The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 introduced new duties under the Fire Safety Order for building owners or managers (responsible persons). The new regulations came into force 23 January 2023, and are being laid under article 24 of the Fire Safety Order 2005. These recent changes have come with a lot of weighted questions, so we're answering your most frequently asked fire safety questions; ranging from fire prevention systems to the importance of risk assessments.
1. What are the main causes of workplace fires?
The main causes of workplace fire are as follows:
Smoking
Arson
Electrical equipment and wiring (faulty, poorly maintained or misused)
Portable heaters
Cooking
Poor housekeeping/accumulated rubbish
Hot working practices (e.g., soldering or welding)
2. How would I identify hazards in my workplace?
Risk assessments are used to look for the possible causes of accidents and to assess how bad the results may be. A risk assessment creates awareness of risks and hazards in the workplace and forms an integral part of a health and safety management plan. We can identify and evaluate any potential risks in your workplace and will provide a bespoke fire risk assessment in order to mitigate any risks.
3. What is the difference between fire prevention and fire protection?
Fire prevention involves simple measures that can be undertaken using the knowledge of how fires develop. Fire prevention systems aim to minimise potential fire hazards. Fire protection reduces damage and helps to safely evacuate a building.
4. How often should you test a fire evacuation plan?
It is essential for all companies to have an evacuation plan in place. You should carry out at least one fire drill per year and record the results. You must keep the results as part of your fire safety and evacuation plan. To facilitate this, fire training and practice must be held regularly, and fire duties assigned.
5. What should I do if I discover a fire at work?
If you discover a fire (or even suspect there may be one) you should:
Raise the alarm.
Make sure the fire service is called.
Evacuate the building following the procedures of your workplace.
Each workplace should have its own procedures covering what to do in the event of a fire. The table below contains some simple advice on what you should and shouldn't do when the alarm is raised.
Rapid-fire intervention from site staff is vitally important as part of the mitigation process. HFR Solutions can train your organisations onsite team to respond quicker and better in the event of an incident. This training is designed as controlled defensive firefighting and does not put employees at risk within a building on fire but adds another element of control to any existing fixed fire suppression installation.
With a dedicated outdoor area for practical fire safety and extinguisher training, operational firefighting training centre, fire appliances and firefighting units, we are able to offer numerous Fire Safety courses. Take a look at our courses below and join the mailing list to stay up to date with the latest Solutions news.
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