COVID-19 and Fire Safety:
Hopefully, as you are reading this you are keeping well. We have had some clients contact us to ask whether they still need to carry out fire risk assessments during the lockdown, so we thought we would offer a blog about this to help you decide.
Do we still need a fire risk assessment?
The government have not relaxed the requirements for fire safety. As a result, it is important that you maintain fire safety for your buildings. This means continuing to keep on top of your statutory tests, equipment servicing and fire risk assessments. It is important that whatever works you have going on are conducted safely, in line with the need for social distancing and through a risk assessed approach. This way, risk can be managed to a very low level.
If we are closed is there a fire risk?
The short answer is yes. If your building is empty, the risk to life is much reduced but not completely zero. As a result, you must still manage fire risk. Even if no clients are attending site, your staff are not working and directors are not visiting site, there is still a risk to life. If a fire started, the fire service would still attend to tackle the fire and so if a fire started it would put them at risk. Not only is there still a risk to life, if a fire started at your premises there is a big chance your business would never recover. As a result, more than ever, it is vital to keep on top of your fire risk. This means keeping your fire risk assessment up to date, monitoring and inspecting your electrical systems as well as your gas supplies and equipment. Electrical fires, as always, are a major cause of fire in the UK. If you business is presently closed, it is a good idea to turn off equipment, shut down machinery and reduce electrical use as much as possible.
Do we need to keep on top of fire awareness training?
Fire awareness training is required by law. It is vital that staff are aware of fire risk and how to actively prevent fires starting. If your staff are not working then you are not responsible for this. However, if your staff are working for you from home or are still visiting your premises you must keep on top of this training. The great thing about modern times is that this training can be done online! Have a look at our online training courses or give us a call.
Are fire risk assessors still working?
JCH Safety Ltd are still carrying out vital fire risk assessments during the lockdown. We are also available for health and safety consultancy and guidance with safe working during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are providing a variety of services including online consultancy and physical meetings where necessary. We can still carry out your inspections and assist you with safe working. Please do not hesitate to get in touch. To keep you and our assessors safe we have a detailed COVID-19 risk assessment and several ways of carrying out work for our clients which minimise risk.
Can you help our staff feel safe at work?
Yes we can. If you need any assistance with any aspect of safety, please do contact us. We can provide you with assistance with fire safety and all types of health and safety. We can work with you to manage risk around COVID-19 to help keep your businesses running and to reopen if you have been closed. As businesses open it is vital that COVID-19 risk is managed properly.
Do not hesitate to get in touch.
Keep Safe!
JCH Safety
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