COMPLIANCE & RISK ASSESSMENT EXTINGUISH THE RISKS
Kevin Rowe, Managing Director of
SafetyBuyer.com discusses the impor tance of fire safety risk assessments.
When it comes to health and safety management, there are few areas with a narrower margin for error than fire safety, where the risks are such that even a small-scale oversight can result in catastrophic devastation to a business and its staff.
Despite this, fire safety concerns often get overlooked in day-to-day operations. Commercial kitchens or industrial sites are naturally more aware of concerns around fire prevention, but in an office environment it becomes much easier to neglect - meaning these businesses can end up facing serious consequences.
This is why carrying out regular and thorough fire risk assessments remains a pivotal responsibility for businesses of all backgrounds. By getting this process right, you’ll be able to keep your fire risk to a bare minimum - and ensure that your staff and assets can be kept safe if a blaze does break out.
WHAT IS A FIRE HAZARD? Developing an effective fire risk assessment strategy depends on taking a realistic view of what constitutes a viable fire hazard.
This isn’t as simple as merely looking for apparatus that could ignite a blaze; the definition of a hazard takes into account not only the possibility of a fire starting, but also the potential consequences of that fire. As such, high-temperature industrial machinery may actually pose a relatively low risk when kept in a well-maintained area away from flammable materials, whereas a light bulb located too close to old papers or cleaning chemicals may be a significant hazard.
Safety managers therefore need to take a practical and context-dependent approach to the assessment of hazards, accounting for:
• sources of ignition, including sparks, open flames, electrical equipment, cooking and heating appliances, and sources of frictional heat
• potential sources of fuel, including paper, wood, cardboard and chemicals
• unsafe practices and conditions, including the improper storage of combustible materials, or the irresponsible use of equipment.
DEVELOPING A PLAN Once these hazards have been properly catalogued, health and safety professionals will be responsible for carrying out a full risk assessment. The purpose of this is to minimise the chances of a fire starting, limit the impact of any that occur, and to ensure that all of the building’s occupants can be alerted and safely evacuated if a fire breaks out.
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The assessment process involves identifying any on-site fire hazards and making a note of anyone who may be put at risk. Then evaluating, removing or reducing the risks associated with these hazards and recording the resulting findings, allowing the company to develop emergency plans and context-specific training for staff.
This process should include the creation of an emergency fire evacuation plan and an assessment of the available emergency routes and exits. This should take into account the needs of vulnerable people including elderly individuals or those with disabilities. Businesses should also make sure they have invested in safety equipment such as fire extinguishers, alarm systems and fire blankets, in order to ensure that any emergency situations can be dealt with effectively.
A COMMITMENT TO ONGOING
IMPROVEMENT Like any aspect of workplace health and safety planning, fire safety risk assessments should always be seen as an ongoing commitment, rather than a one-off requirement.
As companies take on more staff, update their working processes and reorganise their working space, those in charge of health and safety should review the existing fire safety procedures to determine whether any new fire hazards have arisen, or if any of the current plans need to be amended. It’s also vital to ensure that staff are kept in the loop with regular updates and training sessions, as safety efforts can only succeed if they have the buy-in of everyone within the organisation, from top to bottom.
By taking a proactive and comprehensive approach to risk assessment, organisations of all shapes and sizes can gain a realistic appraisal of their fire safety risks, and an informed understanding of the steps they need to take to ensure a safe working environment for all.
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