Managing fire safety What s the risk? Bruce Kirkham Principal Consultant Capstone Ltd
Managing Fire Safety What s the risk? Bruce Kirkham PGDip, MCGI, MIFireE, MICPEM, MEPS Annual Conference February 2018
What s the risk? Fire deaths 322 Injuries 9748 44% due to smoke inhalation 22% due to burns 22000 fire in commercial and industrial premises Main causes of fire: Electrical 40% Cooking 24%
What s the risk? Serious injury Disruption to business operations Loss of reputation Prosecution Civil liability Who is my neighbour? Failure of business Financial loss
Where do we start? Foundation of safety in the design and construction of new buildings Building Regulations 2014 Construction Design and Management Regulations 2003 Challenge in application to: Conversion of existing buildings Heritage buildings
Isle of Man Legislation Fire Precautions Act 1975 Prescriptive Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 2003 Risk Based Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order 2005 not enacted in the Isle of Man
Fire Risk Assessment Methodology and format Competence of assessor Multi occupancies Objective assessment of risk Control measures Integral component of your safety management system
Requirement for staff training Fire Precautions Act 1975, Schedule 2.2 (c) for securing that persons employed to work in the premises receive appropriate instruction and training in what to do in case of fire, and that records are kept of instruction and training given for that purpose Management of health and safety at work regulations 2003 Regulation 17, schedule 1, (2)(b) ensure the training of employees is adequate taking into account the size of and the specific hazards of the workplace Regulation 7 of the Health and Safety at Work Act: General duties of employees at work as regards any duty or requirement imposed on his employer or any other person by or under any of the relevant statutory provisions, to co-operate with him so far as is necessary to enable that duty or requirement to be performed or complied with.
Managing Occupied Buildings Fire Risk Assessment Policy Procedure Training Testing and maintenance Safety inspections Housekeeping Alterations and change of occupancy and use Compliance Audit trail
Evacuation Drills An evacuation drill to be held annually Inform the fire service via ESJCR and monitoring station Where a building has been evacuated due to a false alarm or an actual fire, this may be recorded as a fire evacuation drill record in Fire Precautions Log Book The purpose of an evacuation drill is to: Familiarise the occupants of a building with the alternative escape routes and assembly points and the general safety procedures in place Identify any problems and make relevant improvements
Assembly Points Do not congregate at entrances Move staff and public to a place of ultimate safety Do not obstruct emergency service access and operations Keep away from smoke and debris and fumes Contingency for inclement weather
Vulnerable Persons staff, customers, visitors Sensory or mobility impairment Deteriorating physical or mental condition with normal ageing process or following accident injury or illness Consider individual personal emergency evacuation plan assessment (PEEP) Buddy system
Record keeping up to date Fire alarm tests Extinguisher inspection and maintenance Staff training induction and continuation Workplace safety inspections Fire drills Emergency lighting tests External visits Create a clear audit trail
Safety Management System Plan Do Check Act policy and FRA procedure, training, communication, workplace inspections, evacuation drills, testing and maintenance of systems and equipment, review revise and implement
Electrical Safety
MoE clearly signed
Protected routes free of combustible material and obstruction
Housekeeping
Consider outside areas
Fire points: readily accessible and available
Fire Points recurring theme
Grenfell changes everything
Rethink evacuation strategies
Lighthouse Manchester 30 December 2017
Liverpool 31 December 2017
Summary Main causes of fire in UK Compliance with statutory duty Practical application to manage fire safety in the workplace Fire risk assessment Integrating fire safety into management model Common faults and complacency Case studies
Managing Health and Safety CONTROL COMMUNICATION CO-OPERATION COMPETENCE Organising for health and safety Organising for health and safety is the collective label given to activities in four key areas that together promote positive health and safety outcomes: UK HSE: HSG 65
Communication is the vital key