Fire safety: Your questions answered

In this case, fire safety is the client’s responsibility. They need to make sure that they’re following fire safety protocol, and that anyone working on their behalf is aware of the measures that they’ve put in place. This includes the sound of the fire alarm and where to assemble when the alarm is activated.  

You still have responsibilities, too, though. These include sticking to site rules and not introducing hazards that your client may not know about. 

Yes, at least one. Under the FSO we mentioned above, the responsible person – ie, the employer – is legally required to appoint one or more people to assist him in undertaking the preventive and protective measures. These individuals are known as ‘competent persons’ in official terms. They’ll also be expected to put protective measures in place to minimise the risks of fire. 

As an employer, you have a responsibility to ensure that your fire wardens are trained, and that the training available to them is adequate, taking into account the size of, and the specific hazards involved in, the premises concerned.

Having said that, fire wardens should be familiar with the workplace environment, how to sound the fire alarm and what needs to happen when the alarm is activated. They’ll also be expected to liaise with the local fire service once they’ve arrived. 
 

It is a legal requirement that appropriate fire-fighting equipment must be provided and that any non-automatic fire-fighting equipment so provided is easily accessible, simple to use and indicated by signs  and depends on the size layout of the workplace, the occupants, what sort of activities are taking place and the types of hazards that could materialise. A fire risk assessment will give you a clearer idea, as well as consulting with third parties such as your local fire service.  

While flammable substances are a major factor in fires at work, they’re not the only culprit. Electrical fires are also common, so you’ll need to get your portable appliances and equipment tested regularly for faults. 

At the very least, employees should understand how to prevent a fire from starting, what they need to do if they discover a fire and who the fire wardens are. Having regular fire drills will help staff remember what to do in the event of a real fire.

You might consider training a trusted employee to carry out the fire risk assessment instead of paying for a third party. If this doesn’t sound practical, though, you could always outsource the assessment to a service provider who can prove they know what they’re doing.  
 
Your local fire service is also an excellent resource. They can usually offer free fire prevention tips and advice, including the type and location of alarms, well as which firefighting equipment you might need. 

A fire risk assessment requires you to take the following actions: 

• Identify fire hazards 
• Identify people at risk 
• Evaluate, remove, reduce and protect from risk 
• Record your findings, prepare an emergency plan and provide training 
• Review and update your findings on a regular basis
   

A copy of your company’s Fire Plan (or strategy) should always be available. It describes the measures you have in place and how your business would prevent and react to an emergency incident.