If you employ five or more employees, you must record the significant findings of your risk assessment, together with details of any people you identify as being at particular risk. You will probably find it useful (unless your assessment is very simple) to keep a written record of your fire risk assessment as you go round. This will help you plan the actions you need to take in the light of the findings of your risk assessment.
This record might take the form of a simple list, or you could use a plan of the layout of the workplace, or a combination of both of these.
Having completed your assessment and put your fire precautions in place, it can be useful to record details of maintenance and testing work carried out on them. It is also helpful to record details of the instruction and training you give to employees and when they took place. Such records can assist you, particularly when reviewing your assessment. They also show the relevant enforcing authorities the actions you have taken to comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
Sooner or later, you may introduce changes in your workplace which have an effect on your fire risks and precautions, e.g. changes to the work processes, furniture, plant, machinery, substances, buildings, or the number of people likely to be present in the workplace. Any of these could lead to new hazards or increased risk. So, if there is any significant change, you will need to review your assessment in the light of the new hazard or risk.
Do not amend your assessment for every trivial change or for each new job, but if a change or job introduces significant new hazards, you will want to consider them and do whatever you need to keep the risks under control. In any case, you should keep your assessment under review to make sure that the precautions are still working effectively.
If a fire or 'near miss' occurs, then your existing assessment may be out of date or inadequate and you should reassess. It is a good idea to identify the cause of any incident and then review your fire risk assessment in the light of this.
Identification of fire hazards and assessment of risk. Cont. The following is an example of a risk assessment format that could be used in most organizations:
Identification of fire hazards and assessment of risk. Cont.
MEANS OF ESCAPE
Are fire exits sufficient (eg a sufficient number of adequate width) to enable the number of people likely to be present in all areas to evacuate safely? Do all final exits lead to a place of safety, such as a street, passageway, walkway or open space? (not an enclosed card) Are all final exits sited so that persons can disperse safely from the vicinity of the building and the effects of fire? Are all fire exits readily available? Are all final exits and intermediate doors easily operable from the inside without the use of a key? Are all corridors, gangways, and stairways forming part of an escape route free from obstruction and not used for storage? Are floor and stairway surfaces in good condition and free from tripping and slipping hazards (including any external stairs and pathways)? Are fire-resisting and smoke-stop doors in good condition, with fully operating self-closing devices allowing the doors to close fully onto their rebates and overcome the pressure of the latching device? (which should extend at least 10mm into the catch plate) Do all doors on escape routes open in the direction of escape? Are all escape routes clearly and properly marked with fire exit" signage and where necessary are internal doon, not forming part of an escape route suitably marked? Are all escape routes provided with adequate lighting at all times when the premises are in use? Is adequate emergency lighting provided and is it fully serviceable? Have appropriate provisions been made for the safety of persons with disabilities by assistance, refuges etc?
This record might take the form of a simple list, or you could use a plan of the layout of the workplace, or a combination of both of these.
Having completed your assessment and put your fire precautions in place, it can be useful to record details of maintenance and testing work carried out on them. It is also helpful to record details of the instruction and training you give to employees and when they took place. Such records can assist you, particularly when reviewing your assessment. They also show the relevant enforcing authorities the actions you have taken to comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
Sooner or later, you may introduce changes in your workplace which have an effect on your fire risks and precautions, e.g. changes to the work processes, furniture, plant, machinery, substances, buildings, or the number of people likely to be present in the workplace. Any of these could lead to new hazards or increased risk. So, if there is any significant change, you will need to review your assessment in the light of the new hazard or risk.
Do not amend your assessment for every trivial change or for each new job, but if a change or job introduces significant new hazards, you will want to consider them and do whatever you need to keep the risks under control. In any case, you should keep your assessment under review to make sure that the precautions are still working effectively.
If a fire or 'near miss' occurs, then your existing assessment may be out of date or inadequate and you should reassess. It is a good idea to identify the cause of any incident and then review your fire risk assessment in the light of this.
Identification of fire hazards and assessment of risk. Cont. The following is an example of a risk assessment format that could be used in most organizations:
Identification of fire hazards and assessment of risk. Cont.
MEANS OF ESCAPE
Are fire exits sufficient (eg a sufficient number of adequate width) to enable the number of people likely to be present in all areas to evacuate safely? Do all final exits lead to a place of safety, such as a street, passageway, walkway or open space? (not an enclosed card) Are all final exits sited so that persons can disperse safely from the vicinity of the building and the effects of fire? Are all fire exits readily available? Are all final exits and intermediate doors easily operable from the inside without the use of a key? Are all corridors, gangways, and stairways forming part of an escape route free from obstruction and not used for storage? Are floor and stairway surfaces in good condition and free from tripping and slipping hazards (including any external stairs and pathways)? Are fire-resisting and smoke-stop doors in good condition, with fully operating self-closing devices allowing the doors to close fully onto their rebates and overcome the pressure of the latching device? (which should extend at least 10mm into the catch plate) Do all doors on escape routes open in the direction of escape? Are all escape routes clearly and properly marked with fire exit" signage and where necessary are internal doon, not forming part of an escape route suitably marked? Are all escape routes provided with adequate lighting at all times when the premises are in use? Is adequate emergency lighting provided and is it fully serviceable? Have appropriate provisions been made for the safety of persons with disabilities by assistance, refuges etc?
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