Frequently Asked Questions
If you can’t see your question below, contact us and we’ll be happy to help.
Who is ultimately responsible for ensuring fire safety in the workplace?
You are deemed the ‘responsible person’ for fire safety if you are:
- the employer
- the building owner
- the landlord
- anyone else with control of the premises, such as a facilities manager, building manager, managing agent or risk assessor.
If there is more than one ‘responsible person’, you must work together to meet your responsibilities.
What is a ‘responsible person’ required to do?
You must:
- carry out a fire risk assessment of the premises and review it regularly
- tell staff or their representatives about the risks you’ve identified
- put in place, and maintain, appropriate fire safety measures
- plan for an emergency
- provide staff information, fire safety instruction and training.
Who should carry out fire risk assessments?
Businesses generally find it more time and cost-effective to contract out this specialist job to a professional consultant. If you prefer to conduct your FRA in-house, you need to make sure the person charged with carrying out this work is sufficiently trained and competent.
How often should we carry out fire drills?
UK Government advice on fire safety in the workplace states: “You should carry out at least one fire drill per year and record the results. You must keep the results as part of your fire safety and evacuation plan.” New staff must have the drill explained to them when they start work.
Ideally, you should carry out two drills per year at nine-month intervals – to vary the seasons and include as many employees as possible, considering holidays and off-site working.
What are the rules around fire extinguishers?
Fire extinguishers are covered by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which states that appropriate firefighting equipment must be provided where there is a fire risk. Their provision and maintenance is covered by BS (British Standards) 5306, which gives guidelines as to which extinguishers to use where and on what type of fire.
In accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, every office needs at least one person (usually a fire marshal or fire warden) trained to use fire extinguishers.
Remember that fire extinguishers are designed to fight small fires and this should never come before evacuating people from the building.
What routine checks should be carried out on fire safety equipment?
You must carry out regular checks to make sure:
- fire alarm systems are working
- emergency lighting is working
- you record any faults in systems or equipment
- all escape routes are clear, and the floor is in good condition
- all fire escapes can be opened easily
- automatic fire doors close correctly
- fire exit signs are in the right place.
What can employees do to reduce the fire risk posed by battery chargers?
Lithium-ion batteries, used in chargers for appliances such as smartphones and laptops, are safe during normal use but present a fire risk when over-charged, short-circuited, submerged in water or damaged.
Key advice includes the following.
- Only use original chargers designed for and supplied with your device.
- Never buy cheap, fake chargers.
- Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how long to charge the equipment for.
- Stop using a charger if it is faulty or becomes damaged.
- Don’t leave items charging overnight or in contact with soft furnishings.
- Don’t overload electric sockets or extension cables.
Who checks that I'm compliant?
Ultimately you are responsible for ensuring compliance, however…
The local fire service maintain a team of specialist inspectors who have a mandate to enforce the legislation. Normally they will give prior notice of a visit but may turn up unannounced and without warning.
What questions are asked during an inspection?
During and inspection you will be asked
1. Is there a fire risk assessment?
2. Is the fire risk assessment suitable and sufficient, with findings actioned?
3. Is the building well managed?
4. Is there a fire log book and records for lightning testing plus the 5-year electrical test?
5. Is there a fire alarm in common areas?
6. Has the fire alarm been tested weekly?
7. Has the fire alarm been serviced within the last 6 months by a fire alarm engineer?
8. Have there been six fire alarm activations in the last 6 months?
9. What actions have been taken to address and reduce the number of fire alarm activations?
10. Have unwanted fire alarm activations been discussed with a fire alarm engineer?
11. Is the fire alarm connected to an alarm receiving centre?
12. Has the link to the alarm receiving centre been tested?
13. Has the emergency lighting been tested monthly by a short/flick test?
14. Has the emergency lighting been serviced by a contractor?
15. Is there any firefighting equipment installed in the building(s)?
16. Have fire extinguishers, been serviced annually by an engineer?
17. Are fire blankets installed in areas with cooking facilities?
18. When staff are employed on-site, have they received fire safety training, an induction and refresher training?
19. When there is an evacuation policy for simultaneous evacuation, have fire drills been carried out?
20. If contractors are working in means of escape or their work may affect the escape route have the contractors
been informed of;
A. Fire detection in the area they are working in?
B. Safe working practices to ensure the escape route can be used at all times?
C. Not to wedge open fire doors?
D. Return the area back to a safe state at the end of the day before leaving the building(s)
E. Reinstate any fire stopping as works are finished?
21. In multi-occupied buildings when means of escape are shared and the fire alarm may extend into more than
one business, is there co-operation between responsible persons (business owners, managing agents) to
ensure safety throughout the whole building?
22. Are the means of escape safe and readily available at all times?
23. Are monthly fire door checks being carried out?
24. Are corridors and stairs free from storage or rubbish?
25. Has a passive fire stopping survey been completed for the building, above false ceiling and in risers?
26. Are facilities installed to protect the means of escape and to protect firefighters to put out a fire or rescue
someone trapped?
A. Are Dry Risers installed?
B. Has the Dry Risers been checked for damage?
C. Has the Dry Risers been serviced in the last 6 months?
D. Are Automatic Opening Vents installed in stairs and/or corridors?
E. Have the Automatic Opening Vents been tested weekly to ensure they open?
F. Have the Automatic Opening Vents been serviced by an engineer in the last 6 months?
G. Does the building have a firefighting lift(s)?
H. Is a monthly test of the lift emergency call button been carried out?
I. Has a survey been carried out to ensure the firefighting lift is safe to use by crews?
J. Has the firefighting lift been serviced within the last 12 months?
K. Are sprinklers installed within the building?
L. Are sprinklers installed in flats and how are these serviced?
M. How do you know sprinklers in flats have been serviced?
N. Have the sprinklers been checked weekly to ensure the correct pressure is in the system?
O. Have the sprinklers been serviced within the last 6 months?
P. Are there disabled refuges in the building?
Q. Are there Emergency Voice Communication stations installed at disabled refuges, and are they being
tested weekly?
R. Has the Emergency Voice Communication system been serviced within the last 6 months?
27. Has the building got solar panels fitted?
28. Have firefighters got easy access to the solar panel isolation controls?
29. Has an external wall survey been completed? Has this been assessed by the RICS
30. Have the findings of the external wall survey identified combustible materials have been used on the building?
31. Has the building got timber balconies?
32. Are tenants storing household goods on the balconies including barbeques?
What's the 4 Golden Rules in Fire Safety?
Know your exit routes
Never block fire exits
Keep extinguishers accessible & maintained
Report and remove fire hazards immediately Let’s stay prepared, not scared.
