Mark Shaw, Managing Director of Firearrest, details some of the considerations businesses and safety officers should be taking into account when updating their fire risk assessments as a result of COVID-19.
Mark Shaw, MD of Firearrest
We all know that fire risk assessments are vital for your business’s safety, so far as they are required by law to ensure safe working environments. Not only do they ensure the safety and welfare of those within the building, but they also reduce the potential impact and damage on stock, merchandise, equipment, and the very structure of the building itself.
In the next few months, we should hopefully start to see a return of staff to business premises, so any review of current fire safety must consider the required changes placed upon it by the COVID-19 pandemic.
What should I consider as a result of COVID-19?
On a basic level, you should be asking yourself the following questions:
- How many people are allowed on the premises at any one time, and will there be enough trained staff to ensure an orderly and coordinated evacuation if required?
- Is there still capacity to help those who are most vulnerable in the event of an emergency?
- Have social distancing requirements created any lone working situations?
- Have there been any forced changes in working habits due to the pandemic that may change your risk assessment?
- Do you need to carry out testing of equipment, signage, and alarm systems before reoccupation?
- Is further staff training required in fire safety, such as fire marshals or wardens, if working times are to be staggered?
- Will there need to be any changes to firefighter access or facilities?
- Government guidelines have stated that open windows and strong airflow are necessary to blow away COVID particles; as such, have you ensured that all air conditioning and ductwork has been given a thorough maintenance check?
The pandemic has meant that all previous social and professional interactions have changed, and in this vein, it’s vital that safety standards remain parallel with these changes.
It’s the duty of any responsible company to remain abreast of the fluctuating risks and review both their COVID-19 and fire risk assessments to ensure they are still able to keep employees and buildings as safe as possible.
Be aware: Revised guidance for fire risk assessments was published by the BSI in December 2020
Although the list above is by no means an exhaustive one, we’ve outlined what we believe will be the most common changes that will need to be reviewed from a fire safety perspective on the return to the workplace below.
Vulnerable people
Businesses that employ people with health vulnerabilities and have made the necessary changes to ensure they can return to work safely (such as creating separate working areas), must be sure that they are at the forefront of their fire safety risk assessment.
This should also be considered for those that are now working alone due to social distancing regulations. Either way, employers must continue with their Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) for all staff members.
All procedures should be under constant review to accurately reflect the staff in the building and the additional risk incurred by any new working locations or shift patterns.
Building alterations
It’s important to ensure that employers are prudent when making alternations to buildings; it’s crucial that a balance is struck between COVID-security and fire hazards.
For example, although you may wish to improve airflow or prevent your employees from touching more door handles than necessary, it’s never a good idea to prop open fire doors. Doing this severely increases the chances that a fire and the resulting smoke will be able to travel from room-to-room and compromise the opportunities for escape.
The current COVID-19 workplace rules do not override the requirement under Building Regulations to ensure that any alterations are functional. Many businesses may have taken precautions of their own, from erecting partitioning to complete overhauls in order to meet new demand over the course of the lockdowns. Either way, such changes can compromise fire safety.
In all cases, an in-depth review of fire safety precautions after changes are made needs to occur to determine the risk and the mitigating measures that need to be taken.
Evacuation and social distancing
That being said, it’s still absolutely imperative that occupants leave the building in an efficient and orderly manner to report to their designated assembly point.
While it’s true to say that social distancing may be compromised, this should be somewhat mitigated by adhering to government guidelines at the assembly point itself, with handwash, masks and other appropriate hygiene measures available for all occupants.
With this in mind, current emergency escape plans are likely to require review, and all employees must, therefore, be made aware of the changes.
Duty of care for those working from home
Even if some of your employees are still required to work from home, it’s important that they are still included within the fire safety audits since an employer still has a duty of care to those at home within working hours.
All employees should be encouraged to observe the following:
- Ensure all fire safety arrangements in the home are adequate, such as smoke alarms that are tested regularly.
- Electrical items are used safely, and extension cords aren’t plugged into one another (otherwise known as “daisy chaining”).
- Ensure that all family members are aware of what to do in the case of a fire, especially older people and children.
- Remind them of the fire code: Get Out, Stay Out and Call 999.