Fire Risk Assessment
This fire risk assessment is an example only- Any assessment has to be individually tailored to the building/workplace and its needs.
Further guidance for your assessment can be found at the Health & Safety website.
1 Identify Hazards
For fire to occur there must be a source of ignition, fuel and oxygen. In the average workplace, fire hazards will fall into the first two categories, whilst the oxygen will be present in the air in the surrounding space.
1.1 Potential Sources of Ignition
Potential sources of ignition could include:
naked flames, smokers materials, matches, pilot flames, gas/oil heaters, gas welding, cookers, arson, etc.;
hot surfaces heaters, engines, boilers, machinery, lighting , electrical equipment, etc.;
hot work welding, grinding, flame cutting;
friction drive belts, worn bearings, etc.; or
sparks, static electricity, grinding, electrical contacts/switches, etc.
1.2 Potential Sources of Fuel
Potential sources of fuel: anything that burns is a potential fuel, examples include:
solids textiles, wood, paper, card, plastics, rubber, PU foam, furniture, fixtures/fittings, packaging, waste materials, etc.;
liquids solvents (petrol, white spirit, meths, thinners, etc), paints, varnish, adhesives, etc.;
gases LPG, acetylene.
Your risk assessment should list the potential sources of ignition and fuels that are present in your workplace.
2 Identify People At Risk
If there is a fire, the greatest danger is the spread of the fire, heat and smoke through the workplace. The smoke can quickly incapacitate any people trapped or trying to escape the fire; the closing of doors behind them can help to delay the spread of fire.
2.1 Factors To Consider
Your assessment of risk to persons should include:
the likely speed of growth and spread of any fire, and associated heat and smoke,
the numbers of persons working in the area including contractors, visitors, members of the public;
how will they become aware of any fire that occurs will any outbreak be immediately obvious or will some form of fire detection and alarm system be required; and
how they will make their escape (can they make their way out quickly, easily and safely?).
3 Evaluate The Risks
Once the hazards and the persons at risk have been recorded, you must assess the effect of any particular hazard on the occupants of the workplace, taking account of any existing control measures that are already in place. Once this has been done, you must decide if any further control measures are needed in order to reduce the risk to an acceptable level.
Further control measures may act to reduce the possibility of ignition, minimize the potential fuel load in the workplace, or assist persons to escape from the effects of a fire, should it occur. They may fall into a number of different categories:
Fire safety management systems.
Means of escape.
Staff training.
Fire warning systems.
Means of fighting fire.
3.1 Minimizing The Risks
Different control measures can be applied to reduce the risk to an acceptable level. For example, if the risk is the possibility of a fast growing fire, potential control measures could include one or any combination of the following:
the use of a slower burning fuel;
removing all possible ignition sources;
providing an additional exit/protected route to speed the escape of the occupants;
providing a fire detection and alarm system to warn persons of the fire in its early stages;
staff training in good housekeeping/safe working. practices; or
providing appropriate firefighting equipment / fixed installation e.g. sprinkler system.
While this list is not exhaustive and applies to one area of risk only, it can be seen that there may be a number of different solutions depending on the nature of the situation.
If any areas of inadequacy are identified, an action plan must to be included to show how the problem is being addressed. This should include time scales for achieving the required level of control and specify who is responsible for the action.
Your premises should meet the requirements of the Building Regulations e.g. fire escape staircases, fire lobbies, fire doors, emergency lighting etc.
You should include details of these existing control measures in your fire risk assessment. Remember, a full understanding and evaluation of the existing control measures is essential - it is your starting point for deciding if any further action is necessary.
4 Record Your Findings
If you employ five or more employees you must record the significant findings of your risk assessment, together with details of any people that are at particular risk. More importantly, the record must show whether the existing control measures are adequate and, if not, what further action is required to reduce the risk to an acceptable level.
Remember to make sure any control measures identified or introduced remain effective by testing and maintaining them regularly. A simple floor plan should be included in your fire risk assessment. You can use the plan to record fire hazards and control measures in a simple format that is easily understood.
4.1 Action Plan
Any further action required should be recorded as an ACTION PLAN, with defined time scales for this action, together with named people who are responsible for the actions needed.
5 Review & Revise
Once the assessment has been completed, there should be regular;
Reviews to ensure good practice and that recommendations in the Action Plan have been implemented.
Revisions of the assessment to include training of new staff and new working conditions as well as to update yourself on the current fire risks.
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