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What Is A Fire Risk Assessment And Why Does Your Office Need One?
A fire risk assessment is a safety measure which highlights any potential causes of fire or hazards in the event of one. There are many possible causes of fires, especially in office environments, and having these managed or preferably minimised is a good way to hopefully eliminate the risk of a blaze.
Current legislation states that all businesses must have at least one member of staff responsible for fire safety, though all employees should be mindful of it. This designated person must be legally registered and will often have to go through fire marshal training and it will be their responsibility to arrange for a fire risk assessment as well attempting to minimise the risks within the office.
A fire risk assessment will usually be carried out by the appointed person within your office, though some fire safety companies will gladly come into your office and carry this out for you. This has the advantage of being completely independent and also ensures that your risk assessment will be carried out by a qualified and experienced professional rather, often costing far less than you may expect.
A risk assessment is a process by which someone examines your place of work and highlights any potential hazards, be they possible causes or obstructions which can hamper your staff's escape if a fire occurs. This is normally carried out in three stages: first the assessor will identify the hazards which will include anything capable of starting a fire, possible fuels and oxygen sources which will encourage it to burn.
The next stage is to determine any individuals at risk, which means people who work with or close to fire hazards, work alone or in out of the way areas, or less mobile staff members such as pregnant women or disabled individuals.
The final stage of a fire risk assessment is to evaluate the risks discovered and reduce or remove them if possible. For example, bicycles left in the hallway can be an obstruction in the event that several staff members need to escape, and stocks of paper left by an electrical outlet can be an excellent source of fuel in the event that the outlet malfunctions. Simple risks such as these are easy to remedy and should not cause too much upheaval in your workplace, whereas more complex hazards such as flammable chemicals may find themselves needing to be managed in a more comprehensive manner.
Though it can be almost impossible to completely eliminate fire hazards from your office, taking the time to either do a thorough risk assessment yourself or hiring independent professionals to do it and ensuring that your staff undertake their legally-required fire safety training on a regular basis can hopefully help to keep your office and employees safe.
About the Author Thomas Pretty is an ex fireman who has been providing fire safety training for many years. Find out more about a fire risk assessment for your workplace at http://www.ukfiretraining.com/
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