Fire safety iosh
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Fire Safety For IOSH North of Scotland Branch Nick Broom
Transcript of Fire safety iosh
Fire Safety
For IOSH North of Scotland Branch
Nick Broom
A brief historical perspective
1189 – London required stone walls and banned
thatched roofs
1971 - Fire Precautions Act of 1971
1985 - Fire Safety and Places of Sport Act
1987 – Fire Precautions (sub-surface Railway
Stations) Regulations
Cont...
1995 – Prevention of Fire and Explosion and
Emergency Response Regulations
1997 – Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations
2002 – Dangerous Substances and Explosive
Atmospheres Regulations
So where are we now..?
Current Law in Scotland
The Fire (Scotland) Act 2005
The Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006
Taking an integrated approachFire safety is best managed as part of the overall risk management strategy.
Perhaps as an integrated part of the health and safety policy/organisation/arrangements?
The Fire (Scotland) Act – Part 3 Carry out fire safety risk assessment
Identify measures based on above RA
Implement measures (risk reduction principles)
Fire safety arrangements for ongoing control
Complying with ‘Regulations’
Reviewing RA
Keeping records
Applies to Employers and those in Control of Premises – Duties SFARP
Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations Fire safety risk assessment
Fire safety arrangements
Elimination/reduction risk - dangerous substances
Procedures for serious/imminent danger
Maintenance of systems etc
Safety Assistance (nominated competent person)
Information, training and cooperation
Means of escape
Means of Escape
“structural means whereby a safe route in the event of fire is provided for persons to travel from any point in a building to a place of safety (without external assistance)” source PAS 79:2007
Scottish fire safety law is primarily concerned with ‘life safety’ not property/facility loss.
Always wise to link Business Continuity Management to fire safety...
Sector Specific Guidance Care homes
Offices, shops and similar premises
Factories and storage premises
Educational and day care
Sleeping accommodation (large and small)
Transport premises
Places of entertainment and assembly
Healthcare premises
Daily Checks (non prescriptive)
Escape Routes – ‘walk through’ premises
Fire alarm control panel – active and operational
Weekly Checks/Tests (non-prescriptive)
Fire alarm test – call points in rotation (BS 5839-1: 2008)
Check disabling devices / door retainers function correctly
Smoke control systems
All safety signs and notices
Escape routes – exit locking mechanisms (functioning)
All fire door self-closing devices function correctly
Check sprinkler system
Monthly Checks/Tests (non prescriptive)
Functional test – emergency lighting (BS 5266-4: 1999)
Visual check of fire extinguishers and hose reels
Fire doors – glazing, intumescent strips, smoke seals etc
Fire doors – warping of door and frame etc
Sprinkler system
Also: specified checks for: 3 Monthly, 6 Monthly and Annually.
Fire safety arrangements
In carrying out duties to which a person is subject, a person must make and give effect to such arrangements as are appropriate, having regard to the size of his or her undertaking and the nature of its activities, for the effective planning, organisation, control, monitoring and review of the fire safety measures within the meaning of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005.
Familiar to you? MHSWR...
Fire Risk Assessment Undertaken by competent person
Identify people at risk
identify fire hazards: sources of ignition/fuel & oxygen
Evaluate and decide if existing fire safety measures are adequate (see next slide)
Record
Review
Evaluating the adequacy of measures Likelihood of fire starting
Consequences to people Opportunities for removal or reduction of hazards
Remove or reduce risk to people
Fire alarm/warning
Fire-fighting equipment
Escape routes and lighting
Signs & notices
Maintenance
Effective management & staff training
A useful ‘publicly available specification’ to help maintain focus on the key areas of a fire risk assessment.
Managing Fire Safety Fire safety policy
Emergency fire action plan
Fire safety information and training
Fire drills
Maintenance of fire safety measures
Recording information and keeping records
Fire Safety PolicyPlanning / Organisation / Control / Monitor / Review
Stated senior management commitment
Systematic approach – priorities & objectives
Organisational structure to improve performance
Named individual - overall management responsibility
Arrangements for reviewing fire risk assessment
Provision of adequate numbers of trained staff
Maintenance of all ‘means of escape’
Contingency plans for ‘out of service’ systems
The Emergency Fire Action Plan How people are warned of fire
Actions to be taken by staff
Arrangements for calling emergency services
Specific actions of person in charge
Evacuation procedures
Assembly point arrangements
Fire-fighting arrangements (trained staff)
Process & plant isolations etc
Procedures for meeting emergency services
Means of Escape – Considerations
Time allowed for evacuation
Travel distances
Number of occupants
Exit widths
Number / distribution of exits
Evacuation Times Class A - completely non combustible construction i.e. floors,
walls and supporting structure of brick or concrete etc
Class B - traditional construction i.e. non combustible walls with combustible floors
Class C - combustible construction i.e. timber floors and walls
A = 3 minutes
B = 2.5 minutes
C = 2 minutes
Travel Distance – ‘Industrial’
Single Direction More than 1 direction
Factories, storage buildings etc 18 m 45 m
Higher risk storage buildings
15 m 32 m
Within a place of special fire risk
9 m 18 m
Always check specific guidance...
Occupancy load factors (density factor) Factory Production area = 5
Storage and warehouse = 30
Divide useable floor area (m²) by load factor to obtain max number of permitted persons.
**Check the guidance relevant to your sector to get the correct figures**
Escape route widths 1200mm if wheelchair access available
Reduce to 1100mm if no wheelchairs
<225 people = 850mm width min
<100 people = 750mm width min
The flow rate is 40 people per minute through a unit of exit width i.e. each 750mm width.
Minimum escape routes
Occupancy capacity of room or storey
Min number of exits Min number of storey escape routes
Not more than 60 1 1
61 - 600 2 2
More than 600 3 3
Always check specific guidance...
Some useful web addresses
http://www.nebosh.org.uk/qualifications/NEBOSH Fire Safety Management Certificate
http://www.communities.gov.uk/fire/researchandstatistics/firestatistics/firestatisticsuk/
Govt. Stats
http://www.infoscotland.com/firelaw/Scottish fire safety guides to comply with the law
