Fire Risk Assessments for Construction
The construction industry houses fast-paced, dynamic environments that increase fire risk. With flammable materials, incomplete fire protection systems and heavy machinery, it’s often overlooked just how high this risk can be.
At Lanahan Risk Management services, we’re here to make the fire risk assessment process as simple as possible for you, whilst ensuring that your construction site meets all required safety standards.
Common fire risks on construction sites
There are a number of fire risks on construction sites:
Failure to properly manage these risks can increase the chances of an accident on your construction site. A fire risk assessment can outline the dangers, and provide actionable steps moving forward.
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How fire risk assessments for construction sites work
Fire risk assessments for construction sites consist of a thorough assessment of the site, identifying risks which could lead to a fire. It is a legal requirement for you to conduct a risk assessment on your construction site for the safety of employees and property. Once found, risks are met with actionable plans to lower the chances of disaster striking.
A comprehensive risk assessment should include the following 5 steps:
- 1Identify fire hazards - List flammable/combustible items on the building site, as well as sources of fire.
- 2Establish who is at risk - In the case of construction, it’s important to think about who may be most at risk if a fire occurs. Are there workers onsite who are more likely to be exposed to these risks? This should be taken into account when planning fire safety measures. This helps make sure that the right prevention and escape equipment is in the building.
- 3Evaluate, reduce and protect from risk - Evaluate the likelihood of each risk to occur. From there, start implementing specific safety measures to reduce or remove the risk entirely. This could be by installing fire extinguishers/blankets, or by establishing effective fire escape routes.
- 4Record, plan and train - A fire action/escape plan should be created and each responsible person on the construction site should be aware of and trained according to this plan. This prepares your construction team to be aware of how to act in the event of an emergency.
- 5
Regular review - Regularly reviewing your fire risk assessment ensures that you notice new risks, or ones which were missed and update your plan accordingly to maintain maximum safety. This is especially vital on an ever-changing construction site.
Who is responsible for conducting a construction fire risk assessment?
Typically, the principal contractor will be responsible for ensuring a fire risk assessment is carried out, but ultimately, you need a ‘competent person,’ who is expertly qualified to properly identify and manage fire risks.
This is a legal requirement to ensure the safety of every member of the construction team.
Legislation around construction fire safety in the UK
A fire risk assessment is a legal requirement under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and CDM Regulations 2015.
Every construction site must have a fire risk assessment in place. It’s not just about compliance, it’s about protecting lives, property and your reputation. Failure to comply can lead to serious consequences, including injury, property damage, and legal action.
How often should a construction site have a fire risk assessment?
At minimum, a fire risk assessment on a construction site should be reviewed at least annually. However, given how quickly construction site evolve, we’d recommend considering a fire risk assessment every 6 months.
Reviewing your construction fire risk assessment
Reviewing your construction fire risk assessment should include:
- 1Categorising and prioritising risks
- 2Focusing on the most likely and most dangerous hazards
- 3Implementing the changes outlined in your action plan
The goal of a risk assessment is not simply to find risks, but also to mitigate them by taking steps to actively reduce them and increase safety. A great way to ensure you are doing this properly is by seeking the help of a professional third party consultant, who specialises in bespoke fire risk assessments for the construction industry.
Get in touch with Lanahan Risk Management Services to ensure fire safety on your construction site.
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