Page 24 - Health and safety

4.5 Fire Precautions and Site Evacuation

Fire is a risk for businesses and the company carries out risk assessments of its’ activities at all work sites to
both minimise the risk of fires starting and ensure that safe evacuation procedures are always available.

Fire Prevention Measures.

Fire prevention measures are based on keeping fuels away from sources of ignition by the following
measures:-

• Avoiding the use of flammable liquids where possible (e.g. Solvents).
• (Where required) providing suitable storage for all flammable liquids in fire proof containers.
• Avoiding the accumulation of combustible waste by good housekeeping.
• Avoiding overheating of electrical devices by appropriate installation of electrical services (e.g. avoiding
the need for excess extension leads) and regular inspection of portable electrical equipment
• Avoiding smoking.

Remark: ECCS has a strict ‘No Smoking’ policy and staff are only allowed to smoke off the clients’
premises and in their own time.

• Emergency Response.
In the event of a fire starting the following measures are in place to allow for raising the alarm and evacuating
the building as quickly as possible.
• Fire alarm systems all staff are trained on the location of manual call points or other arrangements to
sound the fire alarm on the site that they are contracted to work on.
• Fire extinguishers and blankets are provided by the client around sites for emergency use to assist
evacuation. Staff are not trained or expected to use these except in dire emergency to help escape.
• Fire evacuation procedure. All members of staff are instructed to evacuate the building in the event of a
fire alarm sounding or discovering fire/smoke including reporting for roll call.
• Emergency Lighting is provided throughout the client sites and in cleaners’ areas (especially on escape
routes) for safe evacuation in the event of power failure during hours of darkness. All new sites are
inspected for presence of emergency lighting relevant to the workforce
• Where self-closing fire doors are fitted staff must never prop them open.
Fire Risk Assessment.

Each client site will supply a copy of the premises fire risk assessment for review.

The Headquarters building has a separate Fire Risk Assessment which is reviewed and updated
annually.

Relevant Legislation:-

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

Relevant Guidance:-
A short guide to making your premises safe from fire
Document Health and Safety Policy 2020 Page | 24