Introduction to Fire Safety Management

15.14.6 Stability of structures
All practicable steps must be taken to prevent danger to
any person from the accidental collapse of any new or
existing structure which may either become unstable or
be in a temporary state of weakness or instability due to
construction work.
15.14.7 Demolition or dismantling
Suitable and suffi cient steps must be taken to ensure
that demolition or dismantling of a structure or part of
any structure which gives rise to a risk of danger to any
person is planned and carried out under the supervision
of a competent person and in such a manner as to prevent,
so far as is practicable, such danger.
15.14.8 Explosives
Explosive charges must only be used or fi red if suitable
and suffi cient steps have been taken to ensure that
no person is exposed to a risk of injury from either the
explosion or by projected/fl ying material caused by the
explosion.
15.14.9 Excavations
This part of the schedule requires that:
1. All practicable steps are taken to prevent danger to
persons from accidental collapse of excavations
2. Suitable and suffi cient steps are taken to prevent, so
far as is reasonably practicable, any person from being
trapped or buried by falling or dislodged materials
3. Suitable and suffi cient equipment is provided to support
excavations and is installed, altered and dismantled
under the supervision of a competent person
4. Suitable and suffi cient steps are taken to prevent
any person, vehicle, plant and equipment, earth or
other materials from falling into any excavation
5. No materials, vehicles, plant and equipment are
placed or moved near to any excavation where this
would be likely to cause the excavation to collapse
6. No excavation work is carried out unless suitable
and suffi cient steps have been taken to prevent any
risk of injury from underground cables or services.
15.14.10 Cofferdams and caissons
These must be suitably designed, constructed and
maintained and be of suffi cient strength and capacity for
their purpose. The construction, installation, alteration
and dismantling must be under the supervision of a
competent person.
Summary of key legal requirements
15.14.11 Reports of inspections
Places of work including scaffolds, excavations, cofferdams
and caissons must be inspected by a competent
person before persons fi rst use the place of work and at
scheduled intervals to determine that they are safe.
Reports of the inspections required under the
schedules must be prepared by the competent person
who carried out the inspection before the end of the
working period and a copy provided to the duty holder
within 24 hours. A copy of the report must also be
retained on site.
15.14.12 Energy distribution installations
Where there is a risk of contact with power supply
cables the power supply should be in the fi rst instance
directed away from the area or isolated; where this
cannot be undertaken, barriers, signs and rerouting of
vehicle movements should be considered.
15.14.13 Prevention of drowning
Where any person is liable to fall into water or other liquid
with a risk of drowning, suitable and suffi cient steps
must be taken to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable,
a person from falling; and to minimise risk of
drowning if people fall. Suitable rescue equipment must
also be provided and maintained.
Where persons are conveyed to work by water,
suitable and suffi cient steps must be taken to ensure
their safe transport and the vessel used to convey them
must be suitable, properly constructed and maintained.
The vessel must be under the control of a competent
person and not be overcrowded or overloaded.
15.14.14 Traffi c routes
Construction sites must be organised to ensure that,
so far as is reasonably practicable, pedestrians and
vehicles can move safely and without risks to health.
In organising traffi c routes, the following requirements
must be satisfi ed:
1. Traffi c routes must be suitable for those using them,
suffi cient in number, in suitable positions and of suffi
cient size
2. Pedestrians or vehicles must be able to use the traffi
c route without causing danger to others near it
3. Any doors or gates used by pedestrians which lead
onto a vehicle traffi c route must enable the pedestrians
to see any approaching vehicles from a safe
position
4. There must be suffi cient separation between vehicles
and pedestrians where reasonably practicable
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