Fires can often be prevented with good control measures in place. In order to create control measures and monitoring systems an assessment is required. The act of creating a fire assessment is the responsibility of business owners and the owners of premises where the public have access. If you’re confused about your legal responsibilities regarding fire the NEBOSH Fire Certificate is a great place to start.

Some General Fire Safety Hazards

There are some hazards to look out for when trying to reduce the risks of fires breaking out at your workplace. Fires need some kind of ignition, some fuel and oxygen to start so you can help spot the hazards by looking for these three factors:

  • Ignition is a source of heat so look for naked flames, equipment that gets hot, lights, heaters, smokers or anything in the premises that can spark or get hot.
  • Fuel is anything that can burn such as waste, plastics, woods, paper, materials and substances.
  • Oxygen is everywhere as it’s in the air we breathe.

The fire risk assessment needs to identify the things that could cause a fire to start, what could burn and who would be at risk. From there the assessment can be used to make steps of action that will help you to control and manage the risks. You must then consider what steps you will need to take if a fire does start.

Ways to Help Reduce the Risks of Fire

There are ways to help reduce the risks that can be considered when working out control measures:

  • Make sure sources of ignition and fuel (anything that is flammable) are kept away from each other.
  • Avoid fires that could be started accidentally, secure heaters so they can’t fall over, switching off heat sources when not in use and at the end of the day etc.
  • Have fire safety equipment
  • Exits and escape routes established and clearly marked
  • All exits and walkways kept clear of obstructions
  • Providing training to workers and performing fire drills
  • Installation of alarms to detect fires
  • Keeping the workplace clean and tidy

Learn more about fire safety with a NEBOSH course. To book your place or find out more about the fire safety course call our team on 0808 1966 830.