Common fire safety issues we identify when carrying out fire risk assessments in workplaces and commercial premises
When we carry out a fire risk assessment, we’re not walking into a building expecting to find everything wrong.
In fact, many businesses already have a lot of good fire safety arrangements in place.
Fire alarms are being tested.
Extinguishers are serviced.
Employees know where the assembly point is.
Emergency lighting has been installed.
Fire doors are in place.
But fire safety is one of those areas where small things can gradually change.
A door starts being wedged open because people walk through it all day.
A cupboard becomes a convenient storage area.
A new piece of furniture gets placed in a corridor.
An employee leaves and nobody takes over their fire safety responsibilities.
A room changes use.
More people start working from the premises.
A fire drill gets missed.
None of these things necessarily happens because somebody has deliberately ignored fire safety.
Often, the workplace has simply changed.
That’s one of the reasons a fire risk assessment is so important.
It gives you an opportunity to look at the premises as they are today.
Here are five things we regularly come across.
1. Fire doors that aren’t doing what they’re supposed to do
Fire doors are one of the first things people associate with fire safety.
But having a door with a Fire Door Keep Shut sign on it doesn’t automatically mean it’s doing its job.
During a fire risk assessment, we’ll consider the condition and suitability of fire doors as part of the overall fire precautions.
Common issues can include:
- fire doors being wedged or propped open;
- doors not closing properly;
- damaged doors or frames;
- issues with hinges or self-closing devices;
- inappropriate gaps;
- damaged or missing seals where required;
- alterations to doors;
- damaged glazing; and
- doors being obstructed.
One of the most common?
The wedge.
Someone props the door open because they’re carrying things backwards and forwards.
Then the wedge stays there.
People walk past it every day.
Eventually, nobody notices it anymore.
But a fire door is there for a reason.
It forms part of the measures intended to restrict the spread of fire and smoke and protect escape routes and other areas.
If it’s being permanently held open without an appropriate arrangement, it may not be able to perform that function when it’s needed.
2. Escape routes that aren’t as clear as people think
Ask most businesses:
“Are your fire exits clear?”
and the answer will usually be:
“Yes.”
Then we walk the route.
A delivery has been left in the corridor.
Boxes are being temporarily stored near an exit.
A piece of furniture has gradually moved into the escape route.
Stock has been stacked where it shouldn’t be.
An external exit opens onto an area that’s partially obstructed.
Or the route is technically accessible, but it’s far less straightforward than everyone thought.
The problem with temporary storage is that it has a habit of becoming permanent.
A fire escape route needs to work when people are under pressure.
You don’t want employees discovering an obstruction for the first time when the fire alarm is sounding.
Here’s a simple check you can do today:
Walk from the furthest occupied part of your workplace to the final exit.
Don’t just look at the exit door.
Walk the whole route.
Could you get out quickly and safely?
Could everybody else?
3. Fire risk assessment actions that are still outstanding
This is a big one.
Sometimes we visit a business that already has a previous fire risk assessment.
That’s good.
Then we look at the action plan.
There are recommendations.
Some are marked complete.
Others aren’t.
Then we ask:
“What happened with this one?”
Nobody is completely sure.
The person who was dealing with it left.
Someone thought the landlord was arranging it.
It was passed to a contractor.
A quote was obtained but never approved.
Or everyone simply forgot about it.
This is why receiving a fire risk assessment isn’t the end of the process.
Identifying a fire safety issue doesn’t fix it.
Actions need to be allocated.
Someone needs responsibility for them.
Appropriate timescales need to be considered.
And there needs to be a way of confirming when actions have been completed.
Your fire risk assessment should help drive improvements.
It shouldn’t simply become another PDF saved in a folder.
4. Testing and maintenance is happening – but nobody can prove it
We regularly find businesses that tell us:
“Yes, we test that.”
That’s great.
Then we ask:
“Can we see the records?”
And that’s where things can become less clear.
The person who normally does the test is on holiday.
The records are somewhere in an email inbox.
