Client: Large Bank with Sites Nationwide  Case Type: Consultancy

Why Complete a Fire Safety Audit?
The Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003 place a legal responsibility on all employers to achieve an appropriate standard of fire safety in their premises. In order to ensure compliance with this legislation, the fire safety within an organisation should be assessed in accordance with available fire safety guidance documents and codes of practice. This assessment can take the form of a Fire Safety Audit, which focuses on whether compliance is achieved with reference to these standards, or not.

Why Develop a Fire Emergency Plan?
The Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003 and the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and associated Regulations place a legal responsibility on all employers to plan for possible emergencies, including fire. In order to ensure compliance with this legislation, emergencies, including fire, should be planned and prepared for on an ongoing basis. This includes the carrying out of at least two evacuation drills every year.

Why Develop a Fire Safety Management Programme?
The Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003 place a legal responsibility on all workplaces to achieve an appropriate standard of fire safety in their premises. Many of these responsibilities relate directly to the day-to-day management of the building and the systems within the building, with regard to fire safety. In order to ensure compliance with fire safety legislation, guidance and codes of practice, the fire safety within an organisation should be managed on an ongoing basis. A Fire Safety Management Programme and Fire Safety Register are key components in ensuring that any fire safety systems in the premises would work effectively in an emergency situation.

Recent Case Study with a large Bank with sites nationwide
Over the past year Nifast’s Fire Safety Consultant, Claire McCartney, completed a Fire Safety Audit and developed a Fire Emergency Plan and Fire Safety Management Programme with one of our clients for a number of their sites nationwide. The Client approached Nifast with a request to work with them to develop a Strategy to manage Fire Safety in their premises nationwide. Nifast have worked with the Client’s in-house Health and Safety Advisors to develop a tailored Fire Safety Audit format and Fire Safety Management Programme, which can be adapted to each of the client’s premises. Throughout the process Nifast have aimed to ensure that the Client is achieving the highest best practice standards in terms of managing fire safety.

At each site, time was spent discussing fire safety management with the on-site health and safety personnel, examining existing fire safety documentation and records and completing a physical inspection of the premises involved. Based on the information obtained during these site visits, a Fire Safety Audit Report was prepared for each site which outlined the deficiencies in the premises, if any, with reference to the Fire Services Acts 1981 & 2003. The Audit Report included prioritised Action Plans for implementation in order to ensure compliance with fire safely legislation, guidance and best practice. The reports covered the following issues:

- Means of Escape – including horizontal and vertical escape

- Disabled Egress

- Internal Fire Spread

- External Fire Spread

- Furniture, Furnishings and Fittings

- Flammable and explosive or potentially explosive materials

- Fire Safety Management – including appointed Fire Safety Manager and current Fire Safety Register

- Fire Detection and Alarm Systems

- Emergency Escape Lighting Systems

- Fire Safety Signs

- Fire-Fighting Equipment – including Fire-Fighting Training

- Power Supply, Lighting, Heating and Ventilation Systems

- Access and Facilities for the Fire Service

- Fire Emergency Plans – including Fire Warden Training

- Employee Fire Safety Awareness Training.

Following the Fire Safety Audit, a Fire Safety Management Programme was prepared for each of the sites. The Fire Safety Management Programme outlines the policies and procedures that should be established within the organisation to ensure compliance with fire safely legislation, guidance and best practice.

The Programme also includes a Fire Safety Register to document the completion of the required checking/ testing/ maintenance of the fire safety systems and equipment outlined in the Fire Safety Management Programme. The programme consists of:

- A Fire Safety Management Policy for the organisation

- Fire Prevention Procedures for the organisation to be implemented by all employees, contractors and visitors

- Fire Protection Procedures for the organisation to be implemented by the Fire Safety Manager on an ongoing basis

- A Fire Safety Register to be maintained by the Fire Safety Manager

- Recommendations on implementing a Fire Emergency Evacuation Programme for the organisation

- The basic outline of an Employee Fire Safety Awareness Training Programme.

Finally, a Fire Emergency Plan was developed for each of the sites consisting of fire emergency evacuation procedures and fire evacuation plan. This Plan included specifications for any required drawings, which are a key component to successful emergency planning. The Fire Emergency Plan consists of:

- Site-specific Fire Emergency Procedures for the organisation to be implemented by all employees, contractors and visitors

- Information for all key persons within the Fire Emergency Plan on how to carry out their functions

- Particular information on disabled egress and recommendations on suitable equipment to aid evacuation of disabled persons

- Personal Evacuation Plans for individuals where required

- Specifications for marked-up floor plans and site layout plans showing all relevant fire safety information

- Responsibilities of all appointed and competent Fire Wardens

- Recommendations on implementing a Fire Emergency Evacuation Programme for the organisation.