Whether you run a business, own a holiday let or are a landlord, something that is really important is to make sure that you do all you can to prevent a fire on your premises. Of course, sometimes a fire can break out despite doing all that you can to protect against it, however the law requires you to do all that you can to help prevent a fire, and having a fire risk assessment done by a professional like this fire risk assessment Bristol based company http://keloscape.co.uk/areas-we-cover/fire-safety-consultancy-bristol is the first thing you need to do in order to help reduce the risk.
There are lots of things that the person doing the risk assessment will look at when they come and do it. These include:
What a fire risk assessment actually checks
Dangerous substances that may be flammable, how they are handled and how they are stored.
What systems are in place for detecting a fire and warning people of it?
Equipment that can be used to extinguish a fire, such as fire blankets and fire extinguishers.
If there is a plan in place to evacuate the building in case of fire, what the plan is and ensuring that people are aware of it.
If staff have had any fire safety training
Considerations for more vulnerable people who may be on the site, such as the elderly, disabled people or young children.
What happens after the assessment
Once someone has been and assessed your fire risk, they will then be able to help and advise you on what you can do to help reduce the risk of a fire and to make the premises safer. As well as making it safer it will also give you peace of mind that all of the risks have been identified and you will then be able to take the appropriate action to reduce the risks.
It is important that you have a fire risk assessment reviewed regularly as things can change and this can then invalidate your previous risk assessment. You also need to ensure that when you get new equipment such as machinery and electronic equipment, that you have it checked to make sure that it is safe for use and isn’t presenting a fire risk.
You should also ensure that you have the necessary equipment in case a fire should break out, and the right fire extinguishers for the type of fire.
Summary
This article explains why businesses, landlords and holiday let owners are legally required to have a fire risk assessment. It covers what a professional assessor checks, including flammable substance storage, fire detection systems, extinguishing equipment, evacuation plans, staff training and the needs of vulnerable occupants. It stresses that assessments should be reviewed regularly and repeated when new equipment is installed.
Questions this article raises
- How often should a fire risk assessment be redone if nothing obvious has changed?
- What happens if a business is found not to have a valid fire risk assessment?
- Which vulnerable-occupant considerations are hardest for a small business to plan for properly?