The contractor has them.
Someone writes it on a calendar.
Or everybody knows the alarm gets tested, but nobody actually records when.
Fire safety arrangements can include the inspection, testing and maintenance of systems and equipment such as:
- fire detection and alarm systems;
- emergency lighting;
- fire extinguishers and other firefighting equipment;
- fire doors and associated hardware;
- automatic fire protection systems where provided; and
- other relevant fire safety measures.
Exactly what is required and how often will depend on the premises, equipment and arrangements in place.
But there’s an important management principle here:
If you’re doing the checks, record them.
Good records help demonstrate that fire safety arrangements are being managed rather than simply assumed.
5. People haven’t thought about what happens when the alarm actually sounds
This is probably the most important point on the list.
Fire safety isn’t just about equipment and buildings.
It’s about people.
You can have alarms.
You can have emergency lighting.
You can have extinguishers.
You can have excellent fire doors.
But what happens when the alarm actually sounds?
Would employees know what to do?
Would visitors?
Would contractors?
Would somebody take control?
Does everyone know the assembly point?
How do you account for people?
Are there people who may need assistance evacuating?
What happens if the normal escape route isn’t available?
When was your last fire drill?
A fire emergency isn’t the time to start working out the answers.
People need appropriate information and instruction before an emergency happens.
And there’s one more thing we regularly find…
Businesses often think their fire safety is worse than it actually is.
It’s worth saying that.
A fire risk assessment isn’t simply an exercise in finding faults.
We regularly visit businesses that already have good arrangements in place.
Sometimes there are just a handful of improvements needed.
Sometimes the main issue isn’t the physical fire precautions at all – it’s record keeping.
Or training.
Or making sure responsibilities are clear.
Or closing out actions.
That’s why a good fire risk assessment should give you a clear picture of where you currently stand and what, if anything, needs improving.
It shouldn’t leave you with a document full of technical language and no idea what to do next.
Fire safety changes as your business changes
One reason these issues develop is that businesses don’t stand still.
You take on more employees.
You move furniture.
You change the layout.
You introduce new equipment.
You start storing different materials.
You alter a room.
You bring in contractors.
You change how an area is used.
You extend the building.
Individually, these might seem like normal business decisions.
But some changes can affect fire safety.
That’s why your fire risk assessment needs to remain relevant to your premises and why it should be reviewed when appropriate.
The fact that your fire arrangements were suitable several years ago doesn’t automatically mean they’re suitable today.
Try this five-minute fire safety check today
You don’t need to be a fire risk assessor to notice basic problems.
Take five minutes and walk around your workplace.
Look at:
Your fire doors.
Are they closed where they should be? Are any being wedged open? Is there obvious damage?
Your escape routes.
Are they genuinely clear from the workplace all the way to the final exit?
Your final exits.
Can they be used as intended?
Your fire safety records.
Can you find evidence of the relevant checks and tests?
Your previous fire risk assessment.
Are there outstanding actions?
And finally ask:
If the fire alarm sounded right now, would everyone know exactly what to do?
If you’re unsure about any of those answers, it’s worth looking into.
When was your last fire risk assessment?
A fire risk assessment shouldn’t simply tell you that you have a problem.
It should help you understand your fire risks, recognise what’s already working and identify where improvements may be required.
At Prohas Group, we carry out fire risk assessments for businesses and organisations across a wide range of premises.
We take a practical approach.
We look at the premises.
We look at the people.
We look at the existing fire precautions.
We look at how fire safety is being managed.
And we provide a report designed to help you understand the findings and what needs to happen next.
Whether you need a new fire risk assessment, a review of your existing arrangements or you’re simply unsure whether your current FRA is still suitable, we can help.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR FIRE SAFETY
Tell us a little about your premises, when your last fire risk assessment was completed and what you need help with.
One of the Prohas Group team will get back to you and we can talk through what you need.
Prohas Group – practical fire safety and health & safety support for businesses that want to go beyond compliance.
