Why fire risk assessment is important for your business.
Fire poses a major threat to all business and should be of prime importance to any CEO, managing director or owner of a company.
The consequences of a fire can be devastating, leaving a business in the same state as it’s burnt out premises, ruined. If operating in single premises the effects can be even more devastating. All fires start small, yet 60% of businesses never recover from small fires that increased in size or became uncontrollable.
This fact in itself should make fire risk assessment an essential component of the health and safety program.
For company’s who house there supplies and other integral business elements on their premises these fires can be devastating, resulting in loss of continuity, inability to invoice and could result in the doors being closed permanently.
The up side of this is that 75% of fires can be controlled without the aid of the local fire brigade, provided sufficient extinguishing agents are available and people are trained in the use of them.
An efficient assessment of the risk that fire poses to your business should regularly be carried out so as to maintain not only the safety of personnel but the continuity of your business. Although legal requirements in this regard are extensive we should be driven by a moral obligation to provide a healthy and safe working environment
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The process of fire risk assessment involves the following:
Identifying the various sources of ignition.
Identifying the level of combustible materials present in the workplace.
The entire purpose of a fire risk assessment is to minimize the potential of a fire on your business premises and to this end all processes, products and operating methods should be evaluated by answering the following questions:
What can lead to a fire?
When can this happen?
Where is this most likely to occur?
How could it happen?
Who is involved?
Risk assessments may take a few days or even weeks in order to get a true understanding of the patterns of work in your business.
If we can’t eliminate the hazards highlighted during these assessments then it is essential that measures be implemented to reduce the likelihood of them arising, and mitigating the outcome of the occurrence.
Based on the information gathered during the assessment process, the fire safety protocol, firefighting equipment and escape routes can be evaluated so as to ensure efficient and effective response in the event of a fire.
Some of the aspects to be dealt with during this phase of the assessment would include:
Inspection routines – how often and where?
Type of extinguishing agents available.
People trained to use the equipment.
Location and accessibility of equipment and escape routes.
A properly executed fire risk assessment will allow you to understand the possible causes of fires in your workplace as well as the elements associated both with fire prevention and protection, resulting in a more effective approach to reducing your exposure.
Fire control measures should focus on the following:
A reduction in combustible material. (As a minimum separating this material from hazardous process sources and maintaining a solid housekeeping policy).
Provision of extinguishing agents relevant to the type of fire.
Provision of fire detection systems.
Ensuring equipment is maintained and easily accessible.
Training of staff in the use of the extinguishing agents.
Evacuation procedures and fire drills.
Storing backups of critical information off site.
Having a detailed report and action plan allows you to expend resources successfully, mitigating the risk of losing your business to fire. Fire is a risk that worries most employers, and a detailed assessment provides critical information allowing for this risk to be measured and controlled.
Source: Gavin Bruwer, InGa health and safety newsletter Volume 01-issue 07
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