When there’s a fire in a building, the first instinct many people have is to panic and run out of the building via the quickest route they know. However, when working with people who have physical disabilities, it’s important they are not left behind in the panic. Statistics show that many people believe that leaving a disabled person at a ‘refuge point’ (which are often in evacuation plans) is the correct thing to do, so they can wait for the fire service to collect them. This is a dangerous myth and has led to people being left in unsafe places. A…
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In the event of a car fire, you will be likely in shock and panicked, as they don’t happen nearly as frequently as car collisions. However, a car fire is just as deadly, so it’s worth knowing what to do in the event of a car fire. Causes of car fires Unfortunately, the majority of car fires are started deliberately, either by arson, by criminals trying to cover their tracks or committing insurance fraud. Only 35% of car fires are accidental, stemming from manufacturing issues and fixes that may have accidentally been done wrong. Sometimes a car fire is down to…
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Fire risk assessments are the most important safety procedure you have to carry out on your premises. An assessment ensures that your property meets all current fire safety standards. Its focus centres on the status of your fire extinguishers, the accessibility of fire exits and the location and status of your fire alarms. But how often should you carry out a fire risk assessment? Here, we’ll be providing the answer, as well as outlining once again the importance of fire risk assessments. Who Is Responsible? If you are the employer, owner, landlord, occupier, or a person in control of the premises…
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To ensure that you’re fully prepared in the event of a fire starting on your premises, it is of the utmost importance for you to have installed appropriate fire safety signs around the building so that everybody knows what to do in an emergency. In this month’s article, we’ll be looking at what each one of these signs means to help you give your property the highest level of security when it comes to fire safety. Prohibition Signs These signs are designed to warn a building’s occupants of the potential fire hazards certain behaviours may encourage, and therefore prohibit said behaviour….
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Unfortunately, senses and mobility deteriorate slowly as people get older, making it increasingly difficult to do the things they found easygoing in their youth. Ultimately, this puts the elderly at greater risk of injury or worse if a fire started than the youthful. As such, it is of the utmost importance that we prepare our properties and businesses for the potential outbreak of fire adequately and thoroughly to ensure the elderly we care for remain in the safest hands at all times. In this article, we will be discussing the fire safety methods you should employ to increase the safety…
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What is the Fire Safety Act? The Fire Safety Act (Regulatory Reform Order) 2005 states that any responsible person with a level of control over a business or commercial property must ensure that reasonable steps are made to ensure the risk of fire is reduced, and that anyone in the building is able to escape safely should a fire occur. Who does the act apply to? The act applies to anyone with control of a commercial premises, public space or structure. This can include the employer, manager, occupier of a premises, or anyone else with a level of responsibility within the…
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As a retail business owner, you have a responsibility to the public and your staff to reduce the risk of fire hazards, and to implement a clear fire evacuation strategy should a fire break out. As the owner of the premises, you must carry out fire risk assessments of your premises to ensure any hazards are identified and reduced as risks. You can also nominate a responsible person to undertake this task, providing they have a good understanding of what conditions could lead to a fire, what materials pose a fire risk, and the consequences should a fire break out. This…
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A fire alarm is the best way of ensuring you and your colleagues are alerted as soon as possible if a fire occurs within the commercial environment. Employers are legally obliged to protect the people who work within their premises from the threat of fire, and one of the best ways to do this is to have a fire detection system in place to alert all persons of the event of a fire outbreak. There should be at least one smoke detector fitted per floor, although for larger environments more alarms will be needed to ensure everyone within the premises is…
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The ability to operate a fire extinguisher is an important skill to have should you ever be faced with an uncontrolled fire. If you are likely to be required to use a fire extinguisher at work due to responsibilities as a fire marshall or where you are located in your workplace, it is recommended that you receive professional hands-on training first. However, if you do discover a fire that looks out of control, the first thing you should do is call the emergency services. You can then tackle small fires with an extinguisher but know that, if you cannot put…
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Fire can occur in any company at any time and the duties of a responsible fire marshal can be vital. Their role is to assess risks which could lead to a blaze starting and take appropriate action if one does; in worst case scenarios, the actions of the marshal can be the difference between life and death. If you are thinking about becoming a fire marshal for your company, you must fully understand your duties and work within the framework provided by the organisation. The key requirements of a marshal are to: identify and report risks assess potential hazards fight fire…
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