factors you might want to consider include:
- Ignition source
- Fuel source
- Oxygen supply
Record Findings
Finally, the assessor should seek to document this entire process. Keeping records is good practice and it allows your organisation to reflect and make possible amendments to fire safety procedures. It also allows you to document the actions required and responsible parties to ensure that the proposed changes are made.
Who Should Conduct Fire Risk Assessments?
In order to remain compliant with fire safety legislations, fire risk assessments need to be conducted by competent persons. Although there is a not specific definition for this, many professionals agree that this refers to people knowledgeable on the subject and have an appropriate level of training.
The NEBOSH Certificate in Fire Safety offers a comprehensive syllabus that covers the entire fire risk assessment process and other aspects of the fire safety management process. Take a look at the course below, and gain access to a free demo of our renowned online course.
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