Legal advice: The risk of fire is always present
About this time last year, I remember watching as a public house in our neighbourhood was totally destroyed by fire. Fortunately there was no injury to staff or patrons but the story could have been so different had a passer-by not raised the alarm to those inside the building.
A fire risk assessment assists in making your premises safe for everyone, but it has to be correct and up to date — my colleague had a case where a fire exit sign led directly to an 8ft drop to the ground. Fire Authorities will help with the preparation of a fire risk assessment.
But if the authority visits and identifies problems, it can issue a deficiency notice and if steps aren’t taken to resolve the issue, a prohibition notice or a prosecution will follow.
Fire hazards; if there are no fire hazards there will be no fire. Fires need two components to start: a source of heat and combustible material.
Take some time to review the whole of your premises, is there anything that could provide the first or the second component?
If anything is identified, is it already part of your assessment or should it either be removed or, if impossible to remove, should you include it in your risk assessment? People at risk; fire and the effects of fire; smoke and toxic fumes will affect everyone exposed.
Have your capacity or staffing levels changed and could those people be potentially exposed to fire?
Have all employees been made aware of their own safety requirements if a fire was detected and briefed regarding their responsibilities?
Evaluate and act; if you have identified hazards which are either new or have been previously noted, can control measures be put in place to remove the risk associated with them.
Some hazards have a very low risk associated with them, eg stools attached to the floor next to a bar that do not impede egress from the premises.
Other hazards such as boxes of napkins stored in front of the fire escape door create a high risk. The assessment should identify such hazards and indicate measures to be taken to reduce the risk associated with the hazard.
Record, plan and train; the fire risk assessment is a working document. Keep it up to date as you become aware of new material that should be included. If you do not plan, you will fail; plan to ensure effective measures are in place in the event of a fire.
Your staff have many responsibilities; ensure that training and re-training has been done regarding their responsibilities with respect to fire and make sure that training and re-training is recorded. Review your assessment regularly; the fire risk assessment is a work in progress and should be reviewed regularly.
When the assessment is updated, you should also update your staff and have fire drills so staff know what to do.
Further information can be obtained from your local fire officer.
