Fire safety policies concerning emergency lighting, means of escape, and fire detection equipment have gone through a number of important changes. The new safety rules affect all non-domestic premises in England and Wales and came into force on October 1, 2006. The new law passes the responsibility of fire safety and emergency lighting to a “responsible person.”

It is important that there be sufficient and adequate fire exits so that people can safely and swiftly leave the building without being put in any danger should there be an outbreak of fire.

Fire extinguishers and hoses can be used to put out a small blaze, but their chief function is to help people make their way out of a burning building. Fire extinguishers in the workplace should be modern pieces of equipment that meet the terms of the BS EN 3 Standard. According to current recommended practice, extinguishers should be placed a maximum of 30m apart, and you need one extinguisher for every 200m² of floor area.

Nearly every company supplies convenient fire extinguishers to deal with fire hazards in the workplace. Bosses must assess the fire hazards and magnitudes that might crop up in the workplace and decide which type and capacity fire extinguishers to provide [...]

Fire prevention and management deals with the avoidance, detection and putting out of fires, in addition to such secondary activities as studies on the causes of fire, instruction of employees about fire hazards, and the maintenance and improvement of fire-fighting equipment. Little official attention was given to fire prevention prior to World War II.

Unless you’re a specialist it can be startlingly difficult to spot possible fire hazards when you do your fire risk assessment. You may need to hire a trained expert to complete your fire risk assessment together with your staff giving you a compliant and effective document plus any recommendations on business continuity that may be needed.

It only takes minutes for fire to change everything that was ordinary in our everyday lives. The fire safety regulations are designed to help you prevent, or in the worst case, deal with the effects of fire. Your company can survive the overpowering effects of fire and take back control, especially if you use the fire safety regulations as a guide.

Risk assessment is perhaps the most essential component of health and safety since it allows you to learn what can cause harm to people in your office or place of work. The simplest type of risk assessment is known as the “Five Steps” system, which is perfectly adequate for use by any workplace.