Sam Crudgington

Do you know where you would find your business’ fire risk assessment? Has your FRA paperwork been gathering dust in a drawer for the past year, maybe longer? It’s no good waiting for spring to have a spring clean, you should ‘spring clean’ your safety procedures periodically.

The Fire Safety Order

The Fire Safety Order requires FRA’s to be updated, particularly if there is any reason that it may no longer be valid.

These could be reasons such as a change in your premises’ layout; an extension or conversion for example. Or it could be any technical or organisational measures or the way you and your employees carry out your work. It also applies to your staff. So you need to think about whether you have recruited more people in the last year; particularly those with a disability.

An FRA is also a really good way to invest in your premises. It gives you peace of mind that your staff, colleagues and site are safe. But it can also provide a more informed view of what you actually need to invest in to make your premises safe.

Review Any Changes Fire Risk Assessment Toal Safe UK Essex and south East

It is good idea to review your fire safety procedures annually. This shows that you are committed to ensuring the safety of everyone who vacated your premises and the building itself both now and, in the future, too.

A lot can change in a year. ALL changes need to be considered when reviewing your FRA and safety procedures. You may have recently employed a new member of staff, for example, who uses a wheelchair and the lift to get to their desk every day. But if there is a fire drill, they will be unable to use the lift. So what do they do instead? You need to make sure measures are put in place to ensure they can evacuate the building as quickly and as safely as possible.

You may have had some building work carried out, for another example, to add a new office or an extra corridor. The new layout of your premises could mean that your escape route plans are no longer an option so new ones need to be put in place. Old signs may also need to be updated to co-inside with the new exit routes.

So if your FRA is in need of a bit of a ‘spring clean’, review it as soon as you can, and if you are still unsure whether it is up to scratch or not, contact a professional to help.