Whether a factory or a warehouse, large or small, your premises require a fire risk assessment.
Industrial premises often have specialised machinery or equipment, handle or store flammable substances and/or store large quantities of goods, which may be combustible. All of these aspects would need to be covered by your fire risk assessment for the premises.
Fire Risk Assessment
If you employ five or more people (paid or unpaid), you should keep a written record of your fire risk assessment and any significant findings. It should also be reviewed regularly, especially if any changes to the premises are made. This will identify what you need to do to reduce the fire risk and keep you and your employees and visitors safe. It should also consider any shared common areas, and you should liaise with the other occupiers if you only occupy part of a building.
You need an emergency plan for dealing with any fire situation, and it should be based on the outcome of your fire risk assessment. The purpose of an emergency plan is to ensure that people know what to do if there is a fire and that the premises can be evacuated safely. An evacuation drill should be carried out on a regular basis to ensure that your emergency plan works.
The guide below contains further relevant information and advises all employers, managers, occupiers, and premises owners on completing a fire risk assessment. A qualified Fire Risk Assessor will need to assess more complex premises.
The pro formas here are intended to be used as guides for carrying out a fire risk assessment. Should you adopt one of these for your business premises, then it is important that the content captures any unique aspects of the premises' design, as well as how the building is actually used.
If you want more information on fire risk assessments, fire extinguishers and risk information boxes click here.
Arson
Those with responsibility for the workplace must give due consideration to reducing the potential for arson. It is an unfortunate fact that 80% of premises suffering a serious fire never fully recover. A proactive approach to reducing potential incidents of arson need not be complex. There are a number of simple but effective steps that can be taken, which will reduce the potential for arson considerably. For example, controlling combustible materials and waste in and around the premises, reviewing security precautions and reporting incidents involving small fires or anti-social behaviour in the surrounding area to the authorities will make a significant impact
Other Guidance
For further guidance on your responsibilities as an employer, business owner or landlord, please see:
