Introduction to Fire Safety Management

Introduction to Fire Safety Management
section, e.g. if contractors are seen conducting hot
work operations without a hot work permit this will
identify either that no such arrangement exists or that the
arrangements are inadequate.
Specifi c elements that may be included in the
fi re safety arrangements section therefore may be as
indicated in Table 2.1.
Table 2.1 Elements of a fi re safety arrangements section
Actions in the event of a fi re Fire safety and electrical
equipment
Catering fi re safety Fire safety furnishings
management and fabrics
Contingency planning Fire safety inspections,
reviews and audits
Emergency lighting systems Fire safety training and
instruction
Emergency planning Fire service liaison
Evacuation exercises Fixed fi re fi ghting
equipment/installations
Highly fl ammable liquids – Management of contractors
transportation storage and hot work permits
and use
Fire alarms and detection Means of escape (fi re doors
systems and routes)
Fire investigation and Personal emergency
reporting (false alarms and evacuation plans
incidents) (disabled persons)
Fire plans (the production of) Portable fi re fi ghting
equipment
Fire risk assessment Security against arson
While it will be necessary for all staff members to be
aware of key elements within the arrangements section,
namely actions in the event of fi re, evacuation exercises
and means of escape, specifi c personnel with allocated
roles and responsibilities will need to have a far greater
and in-depth knowledge of specifi c arrangements, e.g.
for those involved with assisting the escape of disabled
persons or those involved in conducting and reviewing
fi re risk assessments.
2.2.4 Review and revision
To ensure that the safety policy remains up to date and
refl ects the organisation’s safety management systems
and the risks associated with the organisation’s activities,
the policy should be subject to regular review and,
where necessary, revision. To ensure that the policy
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remains valid regular reviews are seen as ‘best practice’
in line with each of the previously mentioned standards
(BS 8800, OHSAS 18001, HSG(65)) and in ‘Health and
Safety in Annual Reports: Guidance from the Health and
Safety Commission (HSC)’ available on the HSE’s website
at www.hse.gov.uk
Changes in circumstance that may affect the validity
of a safety policy are numerous and therefore policies
could be reviewed under the following headings:
➤ People – may include a change in management
structure, director, or the reporting lines within an
organisation; may also include change in persons
employed, or visiting the premise, such as young
people and those with disabilities
➤ Place – may include changes to the types of
premises being occupied, or the number of premises
being operated out of, or operating in shared
accommodation
➤ Plant – may include changes in the type, numbers,
or risks attributed to the plant and machinery used
by the company, such as moving from air powered
tools to battery operated units
➤ Processes – may include changing the process
activities of a company relating to the risk level such
as moving from construction operations into facilities
management activities, or using less harmful products
such as water-based paint instead of solventbased
paint
➤ Enforcement action – may include reacting to enforcers’
guidance, serving of notices, or prosecution
➤ Legislation and standards – may include changes to
legislation, approved codes of practice, or guidance
issued by the DCLG, HSC or HSE; may also include
changes to British or European Standards
➤ Audit/review results – may include reacting to fi ndings
of both internal and external audits which may
identify areas of weakness
➤ Consultation – following discussions during safety
committee meetings with representative bodies or
employees direct
➤ Adverse safety events – may include fi re, false alarms,
personal injury accidents, ill-health occurrences,
damage-only incidents or near miss incidents.
These are but a sample of such changes and there may
well be many more that will affect an organisation’s
policy validity.
2.3 Case study
Following a fi re risk assessment, an offi ce-based organisation
whose headquarters operated out of a three-storey