Now the summer is all but over and September has arrived, there’s the usual sense of renewal in the air alongside the dark nights and hints of festive cheer on the horizon. The autumnal months mark the start of the new school term for some and also a sign we should be getting back into the swing of things at work following our holidays.
It’s the perfect time of year to renew your fire and security safety measures and to review your fire risk assessments. There’s a host of things you can do yourself to check your business premises and staff are as safe and well protected as possible.
You should have dedicated fire wardens in your workplace, or people who are responsible for checking your fire precautions and fire risk assessments are up to date.
A fire risk assessment points out many issues that the lay person may not be able to spot, but there are many that can and should be easily identified.
Your fire alarm system
You do test this every week, don’t you!?
If it’s working correctly, you shouldn’t be able to see any fault lights and reassuring green lights will be showing instead. If there are any orange lights, this indicates there is a fault and you should contact your fire alarm company for advice urgently. Getting your fire alarm back up and running should be a priority. It could help save lives.
Test your emergency lighting
Testing your emergency lighting is a simple job and should be carried out regularly – at least every month. To test its working properly, switch off the power and the lights should come on. Your electrician should have installed a slot next to the light which a small key known as a ‘fish key’ can be inserted into to check the lighting is working properly. If you’re unsure, ask your electrician for advice.
Service your fire extinguishers
Fire extinguishers should be serviced every year and colleagues should receive fire extinguisher training to ensure they are able and confident to use them. The main thing to remember is that all fire extinguishers should be located in easily accessible areas to grab if an emergency should occur. This is a good opportunity to check your extinguishers haven’t been hidden away in cupboards or behind stock, rather than somewhere safe but visible.
Check your escape routes and fire exits
We count on fire doors, fire exits and planned escape routes to help us evacuate a building safely and quickly in the event of a fire or emergency. Just like any fire safety equipment you have, your escape routes and fire evacuation plan should be checked regularly to ensure they are in good working order, are not blocked in any way or need updating. Fire doors should be kept closed at all times, unless they are held open with a device which closes them automatically if a fire is detected. Escape routes should be kept clear and uncluttered and fire doors should be tested regularly to check they haven’t become stuck or blocked.
And finally, don’t forget to document all your fire safety tests and checks so you can prove you, as a responsible business owner, are doing what you are legally obliged to do under the Fire Safety Order (2015).
For more information and advice about fire prevention and safety please contact Synergy Fire Engineering on (0)843 658 1310 or (0)7584 089269. Alternatively, email [email protected].