This month is fire prevention month, and as we’re all about fire safety, we thought we would share what those responsible for buildings can and should be doing to reduce the risk of fire and keep people safe.
If you manage residential buildings or offices or are a landlord or a facilities manager, you will be responsible for fire safety in a building or across a premises, and there are some vital steps you must take to ensure that your building is as fire safe as possible. At Summit Environmental we have athorough understanding of the regulations relating to fire prevention, and the steps needed to comply with them.
1. Organise fire risk assessments
Fire risk assessments are methodical and organised surveys of premises, and the activities carried out there with the purpose of assessing how likely it is that a fire could ignite and cause harm. At Summit Environmental, we can help you if you are unsure whether you need a risk assessment.
When you commission a fire risk assessment from us, our accredited fire risk assessors will thoroughly investigate all aspects of fire risk and draw up a report. Our health and safety surveyors write reports in clear English to outline any actions which you need to take.
The assessments will consider:
· presence of fire extinguishers and blankets
· fire alarm checks
· emergency fire plans
· doors, locks and escape routes.
It is important to remember that if you move premises, you must get a new fire risk assessment, even if operations haven’t changed, as different buildings can present different risks and hazards.
2. Make an emergency plan
Keep the emergency plan for your premises up to date, and make sure that all those who use the property aware of what to do, how to evacuate, in case of a fire. This will help to reduce the risk of a fire causing harm.
3. Ensure fire doors are in working order
The number one cause of death from a fire is smoke inhalation. Fire doors can slow the movement of smoke through a building, helping to save lives in the event of a fire.
When in working order, fire doors help to stop smoke and flames spreading by containing the fire in the place where it started. Most fire doors can only withstand a fire for up to 30 minutes.
Fire doors must be checked regularly to ensure they are in full working order, as doors which aren’t well-maintained can be significantly less effective. Check the latest regulations on how often you must have your doors inspected here.
Checks include:
· condition of the door
· effectiveness of hinges and automatic closing
· condition of intumescent and smoke seals
· working condition of hinges and other hardware fittings including letter boxes
· size of gaps between the door and the frame.
If you are responsible for fire safety, please get in touch and our trusted experts will be happy to help.
