Four crucial steps to prevent your business from fire – Bull Products

Following recent fire statistics from the Home Office, Bull Products, a manufacturer of life-saving fire protection equipment, is sharing four vital steps a business can take to protect itself from a fire.

These statistics show fire and rescue services (FRS) attended 566,572 incidents in the year ending September 2017 ; a 3% rise in comparison with the year previous, according to the latest national statistics published by The Home Office.

Also revealed was of all incidents attended by FRS in the year ending September 2017, fires made up 30% of these. Non-fire incidents were at 31% and fire false alarms were at 39%.

Understand

In every workplace, the owner or employer has a legal responsibility to conduct a fire risk assessment, which includes identifying and understanding the risks involved.

According to HSE, there are five steps, which are as follows.

• Identify the hazards.
• Decide who might be harmed and how.
• Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions.
• Record significant findings.
• Review the assessment and update where necessary. 

Prevent

Whilst a fire cannot be completely prevented, several actions can be taken to ensure a business can lower the risk of a fire breaking out, including the following:

• Keep areas free of clutter such as paper that could easily catch fire or prevent access to exits and emergency equipment.
• Ensure electrical appliances are switched off and plugs are removed before leaving the building.
• Ensure electrical appliances are safe to use by carrying out regular PAT Tests.
• Replace frayed power cords and ensure cord protectors are used.
• Don’t block exits or fire doors with boxes – ensure these are kept clear at all times.
• Store hazardous materials safely and make sure these are clearly marked.

Prepare

Initial and refresher fire training will help workers be prepared if a fire were to occur , informing them on what actions to take so safety remains a top priority.

Frequent drills and review procedures will mean workers can familiarise themselves with the fire safety equipment on site and have confidence when using it.

Tackle

To protect employees, reliable fire alarms are vital for both informing people of the danger and saving lives in the event of a fire.

It is important buildings have fire alarms situated in the correct places, and the right type of alarm depending on the building or site.

Additionally, fire extinguishers ensure emergency fire responders can speedily choose the type of extinguisher needed to cope with a blaze.

Fire extinguishers should be placed in highly visible areas, such as corridors, stairways, and landings, for those following an escape route.