Fire risk assessments are a valuable tool for identifying fire hazards and evaluating the risks to people. A comprehensive fire risk assessment will identify:
Identify Potential Fire Hazards
- Fire hazards: Examples include heating appliances, electrical equipment, wiring, flammable liquids (e.g., oil), and combustible materials (e.g., wood).
- Fire risks: Risks associated with fires include burns from being too close to a flame or flashover; smoke inhalation due to dangerous gasses produced by burning materials.
Identify People Who Might Be At Risk
A fire risk assessment will identify people who are at risk of injury or death as a result of a fire. For example, personnel who may be injured when responding to an emergency call. It also identifies people who are at risk as a result of smoke inhalation, such as occupants in the property.
Evaluate, Remove Or Reduce The Hazards
Once the risks have been identified, there are several ways you can reduce them. For example:
- You can remove the risks entirely by removing the hazard or replacing it with an appropriate alternative.
- You can reduce risk by storing items in suitable containers, installing sprinklers, alarms, and smoke detectors.
Record Your Findings, Develop An Emergency Plan, And Provide Training
Once you’ve completed your fire risk assessment, you’ll need to record the findings and prepare an emergency plan. You should also provide training so that everyone in your organization knows what they’re expected to do in the event of a fire. You’ll also need to review and update your fire risk assessment regularly, as this will help ensure that it’s effective.
Perform Routine Fire Risk Assessments To Identify Ways To Prevent Fires
It is important that you review and update the fire risk assessment regularly. This should be done at least annually and then more frequently if changes occur in the building. Reviewing your fire risk assessment will help identify any changes that need to be made. It will also help reduce any risks of a fire breaking out.
Have You Assessed The Risk Of Fire In Your Building?
If you’re thinking about doing a fire risk assessment, there are a few things to consider. It’s a legal requirement for most businesses and public buildings. Every building is different and will have different fire risks. This means that your fire risk assessment needs to be tailored to the individual building.
