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FIRE SAFETY CHECKLIST
Well organised and carefully
maintained premises are safer from fire. The likelihood of fire
breaking out is lessened and should fire occur it can be more
readily controlled.
This check list will help you
and your staff to assess the standard of housekeeping.
If the answer to any question
is "NO" action should be taken to put matters right.
Cleanliness
and Tidiness
- Are the staff encouraged
to tidy their personal work places?
- Are the premises kept
clear of combustible process waste and refuse?
- Are metal receptacles with
closely fitting lids available for waste such as floor
sweepings?
- Are separate clearly
labelled containers provided for waste and special
hazards - flammable liquids, swarf, paint rags, oily
rags?
- Are waste containers
removed from the building at the end of each working day
or more frequently if necessary?
- Is waste put in a safe
place awaiting disposal - not accessible to the public?
- Is the burning of waste on
site prohibited?
- Are cupboards, lift
shafts, spaces under benches, gratings, conveyor belts
and similar places kept free from dust and rubbish?
- Are pipes, beams, trusses,
ledges, ducting and electric fittings regularly cleaned?
- Are areas in and around
the building kept free from accumulated packaging
materials and pallets?
- Are metal lockers provided
for employees clothing?
LPG Cylinders
- Are liquefied petroleum
gas (LPG) cylinders stored safely, preferably in a fenced
compound outdoors at least 2m away from any boundary
fences?
- Is the stored used only
for cylinder storage?
- Are empty cylinders
treated in the same manner, but kept separate and
labelled empty?
- Are permanent warning
notices prominently displayed prohibiting smoking and
naked lights?
- Are cylinders stored with
their valves uppermost?
Storage
- Are fire doors, exits,
fire equipment and fire notices kept unobstructed? Are
storage areas accessible to fire fighters?
- Are stack sizes kept as
small as is practicable in the circumstances?
- Are there clear spaces
around stacks of stored materials and adequate gangways
between them?
- Are stacks stable and not
liable to collapse easily?
- Are stocks of material
arranged so that sprinkler heads and fire detectors are
not impeded and are the required clearances beneath this
equipment maintained?
- Is storage kept in this
right place - excessive quantities in process areas
avoided?
- Is access to storage areas
restricted to those who really need to be there?
- Are stocks kept well clear
of light fixtures and hot service pipes?
- Are storage areas
inspected regularly and at the end of the working day?
Maintenance
of Buildings
- Is every point of entry to
the site and building secure against intruders?
- After close down of
operations are all doors, windows and gates checked and
secure?
- Is the building regularly
inspected for damage to windows, roof and walls?
- Are the grounds
surrounding the premises kept free of combustible
vegetation by regular grass cutting and scrub clearance?
- Are all outside
contractors supervised while on the premises and their
work authorised by "permit to work" and
"hot work permit" schemes?
Flammable
Liquids
- Are all stocks of
flammable liquids kept in purpose-built flammable liquid
stores?
- Is the flammable liquid
store kept uncongested and tidy?
- Are flammable liquids
carried in specially designed safety containers and not
in open cans and buckets etc?
- Are quantities of
flammable liquids in use kept to a minimum and when not
required returned to safe storage?
- Are flammable liquids kept
away from possible sources of ignition?
- Are suitable spark
reducing tools provided for use in places where there may
be flammable vapours?
Machinery
- Are there restrictions on
using unauthorised heaters?
- Are combustible materials
at a safe distance from appliances and flues?
- Is care taken that no
materials are left on heaters?
- Are portable heaters
securely guarded and placed where they cannot be knocked
over or ignite combustibles?
- Are goods kept clear of
lighting equipment?
Smoking
- Is smoking prohibited in
all but designated "smoking" areas?
- Are the non-smoking
regulations strictly enforced?
- Where smoking is permitted
is there an abundant supply of non-combustible
receptacles for cigarette ends as distinct from
containers for waste?
- Are these receptacles
emptied at least once a day?
Damage Control
- Are hydrants, fire
extinguishers, fire alarms and sprinkler systems
regularly maintained by qualified people?
- Are fire doors kept
closed?
- Are routine checks made to
ensure equipment has not been obscured, moved or damaged?
- Are notices informing
staff what to do in the event of fire prominently
displayed?
- Is the fire alarm tested
weekly?
Staff Training
Guide to UK LAW on
Fire
Fire
Precautions Act 1971
Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997
Fire Precautions (Workplace) (Amendment) Regulations 1999
The Management of Health
and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 requires employers to
identify circumstances (and conduct risk assessments) where
situations presenting serious and imminent danger to employees
could occur, which includes fire. However under the Fire
Precautions (Workplace) (Amendment) Regulations 1999 a risk
assessment must be made specifically addressing fire risks in the
workplace in addition to the risk assessments under the
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
Fire
Certificates
A fire certificate is
required when:
·
More than 20 people are
employed at work at any time
·
More than 10 people are
employed at work at any time elsewhere than on the ground floor
·
Flammable or explosive
substances are stored or used in the premises
·
The premises are
special premises'
Fire
Precautions (Workplace) (Amendment) Regulations 1999
· This Act removed most of the
exceptions of the 1971 and 1997 Acts relating to workplaces not
requiring a fire certificate. Under the 1999 Act, from 1 December
1999 almost all premises require fire risk assessments to be made
(and formally recorded if five or more are employed) regardless
of whether or not a fire certificate is held.
Legal
responsibilities of employers
The
legislation governing fire safety requires employers to:
- Carry
out a fire risk assessment of the workplace, taking into
account all employees and all those who may be affected
by a fire in the workplace.
- Identify
the significant findings of the assessment and the
details of anyone who might be especially at risk in case
of fire. If you employ more than five people then these
must be recorded.
- Provide
and maintain such fire precautions as are necessary to
safeguard those who use your workplace
- Inform,
instruct and train your employees about the fire
precautions in your workplace
Legislation
also requires that:
- You
nominate people to undertake any special roles identified
in your emergency plan
- You
must consult your employees (or their elected
representatives) about the nomination of people to carry
out particular roles in connection with fire safety, and
about proposals for improving fire precautions
- You
must inform other employers of any significant risk in
your workplace which may affect the safety of their
employees or others in the same premises, and co
- operate
with them on measures to reduce or control those risks
- If
you are not an employer, but have any control of premises
that which contain more than one workplace, then you also
have responsibility to ensure compliance with the Fire
Regulations in those parts of the building over which you
have control
- You
must establish a suitable means of contacting the
emergency services and ensure that they can be called
easily
- Your
employees are required to co operate with you to make
sure your workplace is safe from fire and its effects,
and not to do anything which will place themselves or
others at risk.