Top Tips On Reducing Fire Hazards In The Workplace
Fire safety is a fundamental element of any health and safety system because fire is the most common safety issue in the workplace. This is due to the number of potential fire hazards which ordinarily exist and which aren’t always easily recognised. This is why fire safety legislation has been in place for many years and why it is so strictly monitored and audited.
Most fires are preventable, regardless of the nature of the business, the type of operations that occur and the design of the building they occur in. In all situations fire requires a source of ignition, such as a flame or a spark from electrical equipment, and a source of material to help the fire spread, such as wood, paper or rubbish. In most cases it is relatively straightforward to guard against these factors combining to cause a fire, and of course fire regulations are in place to ensure you comply and fire is prevented. But not every business manages these things professionally, and there are also more complex situations where fire develops due to sources which hadn’t previously been identified.
How to reduce fire hazards in the workplace
First and foremost, complying with fire safety regulations will help to reduce hazards in some cases and legally, a business must do the following:
- Fire risk assessments – Identify the fire hazards present in all operations and in all areas of the business, and document what is done to control these hazards. The fire risk assessment process should present recommended actions to improve your existing fire safety measures.
- Obligatory workplace fire safety – A commercial building should have a suitable fire detection alarm system, fire exits, emergency lighting, fire extinguishers and warning signage. The business should carry out regular checks of all these features, including periodic emergency fire drills.
Other recommended actions to prevent fire hazards include:
- Good housekeeping – Keep fire exits clear and reduce the accumulation of sources of the fire spreading.
- Electrical maintenance – Make sure electrical installations and equipment are inspected and tested to reduce the possibility of causing ignition.
- Hot work – Control and monitor hot work (welding, brazing, cutting) where stray sparks could cause ignition.
- Waste disposal – Ensure waste disposal practices include being vigilant for possible spread of fire.
- Chemical storage – Ensure there is a good knowledge of chemicals used and stored on-site, so that incompatible chemicals are not stored together. All chemicals should be stored in suitable containers and should be regularly inspected.
- Building security – Make sure that building security is strictly controlled so that unauthorised personnel who are not familiar with the site and materials on it, cannot access the site.
- Designated smoking areas – Provide strict smoking areas away from the building and with suitable waste receptacles, and monitor practices to ensure smoking does not take place in other areas.
- Vacant properties – If a building is left vacant for any significant length of time, set-up a vacant property inspection scheme so that empty buildings are regularly patrolled and inspected for any potential fire hazards.
- Waking watch – Where a building is exposed to a higher risk of fire for a temporary period (such as if a fire alarm system is not operating, or a process of hot work is being undertaken) a waking watch patrol can be put in place to make regular inspections of the site and any specific areas of concern.
Professional fire safety services from Apardion
Where your business needs support with fire safety, our experts at Apardion can advise and assist by putting systems in place to control fire hazards in the workplace. We can provide fire alarm testing and inspection, waking watch patrols and vacant property inspections, and our experience in dealing with fire safety procedures at many different commercial and industrial organisations means we are a trusted and respected services provider when it comes to fire safety. So contact Apardion for professional fire safety services today.
